1. Can you mention real companies/products in scripts? If so, can you do so in a negative context? i.e. have a character rag on a particular clothing store. I see products made fun of on movies, television fairly often... I find it hard to believe they're seeking permission from said companies/products to do this?

2. Is it alright to divide my screenplay into two parts? The format still fits the traditional three-act structure, but most people in the audience have no idea what this is. So... what I'm asking is, could I divide the story into two, titled-chapters, is it still fits the three-act structure?

3. Another thing I'm wondering about... first scene takes place at a major characters house, but that character isn't introduced until later. Instead, I start with another character mid-action. So my question is, for my scene-header, would I say EXT. SO-AND SO'S HOUSE (even though so and so hasn't been introduced) or just House? (I know you have to be more specific than "house," just using a broad example). If you don't use their name in the description, do you change the scene header once you DO introduce character? i.e. would EXT. HOUSE become EXT. SO AND SO'S HOUSE later in the script? Maybe I'm over-thinking this... just want to be accurate.

Thanks everyone!

1. yes, you're protected by fair commentary and parody. Its not much different than people on SNL making fun of companies or experts ridiculing them for their actions on talk shows.

2. No idea. A complete story is a complete story. Divide it any way you want I guess. Quentin tarantino loves using his chapters.


3. I would use so and so's house for the slug and keep it that way throughout the script. This way, the readers know that its not the house of the character you're introducing in your opening scene. On film though, it would be undescirnable.

James

Thanks James, I just thought of another question to... if someone is introducers who is a characters sibling do you say that in the character description... or is it something you have to "show, not tell?"

1.  You can't rag on a real company.  SNL is protected by parody law... and by NBC's team of 60,000 lawyers.  Also, it's cool to be mentioned by SNL; it's not cool to have some new and unknown writer to rag on you.

For you to be protected by parody law, it must be obvious that it's a parody.


2.  No.


3.  If the location is Charlie's house, then it's Charlie's house...


4.  Show it.  Don't tell it.  How would people watching the movie that Bob is Steve's younger brother if you wrote in the script that they're related?


Phil

Right. I understand you do have to show it to the audience, I just wasn't sure if it should also be mentioned in the character description. Thanks.

Not sure about the answers, but #3 is a good question.  I've been wondering the same exact thing recently.   Thanks for asking.