I've recently become aware of numerous screenwriters located around the world with a desire to write scripts for the American market. (I think I know the whys – but lets not go there.) For those of you for which American is not your native tongue – do you have any concept as to how difficult that can be? Although English has emerged as the primarily accepted language around the globe; very few of us actually speak it fluently (enough to write compelling dialog). For those of us who actually speak American, we recognize that it changes dramatically from region to region; and that makes it difficult for each US writer. Would my Texan know what “ankle water” is or my Oregonian understand “toe soak'er” or “gully washer”? Would your character wear gym shoes, running shoes, tennis shoes or sneakers? These seem trivial but if you want to sell your script in the American market – they're not. I've tried writing scripts for the UK and Australian markets - can't do it! The English we each speak it different – slang, parlance, lingo jargon... I stumbled through French in High School but there is no way I would ever try to write a script in French. If you want to market your script in America is to team up with an American writer. If I want to market my script to the UK, I would certainly team up with a British writer; same in India, Australia, Japan or anywhere else. Y'all agree/disagree; how do youse guys feel about it?
Screenwriting : On writing American by Doug Nelson
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Doug, I might have to agree with you on this one. I'm currently working with another screenwriter on a script, he's from Australia and about 25+years my senior. The screenplay is set here in the US, in Georgia. I have to correct his dialogue sometimes because it doesn't sound American or up-to-date (the screenplay has MCs that are early 20s). Speaking of different words from different parts of the US, someone doing a film in Pittsburgh has to use the word 'yinz' or it wouldn't be authentic. There are tons of other words that I've picked up from every place that I've lived. Like jaggerbush instead of thorn bush, downtown and uptown...the list could go on forever
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Language is one of the things I love about America. It's SO diverse... you can see it in parts of Britain, too (Brad Pitt in SNATCH comes to mind) and in other countries, but the sheer flavor of America is just... different. It's more varied. Spend a week in Los Angeles, then go up to NorCal. They have their own lingo ("hella") and mannerisms. You have the South, Texan-South, Deep-South, Florida-South, East-South, then you've got New England, Maine, Mid-West, Michigan area, panhandle, Boston-irish, New York proper, Bronx, Jersey, and who can forget Minnesohtah? Aw gee... Mostly though, film tends to take the general "American" accent... which is to say, flat with little inflection. FRIENDS is a great example, of the six "friends" only one of them has what could be close to being considered a regional American accent (Joey), despite all the characters having grown up in or around New York. Same thing with HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER... only one of them has an identifiable accent and it's used as a punchline (and it's not even American), despite the characters having grown up in New York and Minnesota. BIG BANG THEORY is another one... Raj has an accent, and Howard has the occasional "Jewish" inflection, but none of the characters have regional accents. The only shows that lean heavy on accent tend to be grittier and more down to earth. THE WIRE has very distinct Baltimore accents. SONS OF ANARCHY pulls off both the latino and "flat plains" California accent. The most varied is probably RESCUE ME, which makes a point of having characters from very specific parts of New York, thus they have accents to match. FARGO is another case, with some sturdy Minnesota accents on display. There is a GREAT video of an accent-coach critiquing performances here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvDvESEXcgE
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I've recently had reads from UK producers for scripts set in the USA. I don't think they care I'm American or that my stories are set in America. (I assume all they care about is finding the right story.) They can always hire a Brit later, it seems to me, to transplant my story to the UK if they wish and rewrite the dialog. (But why on Earth do they call sweaters "jumpers?" And don't get me started on their punctuation. Blimey!)
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Movies are transplanted all the time, 'girl on a train' for example. The Bridge has gone from Norway to the UK to the USA. Producers are a smart bunch. They can figure this out.
The use of language nuance is one of the stronger character development tools a screenwriter has. So many scripts I read appear to have been written by a robot in a language spoken only by cardboard people. Those scripts are invariably as dull and flat as the characters. Punch 'em up! Give your character a limp, a slang laden vocabulary, maybe an echo word or phrase – make 'em unique. We have a unique and diverse language – learn to use it. Your script will be the better for it.
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There are many different stories to tell through film. Some region specific dramas may require region specific accents and some are even better for it (Fargo anyone?) but to say you have to be American to write for the American market is the same as saying you have to come from outer space to write Sci-Fi, that's just plain garbage. What Dene said. It's not that difficult.
In this day and age, it's not that hard to put yourself in the shoes of your characters, even when they're from another country. In my own circle, if I wanted and needed to reach out, via an email, phone call or Skype session, I could get pertinent cultural information on Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, France, England, Germany, Australia and the American states of Maine, Missouri, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Texas, California, and Oregon. I've also got most of the Canadian provinces covered save for Quebec. If the knowledge is not in your circle, with the level of creativity we should have as writers, we should be able to find a way to go out and get it. I know writing can be a solitary profession, but life doesn't have to be.
I never had any issues to be honest. Because I do my research. For example, if I´m setting a story in Kentucky, I try to get a better understanding of what Kentucky is about if I can´t physically visit and roam aroud that very place and meet with people, talk to them etc. So I simply research the living daylights out of every aspect that is actually going to be in my story. Research, analyze, compress, understand then write. Like Everything in life, one has to understand and know and expand ones horizons in so many areas. Especially as a writer/screenwriter. Sure, one may have a great idea but the execution of the idea rests largely upon creation of characters that actually withing the script execute that idea for you as a writer... Just a thought. I could be wrong.
i have to agree with Doug here. I think if youre British or Australian or obviously Canadian, it should be fine. But if you are not a native English speaker, and you are not fluent, it is insanely hard to write and sell an English screenplay on the hollywood market. I think youd have to team up with an american writer as well. or pay a good amount of money to someone to translate with context and syntax. but then youre not really selling YOUR writing.
I agree with what you're saying Danny but that wasn't Doug's post.
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It's funny that you say this. Here in LA we have a film school, that shall remain nameless that is known for attracting film students from the Asian region. From time to time I was asked in the past to perform as an actor on their projects and when I showed up on set, voila...I'm an American doctor saying...."OK, I check eyes now..." As a sort of a funny anecdote, when I delivered the dialogue correctly "Ok, I am going to check your eyes now..." the director stops the take and comes up to me and says..."no you do dialogue wrong," to which I politely reply. Actually, I'm doing the dialogue right, it was written wrong.
It seems that many of you equate writing compelling dialog to delivering that dialog in a compelling manor. Two different issues; the first is the writer's and the second is the actor's. Actors are fortunate in that they have Dialog Coaches available but as writers' we have no such coaches. That's why I suggest a greater willingness for writers to cooperate with writers in their targeted market. There seems to be a reluctance on the part of many to collaborate; I often witness the same old bravado and stubborn reluctance. We are all in this writing business together. Our choice is to cooperate or compete and it's my humble opinion that we ought to pull together. But what do I know?
I think dialogue is a matter of ear. In order to produce good dialogue, one has to listen to people who resemble the characters. Diction, pronunciation, emphasis, all change with the character. English grammar can be forsaken in order to make the character authentic. And a little bit generally goes a long way. You don't have to phonetically spell every word the character says, a few specific words will clue in the actor. Less is generally more.
I agree with Richard. What he said works.
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English is one of those languages that has been affected, watered down, modified and alternated by the various cultures of the world. Every country has its vernacular of English. I know what its like, here in my country.:) When I write, there is no appeal to any market. Well, it depends on the nature of my story...the location. Possibly I try to create a reality that defies boundaries and cultures. Anyway English is very bendable.
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I was recently asked by a producer if I'd be available to come to the set of a short script of mine he was shooting in LA, I explained that I was in the UK and therefore it'd be impossible - unless he was paying ;-) He was suprised as he'd assumed from the script that I was from the US, so I guess it is possible to write for more than just your 'home' market. I think in general that it is harder to write for 'other' English markets, but I'd propose that writing in American English is maybe easier purely as there are so many US films and TV shows available around the globe. I do agree though that if you are going to aim for a specific market then you should write carefully to avoid coloqualiasms, change your default dictionary in Fade In/Final Draft and use the internet to make sure there's no goveaway phrases in your script, and as Doug said, if you can get it read by a native speaker then do that too.
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Funny you should mention this. One of my shorts was produced in the U.K. And yes, I did make some changes to match the U.K. Dialect
Yes. I'm an Aussie and find I have to modify my scripts to American English.