Referencing Famous people in scripts

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  • Referencing Famous people in scripts

    do you think it'd be an issue to reference famous music artists in your screenplays by actually including them in your script as a guest appearance? i'm not talking about fad artists who may be out of style by the time you sell a script, but someone well known.

    example, i have a character who is a big time show promoter, in one scene i want to have a few music artists be around him and gesture toward him or even have a line or two so that other certain characters around him are instantly in groupie mode (impressed).

    i've always found it kind of generic when scripts/movies reference imaginary celebrities is all. example: the fake pop tart singer in the movie Taken versus using Mike Tyson in The Hangover.
    One must be fearless and tenacious when pursuing their dreams. If you don't, regret will be your reward.

    The Fiction Story Room

  • #2
    Re: Referencing Famous people in scripts

    Originally posted by Juno Styles View Post
    do you think it'd be an issue to reference famous music artists in your screenplays by actually including them in your script as a guest appearance? i'm not talking about fad artists who may be out of style by the time you sell a script, but someone well known.

    example, i have a character who is a big time show promoter, in one scene i want to have a few music artists be around him and gesture toward him or even have a line or two so that other certain characters around him are instantly in groupie mode (impressed).

    i've always found it kind of generic when scripts/movies reference imaginary celebrities is all. example: the fake pop tart singer in the movie Taken versus using Mike Tyson in The Hangover.

    If the script is purchased and it gets made, the production company will ultimately determine whether to actually include the celebrity based on the celebrity's availability, cost, willingness to play the role, etc. I usually tell writers to include it if they want, but to avoid making the celebrity an integral part of the script (to the point where they can't be replaced). Mike Tyson in THE HANGOVER works because it could have been another boxer (or even another tough/scary celebrity) if they couldn't get Mike Tyson. As long as it's a situation like that (and your're willing to rewrite around a new celebrity), you should be fine.

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    • #3
      Re: Referencing Famous people in scripts

      ok cool, yea that's what i thought. i am going to include a few music artists who can easily be replaced and only have like one line of dialogue if that.
      One must be fearless and tenacious when pursuing their dreams. If you don't, regret will be your reward.

      The Fiction Story Room

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      • #4
        Re: Referencing Famous people in scripts

        Originally posted by SoCalScribe View Post
        I usually tell writers to include it if they want, but to avoid making the celebrity an integral part of the script (to the point where they can't be replaced).
        There's always exceptions though, like BEING JOHN MALKOVICH... which was admittedly considered unmakeable for a while. Or BALLS OUT!, which has the most A-list of A-list actors in it:

        ROB CORDDRY

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        • #5
          Re: Referencing Famous people in scripts

          Originally posted by Gwai Lo View Post
          There's always exceptions though, like BEING JOHN MALKOVICH... which was admittedly considered unmakeable for a while. Or BALLS OUT!, which has the most A-list of A-list actors in it:

          ROB CORDDRY
          You didn't read Kaufman's script when it was BEING ANTONIO BANDERAS?

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