Screenwriting : How much description you put in for environment that Americans might not be familiar with? by Bernice Ye

Thank you so much Nick! That's very helpful!!

There was too much rain then because of the Global warming. I don't know how it was in China then.

Thank you Gary! That makes a lot of sense. Very helpful!!

The Script for Slumdog Millionaire described their infamous toilet scene as:

"piers protruding from the slum onto airport land, each with a toilet shack perched right at the end" - some description doesn't hurt as long as it doesn't take up too much page space.

IMHO brief descriptions, one bit at a time as needed. It's like a constant reminder that it is some place new and unfamiliar.

I only use things unfamiliar to American audiences if they're important to the story.Usually to convey something about individual characters,characters relationship/s and tell the audience something about the world.For example I used Cavacello cheese which is a delicasy in Matera Italy but hardly known outside of Matera. So had action line something like. Dom removes a small cheese the shape of an ancient Greek vase covered in twine netting from his pocket. Anabella-Cavicello! Domenico-Only the best for my beautiful Bella When describing a place and objects within a scene I use those descriptions to set tone.And anything that's not needed is removed.I think putting a little desciption is good but be wary of treating your audience as idiots.Maybe within the room desciption descibe the squat toilet is it a high end porcelein type you see in Japan and Hong Kong or is it not much more than a hole in the ground like are common in South East Asia.And is it important to your story.I think most audience members/readers if you just wrote squat toilet would understand what that is as it's self explanitory.

End users should see it not read it, right? As for the director/producer as readers don't sweat it, they'll be more focused on other aspects of the story...however I do recommend title to be universal and applicable to multi-culti environment ..there's a reason many Chinese kung-fu movies, for example have word dragon in the title...it instantly associates to power, fight etc although I suspect it covers all the aspects of the themed discipline

B A Mason that's a perfect example to illustrate how to handle this. Thank you so much!

Thank you everyone for the great tips!

The visual is important to the action (because there are people waiting in line who can see her)... I'm not entirely happy with it yet, but this is the picture I'm trying to paint. Any feedback?

Binbin squats down to pee. In these stalls, it's just a trough that you straddle over. An "L-shaped" half-wall divides the stalls and covers her bottom but not her face.

Binbin enters the stalls straddling the trough and squatting down to pee.An L-shaped half wall protecting her modesty with her face clear for all to see.

Thank you so much Craig! I love it. That's it!!!

maybe describe the process of using a squat toilet by a character. the visual has to be the nucleus of the scene which may ignite a pleasant or not memory.

If the story is supposed to take place in the 90s and early 2000 in China you wouldn’t need to describe the environment because they would film it there and the audience will see it.