Different names for the same place / different times

I'd use the name current to the time.

For Peking which became Beijing, that name is based on Westerners spelling. To the Chinese it was always Beijing.

Monaco said:

What is the correct way to write a slug line when a city's name has changed in the past? For example, Beijing is formerly known as Peking. If the scene takes place, say, 100 years ago, it won't be right to use "Beijing" in the slug line, would it? Or it wouldn't matter?

There is one town in Europe that was called different names during the past centuries: Leopolis, Lemberg, Lwow, Lvov, Lviv. Which of the names should I use? The one that is known to the majority of people NOW, or the one it was used at the time when the action (in the film) takes place? Something tells me that the latter one, but I'm a bit confused here.

Thanks!

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Well, that would also depend on the Point of view.

That is, if you're telling the story from the perspective of it's occupants at the time -- they never referred to it by that Westernized pronunciation. It was always "Beijing" to them.

If, on the other hand, you're telling the story from the perspective of Westerners at the time, who would have referred to it as Peking, then it would make sense for you to refer to it, and to spell it in the same was as your "POV" characters.

And, just in passing, it would probably be a good idea, the first to you do it, to say something like "EXT. PEKING - 1902 - DAY"

That is, if you're using an archaic spelling, make it clear immediately that the story is set in an historical era at the same time.

NMS

Monaco said:

What is the correct way to write a slug line when a city's name has changed in the past? For example, Beijing is formerly known as Peking. If the scene takes place, say, 100 years ago, it won't be right to use "Beijing" in the slug line, would it? Or it wouldn't matter?

There is one town in Europe that was called different names during the past centuries: Leopolis, Lemberg, Lwow, Lvov, Lviv. Which of the names should I use? The one that is known to the majority of people NOW, or the one it was used at the time when the action (in the film) takes place? Something tells me that the latter one, but I'm a bit confused here.

Thanks!

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Go with your instinct - the one that was used when the film is set.

I have quite a strong opinion on this subject.

The script should always contain the information that is valid to the point in time or point in place that the story deals with. If your story takes place in 500AD Babylon do not have the slug line EXT BAGHDAD, 500AD - DAY.

Once the film gets made the filmmakers will do the research necessary to find a location that is appropriate for the time and place in your script, the script should never dictate to the filmmakers how or where to make the film.

It is important to remember that the slug lines define the set not the location of a film. You may write INT CAR, MEMPHIS - DAY but this does not mean that the scene will be shot in Memphis, the interior of the car may be shot on a sound stage in Los Angeles using a blue screen and the background plate may be shot in any city around the world. (You would be surprised how many big budget "American" movies are shot in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Romania or South Africa.

My opinion/how I'd do it:

Everyone is familiar with Peking = Beijing so this isn't going to be too confusing. But EXT. PEKING, 1908 - DAY isn't enough, there should be a SUPER for the viewing audience's benefit so they know when and where the scene is set, e.g. SUPER: "Peking (Beijing), China, 1908"

Rather than use the name of a city readers might not be familar with (I'm sorry to say I don't know where Leopolis, Lemberg, Lwow, Lvov, Lviv is), I'd use a generic slugline, e.g. EXT. POLISH CITY, 1908 - DAY and explain where this is in the SUPER, e.g. SUPER: "Leopolis (Lion's Town), Poland, 1908"

If I've got my geography mixed up, apologies.

-Derek

To continue dpaterso's train of thought, and please correct me if I'm wrong...

The most important person you need to consider is your audience / reader. So as long as you are communicating clearly to that person then there should be little to worry about and in essence I'd agree with this dictum, its a pretty good rule of thumb with all writing.

In your first example, I think I'd use whichever way you would have the characters say it (assuming they're not talking Chinese and I'm not using subtitles). If they refer to it as "Peking", then I'd use Peking.

I don't know, why not wake up the reader? How about:

EXT. 名 北京 - DAY

HeronW said:

To the Chinese it was always Beijing.

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Its name was officially Beiping ("Peiping" in the usual Romanization of the era) between 1928 and 1945, actually, because it wasn't the official capital at that time (Nanjing was).

Not that that has anything in particular to do with this question, I'm just a super-nerd who's nerdy.

Bergerac said:

I don't know, why not wake up the reader? How about:

EXT. 名 北京 - DAY

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LOL

actually, technically the name of Beijing has changed in chinese in the last century.

The suffix -king means 'city,' whereas -jing means 'capital' Hence, when the capital of china was Nanking, it was called Nanjing. Chengdu was also briefly the capital of china, though I don't know if that included a name change. Mao named Beijing the capital of China in 1949. It had previously been the capital under the Manchu dynasty, but before then the capital was often more centrally located; Luoyang (Hofei), Chang-an (Xian), Chengdu, Nanking were all capitals at one time or another.