One debate and concern I have is the fine line between naming the thing you want in your script and keeping it open for interpretation. What are some of your thoughts on handling this? Do you go all in, or do you suggest as a comparison "in the style of Elvis."
Screenwriting : Specifics by Stephanie McNutt
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Hi, Stephanie McNutt. I put something like "in the style of Elvis."
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That's what I am thinking, too. In some ways, there are undiscovered talents, and specific songs that really work, and I itch to name them, but this makes the most sense. Thanks, Maurice.
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You're welcome, Stephanie McNutt.
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Stephanie, I like to switch between going all in with specifics and using the "a la (in the style of Elvis)" concept. Just depends on the scene and the character(s) in each script.
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I agree with my friends Stephanie McNutt in writing, "in the style of Elvis" - the only thing I would add is that if you get coverage, be open to your reader wanting something more specific.
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Jim Boston , It's a fine line between adding in the rich details and keeping it fluid (also to manage the budget expectations), but also for that reason, opening up options for creative collaboration and interpretation. Thank you for your comment.
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Leonardo Ramirez 2 Good point on that. I've even been looking into what might be in the style of, like an up-and-coming artist, that might fulfill the role to give a complete visual to the character. Part of this is that the story is personal with a fictional twist. There's an aspect where I want to be true to the heart of the character and not lose some of the natural details, but it's expensive if I do.
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Totally understand that Stephanie McNutt - the visuals for some of my work weren't cheap but they were worth it though only because they were book covers. If this is for a script, I wouldn't worry too much about that unless you're needing the visual for a specific purpose like a pitch deck. If you do move forward with that and again, depending on what you need it for, make sure it's someone you know. For pitch decks, there are folks here who can help. My comment was primarily a "be ready for". Readers are pretty diverse in what they want to read in the descriptions.
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Yeah, Leonardo Ramirez 2, it's for a script, and when you name a song or artist, for instance, it implies a specific budget. One song named could be 800K to include in the filming, so writing "in the style of" gives creative freedom for not using that specific song (as an example).
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You're absolutely right Stephanie McNutt and it's no surprise that it would be that much. Totally agree!
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Stephanie, you're so very welcome...and you're absolutely right about the fine line between fluidity and rich details in a script!