Comments on: Street Slang For Scriptwriting http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600 hourly 1 By: Michel http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/comment-page-1/#comment-11296 Michel Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:00:36 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/#comment-11296 Oh for sure - I was really thinking of how many times watching a somewhat older film with some technical comment really made me laugh at the insistence of the writer to mention something cool and amazing - and 3-5 years later it is soooo old :) Like when I went to a Disneyworld "Tomorrows world" or such, and it still had a "In the future we will use *MICROWAVE ENERGY* to cook" display Oh for sure – I was really thinking of how many times watching a somewhat older film with some technical comment really made me laugh at the insistence of the writer to mention something cool and amazing – and 3-5 years later it is soooo old :)
Like when I went to a Disneyworld “Tomorrows world” or such, and it still had a “In the future we will use *MICROWAVE ENERGY* to cook” display

]]> By: Sharon http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/comment-page-1/#comment-11274 Sharon Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:09:08 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/#comment-11274 Michael, it's true that slang can date a film, but it can also add a sort of historical local color and authenticity, which might be appropriate in some cases. Michael, it’s true that slang can date a film, but it can also add a sort of historical local color and authenticity, which might be appropriate in some cases.

]]> By: Michel http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/comment-page-1/#comment-11184 Michel Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:38:23 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/#comment-11184 I would only consider using current slang if I was sure the script was to be used now and no more... One thing that made Douglas Adams' "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" feel so dated to me was the mentioning of brand names If you want to sound dated just use phrases like "He had a pentium with TWOHUNDREDFIFTY megs of ram - wow". So "He's a total 404" will date your novel to around 2005 to someone picking it up 5 years from now who may remember when that was a web 1.0 related word... A bit like when someone in a pre-mobile phone movie will FAX you something and is proud to have such modern equipment (Think Die Hard) On a related note - good science fiction does not use current slang - For this reason whenever I want to read a book in a new language I pick up an SF novel in that language - historic novels set in Asia are also good since the slang will be Chinese or Japanese... I would only consider using current slang if I was sure the script was to be used now and no more…

One thing that made Douglas Adams’ “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” feel so dated to me was the mentioning of brand names
If you want to sound dated just use phrases like “He had a pentium with TWOHUNDREDFIFTY megs of ram – wow”.
So “He’s a total 404″ will date your novel to around 2005 to someone picking it up 5 years from now who may remember when that was a web 1.0 related word…
A bit like when someone in a pre-mobile phone movie will FAX you something and is proud to have such modern equipment (Think Die Hard)
On a related note – good science fiction does not use current slang – For this reason whenever I want to read a book in a new language I pick up an SF novel in that language – historic novels set in Asia are also good since the slang will be Chinese or Japanese…

]]> By: Sharon http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/comment-page-1/#comment-11174 Sharon Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:57:08 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/#comment-11174 I love finding new expressions, Roshawn. I may be using 404 in the near future ;) I love finding new expressions, Roshawn. I may be using 404 in the near future ;)

]]> By: Roshawn http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/comment-page-1/#comment-11154 Roshawn Wed, 06 Feb 2008 03:50:18 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/street-slang-for-scriptwriting/#comment-11154 Nice article. I never thought of using the '404 Not Found' error for anything but the web. SITCOM is totally new to me. Thanks for sharing. :) Nice article. I never thought of using the ‘404 Not Found’ error for anything but the web. SITCOM is totally new to me.

Thanks for sharing. :)

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