How to handle a body-switching protagonist
In my script the appearance of the protagonist physically changes at the end of the first act. As I envision it, the same actor would not play the part from that point on. This is not a Face/Off situation where characters change places; the protagonist becomes a separate and new character (we’ll call him Tom) in the latter acts while retaining the previous mental identity (Jim) from the first act. I hope this makes sense with as little as I’m telling you.
The protagonist will then be referred to as Jim by those who knew him in the first act and meet him subsequently, and Tom by all those he meets in the 2nd act and beyond. My current solution is to refer to him as Jim in the first act and Tom in the latter two to match their physical appearance. Is it okay for me to rely on the context of my story to lead the reader through the transition (identity is a theme throughout) or am I risking confusing the reader?
– Jed
Fort Worth, TX
I understand what you’re trying to do, and so will your readers, as long as they’re engaged enough by your story to care. In fact, readers will follow you down almost any rabbit hole provided you can convince them something rewarding awaits.
When you’re pulling a big switch like this in a script, it’s okay to stop the action for a few lines and directly address the reader:
He ejects the DVD from the player and holds it up to see his reflection, an improvised mirror. He touches his face, confused.
Jim Maxwell is now TOM BARNHARD.
Mid-40’s, he has a similar build but a completely different face: rougher, darker. He is physically a different person.
(NOTE: From this point forward, we’ll be referring to this character as Tom. It is designed to be a different actor.)
Tom catches movement in the reflection. Another MAN. Charging right at him.
When dealing with potentially-confusing moments like these, it’s okay to give the reader slightly more concrete information than the viewing public might receive. The reader doesn’t have benefit of seeing that Derek Luke has suddenly become Denzel Washington.
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March 18th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Completely off-topic, but I am thrilled to see that someone else in the world knows who Derek Luke is.
March 18th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Couple of tricks from other movies:
“Dark Passage” (1947): A convict escapes from prison and changes his face through plastic surgery to look like Humprhey Bogart. The first part of the film, however, uses the “subjective camera technique” in which the viewer sees the action through the protagonist’s eyes. So we don’t see Bogart’s face we just hear his voice until after the surgey.
“Jigsaw Man” (1983): Another story in which the main character has plastic surgery and becomes Michael Caine, except in this case they just looped Caine’s (very recognizable) voice over another actor. Worked quite well. If the written character has a very distinctive voice (as all good characters should have), there shouldn’t be too much confusion.
March 18th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Lost Highway (1997) does this as well:
INT. PRISON – FRED’S CELL – NIGHT
Fred’s blank face begins to contort and take on the appearance, feature by feature, of Pete Dayton.
Fred Madison is becoming Pete Dayton.
…
A GUARD is making his early morning rounds. He stops at each cell and looks in, making a mark with a pencil on a piece of paper on a clipboard. when he comes to Fred’s cell, he is about to make a check-mark, but looks in again and appears confused. THE MAN INSIDE IS NOT FRED.
March 18th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
But then again, can a person truly become another person? What defines our identities?
I’m off to watch Face/Off to fine the answers to these questions (and more).
March 18th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
*find
March 18th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
@scott:
I wonder if that 1983 Michael Caine movie took note of 1982’s pilot episode of Knight Rider. They did the same thing with David Hasselhoff’s voice. I always thought Caine was just a poor man’s Hoff…
March 18th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Because if there’s one thing Lost Highway should be remembered for, it’s the way it communicated ideas with great clarity. :/
The same convention could also work in the reverse situation, I suppose, where the same actor is intended to play multiple roles. The important thing is the logistical instruction; the rest is clear from context (e.g. Tom sharing Jim’s mannerisms or whatnot).
March 19th, 2009 at 3:44 am
I’m writing a screenplay that relies heavily on flashbacks to tell the story of a middle age guy who goes back to his hometown with his family. In the flashbacks the protagonist (as a young man) bears an uncanny resemblance to his older son (so much so that they can/should be played by the same actor). I don’t want to overstep my bounds as a writer (since casting decisions are not my responsibility), but for the story to work there has to be a believable connection between the father (in the flashbacks) and his son (present day).
Any suggestions on how to make this recommendation in the script?
April 12th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I’m writing a script where sisters switch bodies but not souls. What is the correct formatting to not confuse the reader or the audience?