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May 25

Screenplay writing

In a screenplay, how do you denote that you specifically want a character to communicate his/her line(s) in a foreign language (e.g. German, Vietnamese, Elvish, or maybe even Morse code), with subtitles in English? I already tried asking this question on a moviemaking forum, but I could not get a coherent answer there. 2601:646:8A00:A0B3:D572:F62A:ECB8:F316 (talk) 02:24, 25 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Why would you not simply write the character's dialogue in the required language, and add the desired English subtitle text below? Example:

CHARACTER

La plume de ma tante est verte.

[Subtitling]

My aunt's pen is green.

This site, although it doesn't itself mention subtitles, does mention several comprehensive published guides to writing screeplays that will surely do so. Anyone seriously contemplating writing and submitting a screenplay would probably benefit from studying a copy of one, just as anyone intending to submit a book MS would be well advised to follow either a standard style manual or the House style manual of the particular publisher concerned. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.2.132 (talk) 04:49, 25 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The above example would work just fine for French or German, but not so well for Korean or Vietnamese (at least in my case -- I have zero knowledge of Asian languages, but quite a bit of European ones) -- and as for dialogue in Morse code (which would be required in any movie which has a railroad signalman as a character -- a lot of railroad communications are by telegraph, and in fact they use not only Morse code but also a second code reserved exclusively for the absolute block system), I don't know if the above example is even workable in principle. For example, if the dispatcher is sending an emergency message to the station "Cassil's Siding" to hold the second section of Train #2, am I supposed to write the following:

DISPATCHER (taps the following on the telegraph key)

-.-. ... -.-. ... -.-. ... .---- --... .... --- .-.. -.. ..--- -. -.. -. ..- -- -... . .-. ..---

[Subtitling]

C. S. (Cassil's Siding), C. S., C. S., life-and-death, hold 2nd Number 2

In that case, is that what it's supposed to look like? 2601:646:8A00:A0B3:D572:F62A:ECB8:F316 (talk) 11:11, 25 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Most languages, even those that do not primarily use roman characters, can be rendered in them (c.f. Pinyin), and if not could be rendered in IPA. If someone wants to create a screenplay with some dialogue in a language they are unfamiliar with, presumably they would consult someone who is. If something like Morse code is being depicted, it would not be dialogue, but a sound effect that would instead be descibed in the action directions. I will not respond further to introductions of yet more additional unusual circumstances (though others are welcome to do so): I again advise you to obtain a professionally written textbook on this subject. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.2.132 (talk) 08:31, 26 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

As a matter of fact, that was all I needed to know at this time -- thanks! 2601:646:8A00:A0B3:D572:F62A:ECB8:F316 (talk) 02:20, 27 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

At whom was the Hungarian waiter aiming at when he fired the gun? The Hungarian General, or Jim Prideuax. And was the General killed at that time? --213.205.242.170 (talk) 21:58, 25 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

If you had seen the mini series or the film, then you would know that the plot is very complex and scenes are not shown in chronological order. Therefore it takes a great deal thinking to understand completely. Btw, i didn't say bb was stupid, just that he made a stupid remark. But if the cap fits......

80.2.21.134 (talk) 12:48, 26 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The answer might be different depending whether you are asking about the novel, the film or the TV miniseries. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.2.132 (talk) 08:39, 26 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

the film. It's not explicit, but from another account, it seems the waiter was aiming at the general and missed causing the bullet to richochet off a wall and hit prixdeux in the shoulder.80.2.21.36 (talk) 11:08, 26 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]