I have a poser: What happens when your protagonist’s name changes part-way through the story? Do you change references in dialogue and action as well, or should you start with their ultimate name from the beginning and clarify that it is a temporary discrepancy?
Screenwriting : Character name change by Stephen Floyd
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Depending on what you want the reader to know.
“The man from the bar enters
STEVE
Mark.
MARK
Dude.
The man (Mark) sits down.”
From that point it’s Mark. That is how I would do it.
Maybe that's an oversimplified version Craig but I've always frowned on that. If Mark enters then call him Mark from the start and don't write that the man enters, this is MARK. Please correct me if I've interpreted your example incorrectly. Stephen, more information. Why has the character's name changed?
Simply put, he changes it. He enters a place where he can reinvent himself and decides to change his name while he’s at it.
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Is it a permanent change, ie: for the remainder of the story? If so, how far into the story does it happen? I think the format is best determined by the circumstances surrounding the name change.
It's not such of a dilemma. For instance, if you read a Spider-man script, you'll clearly see when it's PETER or SPIDER-MAN who's in the scene. No need to overthink it.
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It may be a simple as that, Justin or it may not be. Spider-man is an alter ego of Peter parker whereas we don't really know the situation of Stephen's character. Is it an alter ego, is it a permanent change? I don't know, let's find out before we throw some generic advice.
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I think it depends what you mean by character's name. If that character creates an alter ego, well his/her name doesn't change and in dialogues/actions he/she should keep the same name but it depends as well in which circonstances. If the alter ego is doing actions and dialogues, well it's the alter ego's name. However, if the character's legal names change, the new actions and dialogues should have that new name to not confuse the readers.
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sample scripts would be helpful. I can't think of any right now.
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"Temporary discrepancy " suggests a none permanent change to identity. I would stick to the original character and make sure you offer clarity via the action or dialogue.
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keep it simple. Read scripts and steal from pros. Example - The Bourne Identity. The Hero is called "The Man" for the first 10-15 pages of screenplay, until he remembers he is Jason Bourne.
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Without context nor creative intent, it’s hard to say. I have a script in which we never know the main character's true name or indentity—which is my intent. She’s a roaming serial killer and con artist who uses various aliases. However, I refer to her as either “the woman” or “WOMAN” in description and dialogue no matter what other names characters call her. I did this at first as a placeholder, not exactly sure how I wanted to handle it but then really liked the effect and how it kept things simple. So, like others have already said, it truly depends. Do seek out produced examples that are similar to what you are trying to achieve. See how others handled it on the page. ;)
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Ah, just saw your additional comment above, Stephen. I don’t really sense a reason for the name change? He moves to a new place and just wants to “reinvent himself? You don’t need to change your name to do that unless you are hiding from something or someone. So, my two cents, if there is no real conflict or a more forceful reason to why and the name change is temporary, I’d stick with the original name throughout, per Karen’s suggestion. ;) Hope that helps!
Pierre Langenegger if you wanted to keep Mark’s identity hidden until it was needed I would do it this way. That simple scene could be on page 50.
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If it's a permanent change, yes, change it. John Day has it right - use a slash the first time he speaks after the name change, then use the new name in action & dialogue going forward. You can also opt to use a slash in action the first time after he's made the change. The point is 1) be clear, & 2) set the script up for an accurate cast list. Thus the slash is important in that first change.
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I second Tammy Gross's solution, as I've seen the slash method used in pro scripts and it flows smoothly :^}
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Just keep in mind Stephen Floyd , keeping it secret from the viewers is great, but not always the case with readers. Readers want to stay informed to make accurate decisions. So, the script may differ from the end product. Agree with John Day . Always be clear.
Tim Dutton the reader is the audience. They need to feel surprise just like a viewer of a film.