dialogue and characterization

[aceinc1]

hi everyone,

my reader is angry at me as I have not made progress even after her feedback on dialogue and characterization.

now we together came up with a plan (she came up with major part of it) that I'll have to cast characters like say Paris Hilton or Tom Cruise. this she claims will help in getting a unique voice. my contribution was recording on audio tape. fusing the two ideas to create interesting characters we need to cast available actors and then go for recording with their uniqueness.

the reason why I don't wanna go with real life charatcers is that 90% of them try to come off normal. all the same back-talk and stuff like that. so no point in copying that.

when I was working on those 4 films, the actors said there was uniqueness in the voice of each chararcter. this means uniqueness is maintained till outline. when I'm taking outline to scripting uniqueness is being lost.

if there are any other methods then those inputs as appreciated.

BTW, we are not splitting, she has already committed to proof reading scripts of 2009 and I want to show her improvment.

regards,
Gururaj Deshpande

[Joe270]

If you can get Hilton or Cruise to star in your films, fantastic.

Otherwise, you might need to get permission to use their names as characters.

[aceinc1]

If you can get Hilton or Cruise to star in your films, fantastic.

Otherwise, you might need to get permission to use their names as characters.

I meant just to use their screen persona. like say, example, Indian Jones's character traits for a female lead in my script.

the way they speak, and act and react on screen.

regards,
ACe.Inc1

[nmstevens]

hi everyone,

my reader is angry at me as I have not made progress even after her feedback on dialogue and characterization.

now we together came up with a plan (she came up with major part of it) that I'll have to cast characters like say Paris Hilton or Tom Cruise. this she claims will help in getting a unique voice. my contribution was recording on audio tape. fusing the two ideas to create interesting characters we need to cast available actors and then go for recording with their uniqueness.

the reason why I don't wanna go with real life charatcers is that 90% of them try to come off normal. all the same back-talk and stuff like that. so no point in copying that.

when I was working on those 4 films, the actors said there was uniqueness in the voice of each chararcter. this means uniqueness is maintained till outline. when I'm taking outline to scripting uniqueness is being lost.

if there are any other methods then those inputs as appreciated.

BTW, we are not splitting, she has already committed to proof reading scripts of 2009 and I want to show her improvment.

regards,
Gururaj Deshpande

Well, you're hardly getting a "unique" voice if you're ripping off the voices/characters of recognizable stars and gluing them onto your characters.

There's nothing wrong with having a particular actor in mind when you're writing a particular character. A lot of writers do that (although I don't) -- even an actor or star who isn't even alive any more, just as a way of helping you "hear" the character's voice in your head.

But you have to be careful not to drift over into parody -- because while Paris Hilton really just plays Paris Hilton, Tom Cruise has played many different characters. His "voice" as such isn't specific enough for you to be able to say -- this character is generically "Tom Cruise" -- is it Tom Cruise in Top Gun? Tom Cruise in Magolia? Tom Cruise in Born in the U.S.A.?

Totally different characters.

NMS

[8thSamurai]

I'm kinda confused. What does casting a high visibility celeb have to do with a 'unique voice'?

I find real life people a whole lot stranger than the ones in the picture box in my living room.

[Plot Device]

There's nothing wrong with having a particular actor in mind when you're writing a particular character. A lot of writers do that (although I don't) -- even an actor or star who isn't even alive any more, just as a way of helping you "hear" the character's voice in your head.

I do it all the time.


But you have to be careful not to drift over into parody

Pretty sure I've NEVER done that.

The only reason I imagine specific actors is that as I am still crafting the character in my head, as soon as he or she starts to take on a very specific personality, it invariably winds up reminding me of a character from a prior movie. And then as I visually work out the look and flow of the story, I windup placing that actor in the role in all of my imaginings.

This is nowhere near parody in my eyes. Instead I see it as merely being downright inspired by an actor who is very good in his or her craft.