ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXCharacters with a pseudonym
8 years, 5 months ago - Corinne Foster
Quick query on characters who take on another character partway through a film, please. She is working somewhere under a pseudonym. While she is at work, should I use the new character name, put both in, or keep her original name throughout? Thanks for any advice you can give.
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8 years, 5 months ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc
Slightly tricky. If this is in Final Draft and intended for production then the cast list will create two characters especially when exported to Movie Magic for the budget. Why not name her MARY/ANN but make it clear in the Dialogue and Action which she is once or twice early on and perhaps she confides in someone else if the audience needs to know. Does she also disguise so this is also being kept from the audience? I'm always at franz@imperialfilmproductions.com if needed.
8 years, 5 months ago - Glyn Carter
If the audience knows she's the original character, keep the same name. If she needs a different persona and it's not clear, you can put (eg) "Mary steps out in the gladrags that show she's Ann tonight" or "Mary (as Ann) slaps his face". And you could put MARY (as Ann) in the character's dialogue slug.
8 years, 5 months ago - Corinne Foster
Thanks both - that's a great help! Good advice
8 years, 5 months ago - afia nkrumah
I would write in the character heading
Jane/scarlet pimpernel
8 years, 5 months ago - Stephen Potts
It's worth looking at how this has been done before. Best example is probably "Tootsie." Dustign Hoffman's character, a thwarted actor, is MICHAEL. When he shows up in drag for a female part he is DOROTHY. We, the audience, know it's him from the start - the other characters don't.
8 years, 5 months ago - Stephen Potts
It's worth looking at how this has been done before. Best example is probably "Tootsie." Dustin Hoffman's character, a thwarted actor, is MICHAEL. When he shows up in drag for a female part he is DOROTHY. We, the audience, know it's him from the start - the other characters don't.