Comments on: Should I include a list of characters?

By: JB

JB — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:02:55 +0000

hmmm…should have assumed whitespace would not be preserved.

By: JB

JB — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:02:23 +0000

I seem to recall reading in one of those Canonical Screenwriting Books (McKee, one of the Goldmans, something like that) a suggestion for dealing with this where when you introduce characters, you have whatever tic identifies their appearance or purpose now, which gives the reader something to hang his hat on, and marks them as "remember this for now, his name might come up later."

Like:

SMOKING MAN leaned against the block wall, a hat was pulled over his eyes.

    HIRO PROTAGONIST

"good god whatever shall we do." USEFUL HELPER "I don't know, Hiro, if we don't find Mr. Wolf will never escape the evil sorcereress's clutches!" SMOKING MAN "I believe I might be of service. My name is Wolf. Johannes Wolf." HIRO PROTAGONIST "Fuckin' A! Right under our nose!" MR. WOLF "Damn straight, Hiro, now lets blow this taco stand."

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:27:57 +0000

@ Rob N. - Doesn't matter if it would work. It isn't how it's done. If you send a script out with a character list, it projects that you don't know what you're doing and didn't bother to find out. When a person has a stack of scripts to read over the weekend, it only gives them a script to put yours at the bottom of the pile or to skip it altogether.

Also, it's not about the film industry expediting the process. It's just a different medium with its own set of rules. Novels also don't have character lists. The way you "hook" a reader in a screenplay is by having a killer opening. The script should be able to stand on its own and is expected to do so.

In other news... As for Aliens, sounds like it's not a cast list but simply a standard intro of the characters who happen to be introduced at the same time early in the script. As for Tenenbaums, sounds like artistic license. Also came from an established writer/director so when someone saw his character list, they probably assumed he had a good reason, whereas a newbie wouldn't get this benefit of the doubt.

By: the divide

the divide — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:02:16 +0000

If there are too many characters to keep track of, kill some of them.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:59:07 +0000

ALIENS was also a sequel, so it helped to remind the reader who the remaining crew was.

By: Peter

Peter — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:24:52 +0000

In Germany, we HAVE to give a list of characters at the beginning (lazy producers with bad memory I guess) and it is considered unprofessionel not to do so.

By: Rob N.

Rob N. — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:18:33 +0000

interesting, because it is fairly common if not expected, for a character list (as well as a settings list) to accompany reading scripts for stage plays. i suppose this could be another example of how the movie industry strives to expedite a process that is considered commonplace in a more traditional environment. in fact, the character and settings lists for plays are often poetic and inventive and serve as a way to "hook" a reader and set up a mood before reading of the play has even begun.

why wouldn't this work equally well for film writing?

-rob

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:22:34 +0000

Difference between a stage play and a movie: In a stage play, the audience receives a list of characters when they sit down. In a movie, they don't.

When we write a screenplay, we're trying to approximate the experience from the audience's point of view.

By: laurent

laurent — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:29:39 +0000

To the point, I personnaly dont like the idea of listing the characters upfront either.

As john alluded , if your script is confusing without such a list, the movie will be confusing too because it wont have the list.

The reading of a script must give all necessary visual & audio hints (nothing less nothing more) that enables reader to picture the quintessence of movie in their mind just as it would screen.

Being able to identify each character as they reappear only with sound & picture must be processed in the script sluglines a way or an other, already. Thats a part of the screenwriter job. A list of character would never make it in the finished movie (as a voice over? a scrolling text? a spreadsheet on a screen?.. yeek ) so rather smartly stage it (alien, the thing) or rip it off.

By: laurent

laurent — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:14:48 +0000

Regarding Alien & the Thing , I think it s more like cleaned up slug lines of what we see, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE all characters on screen at this moment. Would be useless to start like “DALLAS, the captain sits in front of KANE executive officer & ASH science officer,.. ” instead of a clean list. It just translate that the scene introduces everyone at the same time

By: Shan

Shan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:27:58 +0000

John, you da boss. But don't you think Bill Lancaster's script for THE THING breaks this rule to spectacular effect?

Each character's one-line up-front intro is so crackingly well written in itself that it gives you a very clear mental picture of each character before they've even said a line apiece.

It won't work for most scripts but I think the very spare, procedural ensemble nature of that movie made it okay. Many of the characters (other than MacReady, Childs and Blair) didn't have much, dialogue or action wise, on paper to help differentiate their characters from one another for the reader.