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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Screenwriting Class  /  Is this a bad character description?
Posted by: Conz, April 4th, 2012, 12:22pm
probably trying to get a little too "cute" with this one.  Let me know if you think it's acceptable.


Quoted Text
In the captain’s chair, the slovenly SKIP WATERS, 30s, stares at Xana’s DOUBLE CLEAVAGE, ignoring the pending doom outside.

Off his disheveled appearance, it’s safe to assume he’s very familiar with a couple other captains -- Morgan and Crunch.
Posted by: BoinTN, April 4th, 2012, 2:26pm; Reply: 1
Not sure about the name 'Skip Waters' or the caps on DOUBLE CLEAVAGE, but the captains line is pretty funny and paints a picture.
Posted by: Conz, April 4th, 2012, 2:53pm; Reply: 2
its a scene within a movie, the name and the visual is supposed to be really stupid. ... if that makes sense.

like picture someone in a movie watching a really stupid tv show.
Posted by: Electric Dreamer, April 5th, 2012, 10:28am; Reply: 3
Hey Vin,

It paints a mental picture.
I say run with it!

Regards,
E.D.
Posted by: Baltis. (Guest), April 5th, 2012, 6:08pm; Reply: 4
Comedies have more liberties taken than any other genre.  I'd say it's showey, but it needs to be when writting comedy or it's just not gonna entertain.  

Comedies must be fun to read.  They have to be, and not just the dialouge.

Dramas must be dramatic and weighted with gravity, so much you are pulled in deeper and deeper to its core with each page you turn.

Horror/thriller you have to keep tension, suspense and shock flowing every 5 pages... If you're not, you have nothing.  Still might get made, but it's gonna suck so that isn't anything to be too proud of.

Syfy/fantasy must spark wonderment, intrigue and embody all of our inner child mentalites.  If you can't do this, don't write one.  We must distance ourselves from rational thinking while reading one...

All of the above are examples of how you should approach each genre.  You can't write a horror movie the same way you write a drama and so forth an so on.

The rules are tweaked for each.
Posted by: jagan@spundana.org, April 6th, 2012, 12:20am; Reply: 5
If I were you and I had a comedic scene description in my mind for such a genre movie, then I would use subtlety such as call the Captain something like "Neil Aldrin" Or "Buzz Armstrong", so that someone jumps up "Oh you can't use either of those names". I never really understood why would someone use names (First names particularly) like Skip, Tip, Pick, Trigg etc.

But maybe that is the vernacular here. Also, there is no sense in talking about "Double or Triple Cleavage" at all. You need to watch a movie called "State and Main". In that movie, the actress has a role in which she is supposed to "Expose her breasts" and you should see the film to know "How difficult it becomes on a film set if an Actress suddenly throws a fit about not exposing her Tits (As they mention throughout that sequence in the movie). So, for a SPEC script avoid such things. No "Penis", "Cleavage" or "Boobies". Just say subtle things "bosom?"
Posted by: Conz, April 6th, 2012, 8:50am; Reply: 6
well you managed to answer my question by selecting to two parts I wasn't really asking about, but thanks anyway.
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