Timeline for In a stage play, how should the script refer to minor characters whose names are irrelevant?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
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| Jun 17, 2020 at 9:43 | history | edited | CommunityBot |
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| Jun 17, 2019 at 5:11 | comment | added | Cyn | Thanks. I appreciate learning more about the conventions. | |
| Jun 16, 2019 at 21:44 | comment | added | Amadeus | I wasn't clear. As in the last line of my example, if they only appear in a single scene you should number them; Cop#1 looks to Cop#2 for guidance; Cop#2 (with no lines) signals him to not cause a scene. Same for OfficeWorker#1 bringing a note to the boss. Or my other example of a non-speaking action "MAN#2 raises both middle fingers far above his head, aimed at the mayor." | |
| Jun 16, 2019 at 17:43 | comment | added | Cyn | What if someone has a specific action to perform (not just background) but not an actual line? | |
| Jun 16, 2019 at 17:33 | comment | added | Amadeus | Alright. Note the only ones that get numbers are those that spoke. If John speaks to a group of 10, and only one of them speaks (#1), then in another scene speaks to a different group of 10 and one of them speaks, that is #2, not #11. Also, if Townsperson #1 is in two scenes, they should be given a name, even if description is nonexistent. Normally, we'd expect numbered-generics to appear in ONLY one scene, we are not going to remember them. Having a name tells us they will appear later, their look and costume matters (should be memorable) and so on. | |
| Jun 16, 2019 at 15:37 | comment | added | Cyn | For the record, I wasn't conceiving of random numbers in the script, just that each character named that way would be present or absent in different scenes (or present and speaking at different times). But I see how it might look like I was using numbers randomly as part of a name. I edited my answer to be clearer, thanks. | |
| Jun 16, 2019 at 10:47 | history | answered | Amadeus | CC BY-SA 4.0 |