Character nicknames?

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  • Character nicknames?

    In a screenplay, where characters are often referred to by their nicknames, do you include the nick when the characters first appear and only then?

    BUBBA "TINY" JOHNSON?
    ~Well behaved women seldom make history~

    ~My first pitch~ I felt like I had a mouth full of marbles and every synapse in my brain was firing at once - Dreadful.~


  • #2
    Re: Character nicknames?

    Yes and if that's how they are addressed by the other characters then you should also use that name in Action descriptions to avoid confusion. Bubba 'Tiny' Johnson would be introduced like that, people would refer to him as 'Tiny', his dialogue would be headed TINY, and Action descriptions would refer to Tiny. Having introduced his full name when he first appears, you can still have someone, e.g. his mother or wife, calling him by his real name, Bubba, but generally it's better to be consistent througout.
    "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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    • #3
      Re: Character nicknames?

      Yep.

      It'll be TINY on all of his dialogue.
      sigpic

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      • #4
        Re: Character nicknames?

        in scripts and the written language, you never use the informal to discribe.

        You use the formal in a script; even if, the character is never referred as, or to.

        rarely do you use they familiar, but more do, use the christian.

        But, and only if you are sir Paul McCartney, and the year is 1968, is this accepted. Case in point is Rocky Raccoon, in which sir Paul, refers to Rocky's lady friend:

        "Her name was magil and she called herself lil; But everyone knew her as nancy... Now she and her man who called himself dan; Were in the next room at the hoe down" -McCartney, Rocky Raccoon ('68); Beatles.

        This is also, possible, for all members of super(rock) groups from the years 1964-1974.

        As, also, a profession or description, can, signify whom is the subject, as in, Led Zeppelin's, The Crunge:

        "I wanna tell you bout my good friend; I ain't disclosing no names but; He sure is a good friend and!; I ain't gonna tell you where he comes from, no!...
        She's my baby she lives next door; She's the one a woman the one a woman that I know.; I ain't gonna... tell you one thing that you really ought to know... ooh!"
        -John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Houses of the Holy(1973); Atlantic
        But this wily god never discloses even to the skillful questioner the whole content of his wisdom.

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        • #5
          Re: Character nicknames?

          What?
          "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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          • #6
            Re: Character nicknames?

            So Dan is Rocky Raccoon?

            That's what too much weed'll do to ya.

            -Derek
            My web page!​

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            • #7
              Re: Character nicknames?

              Yes, but if you nickname all of your characters "Nick" it becomes confusing.

              - Nick
              Free Script Tips:
              http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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              • #8
                Re: Character nicknames?

                Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
                Yes, but if you nickname all of your characters "Nick" it becomes confusing.
                See, I'd never thought of that. Sometimes the best advice really comes out of left field. Who's on first?
                "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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                • #9
                  Re: Character nicknames?

                  Originally posted by DavidK View Post
                  See, I'd never thought of that. Sometimes the best advice really comes out of left field. Who's on first?
                  Apparently, Nick's on first. I just realized that in the nick of time just before I noticed my car had a nick on it.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Character nicknames?

                    Nick Rivers
                    "Just something my father came up with while he was shaving."

                    TOP SECRET
                    Free Script Tips:
                    http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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                    • #11
                      Re: Character nicknames?

                      Originally posted by DavidK View Post
                      What?
                      Is that picture in your profile Kubrick?
                      But this wily god never discloses even to the skillful questioner the whole content of his wisdom.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Character nicknames?

                        Yes, it's a picture of Stanley on set. He's one of my heroes - I really think he was the man. There's a couple of hundred filmmakers who inspire me, but I think Kubrick was in a league of his own. Not only that, but a lovely guy described by some as 'the world's greatest dinner companion.'
                        But my avatar is about to undergo its regular change so... not sure who's next. Why, maybe even me!
                        "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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                        • #13
                          Re: Character nicknames?

                          neato...

                          I remember someone asking your question in a class I took, while ago. Paraphrasing, they said something like; if you want to write nicknames of friends in your diary at home or in a email to paris hilton this go ahead, but if you want me to read it, be specific, give me the name of the person once and stick to it. No nicknames.

                          I have some stuff below for the... well you.

                          yeah, I was kinda joking, but the truth was there. I was thinking if you're an artist, you can write a song about some girl leaving a guy named Rocky Raccoon, if you're 'Sir' Paul McCartney you can write fifty... and (the Song Remains the Same, Hard days Night, Yellow Submarine, Help) be obscure.

                          Stanley Kubrick, writes his own scripts. So it's going to be shorthand in a way... Rent AI and look at all the notes Spielberg had to decipher.

                          Sorry if I confused you with the humorous way of answering.
                          But this wily god never discloses even to the skillful questioner the whole content of his wisdom.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Character nicknames?

                            Also I would add that the reason why I think it's okay for an established writer(or musician) to break the rules is cause, they seem to do it intentionally.

                            Like if you wrote the name the right way, and I think this is what the other guys are getting at, then, found that jimmy and jeffrey, ben and bob, randy and andy were too similar. You might use a nickname.
                            But this wily god never discloses even to the skillful questioner the whole content of his wisdom.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Character nicknames?

                              Originally posted by reddery View Post
                              neato..
                              Stanley Kubrick, writes his own scripts.
                              Sorry if I confused you with the humorous way of answering.
                              Please don't apologise - I'm in a permanent state of confusion anyway. In fact I was once committed to an asylum for the criminally bewildered.

                              Kubrick was unique - I don't think anyone will ever again work like he did. When he wanted to make a film, he told Warners what it was and they set up the finance. Period. He answered to no-one. Sometimes he would let them read the script but the Warner execs had to fly to Stanley's place to read it. Then they left him alone until he delivered the film - nobody else had any say in the matter, not even the head of Warners got to see a first cut or fine cut or anything. I think it's great that Hollywood went to Stanley, Stanley never went to Hollywood. That's filmmaking.

                              Sydney Pollack tells a very funny story about Kubrick's last movie Eyes Wide Shut. They were shooting a scene where Pollack walked into the billiard room. It was near the end of the week and Pollack thought "This'll be easy, a few takes and I'm out of here, fly away for the weekend." Five takes. Ten takes. "What is it Stanley, what am I doing wrong?" "Nothing Sydney, maybe a little more energy, maybe a little less, let's just get a few more in the can." Fifteen takes. Twenty takes. Pollack is starting to get pissed. Kubrick offers no advice other than let's try it again. Eventually Pollack runs out of patience and goes up to Kubrick and says "Stanley, for heavens sake, we've got about thirty takes." Kubrick, typically cool as a cucumber, just looks over his glasses at Pollack and says "Sure, but don't you want to get it right?"
                              "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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