Hi All!
Last week I got in on the tail end of a discussion that really made me rethink my character intros. I've always put name and age "YAYA (Late 50's)" but the discussion was screenwriters should attach ethnicity (race) as well because casting directors often defer to white actors when casting. Unfortunately, it turned into a debate rather than a clarification point and my questions got lost in the shuffle.
While the cast of characters in my screenplays are diverse, it never dawned on me to specify their skin color because I see and hear them so clearly in my head that it is obvious to me. And because my writing is so brilliant, everyone should just know, right? :-)
If I want to stay true to my characters, is this something I should start doing?
How would that look on paper? "MARTIN (Late 40's-Black)" "NEO (30's-Non-binary)"
Is this something you do?
2 people like this
Ellis. Ever who said that is one percent wrong. You never do that in a character description.
Thanks for the input. This is the first I heard about it and really wondered if it was a new "thing" I should be aware of, but like I said, it turned into this raging debate and there was no clarification.
1 person likes this
Thanks for sharing this question, it's really helpful to new screenwriters!
Absolutely, CJ Walley, I'd rather ask around, see what information is available. My screenwriting mentor is no longer available for coaching, so I'm exploring other resources like my Stage 32 friends, to ask these questions that come up.
1 person likes this
First, I love that the example character name you used above is Yaya...that's our youngest daughter's nickname (as the caboose of our 4 J-named kids, her name is Jaya).
And to address your question, I never attach an ethnicity to a character unless it's pertinent to the story. I say that's true with most of the unimportant details. I also like to picture a certain actress in my script as I write, but I do try to find several diverse actresses that fit what I'm going for (if that makes sense). I guess, point is - be flexible!
I actually have a script where the main character is a single mom and the baby is important to the story, but the agent I was speaking with asked me if the baby was pertinent to the story because the producer doesn't want the baby. I was in my head saying "Absolutely, she's a central part of the story" meanwhile my mouth said, "I can change it!" So I did (the main character is now a caretaker to her elderly grandfather). Point is, you don't want to writer yourself into a corner.
Full disclosure: although I've had many discussions in film school regarding the whitewashing of film, this is my opinion on the writing end of it.
2 people like this
A character's race is irrelevant unless it's a story component.
1 person likes this
I have never done that, and never will, unless it is important to the story.
1 person likes this
Ellis, what I started doing (thanks to Stage 32!) is:
CHARACTER'S NAME (age, character trait; ethnicity)
Learned that from S32 contributor Jorge Prieto...and that tactic really helped me out.
All the VERY BEST to you, Ellis! Glad you're on Stage 32!
Thank you all so much for your experience and your opinions! I really appreciate so many different points of view. Cannon Rosenau, Yaya is very close to my heart, she's managed to work her way into 3 of my novels and I just had to showcase her innate sense of nurturing nosiness.
2 people like this
read scripts and see how "professionals" do it, then steal it.
"QUEEN AND SLIM'. on the first 1/4 page, the writer tells you, "A BLACK MAN AND A BLACK WOMAN SITTING IN A SMALL BOOTH IN THE BACK."
For this story, race is major part.
Sunday is my read/study script day and I don't recall seeing race mentioned before unless the story was racially driven (BlackKklansman, Crazy Rich Asians). I wasn't taught to do this in my screenwriting classes, so the conversation intrigued me enough to look into what other people were doing.
One more question for you screenwriting superstars...is it weird to include last names of all named characters, or should that be reserved for only main characters.
Thanks Nick!
I agree, Holly. Thank you Ellis for this thread. My question: How much detail do you put to describe your main character the first time you meet him/her. For example, is MARY (early 50s) enough?
List something unique about the character, not necessarily looks. Something that will stick in the reader's mind.
1 person likes this
It is my opinion that the only time you mention ethnicity (race) is when it is pertinent to the storyline.
In the movie DRIVING MISS DAISY I think it is important for the reader to know Miss Daisy is white and her Driver is black. Failure to mention this in the characters intro leads to a much different movie.
As a writer we should assume the reader knows nothing except that which we reveal to them by the words we choose to describe the characters and scenes. Much like a viewer only sees what the camera shows them, everything outside of the frame doesn't exist or matters.
Paul. They have to hire an actor that can play the character so it is good to say something about their personality. It is the one place that it is okay to write something you can't see on film. Example: ANGIE, 2O's, stunningly beautiful and equally mischievous.
If skin colour matters to your story or to your characters, you should precise it when introducing your characters. Though having specific skin colour can hurt the casting process, even if you cast yourself. It happens to me as a director/writer for one of my flick, when casting i realized that actress would be awesome for the role but she was Caucasian and in my mind the character was afro-american.
2 people like this
Tony Gilroy & Taylor Sheridan are great at character intros. Read their scripts and steal their style.