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Dating question

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klitch

I'm currently writing a script set in the late 90's. I'd rather not start out with text at the beginning that says "1997" any idea how I can convey that in a more subtle way. Or is it just best to throw it out there and just say it's "1997"

The year is important because the characters won't have access to cell phones, gps units, or any other thing that makes travel so easy for us now.

I know cell phones were around back then but not for 20 year old kids on fixed budgets.

thanks
 
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Just make it a superimposition after the slug line or after a key event event:

SUPER: 1997

Alternatively, if your audience is old enough and informed enough to know any 1997 history, find some key historical event widely recognized as having occurred in 1997 and stick it in there ASAP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997

(PS, thank you for not asking the IT forum for actual "dating" advice, as in romance. Whew! Dodged a bullet with that one!)
 
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Wow, my mind went somewhere else when I saw the title of this thread. lol

To address your question, I think you could sell it with the clothes and the cars. But if it needs to be specifically 1997 and not just "the 90's" in general, then you probably should show the date.

You could also show a newspaper headline with something easily recognizable as having happened in 1997, and for those more perceptive people, it would also literally have the date at the top.
 
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Dreadylocks said:
Wow, my mind went somewhere else when I saw the title of this thread. lol
Click to expand...

:rolleyes: Yer, me too.

I think that 1997 is too recent to merit a super title. There are very subtle ways that you can date your film- use old school mobile phones, reference a historical event or subtly show a calendar.

I just shot a short film which is set only a couple of years ago but to get that idea across my first line referred to Benazir Bhutto who was big news at the time having fairly recently been killed.

I reckon you can do it without resorting to a supertitle.
 
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rayw said:
Alternatively, if your audience is old enough and informed enough to know any 1997 history, find some key historical event widely recognized as having occurred in 1997 and stick it in there ASAP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997
Click to expand...

I remember gazing up at the comet, Hale-Bopp, every night. Wiki noted Hale-Bopp "was visible to the naked eye for a record 18 months". Klitch, maybe you could anchor your narrative within or around a similar, famous motif?
 
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bird said:
I remember gazing up at the comet, Hale-Bopp, every night. Wiki noted Hale-Bopp "was visible to the naked eye for a record 18 months". Klitch, maybe you could anchor your narrative within or around a similar, famous motif?
Click to expand...

:lol: Me, too!

Sadly, the most memorable event associated with H-B were these idiots... er, deadicated souls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven's_Gate_(religious_group)
(Was that a typo in there? 'Scuze me. My bad!)
 
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I was wondering if I was in the right forum when I clicked on this thread...

But if you are wanting to use the year 1997, you could use the SUPER: 1997 on screen or do as DreadyLocks states and use a headline - Princess Di died that fall and was all over the newspapers. I think that would get everyone's mind on the year. Or even that Heat-style bank robbery (earlier that year). Just my .02.
 
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Just pointing out that cell phones, gps and even "fire" was available on a consumer level in 1997.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h59IQi3GjCA

and the ever popular etrex GPS was offered in 98.. so..
 
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Let's see, 1997... Clinton started his second term, Princess Dianna was killed in a car crash, Mother Theresa died, "Men In Black", "The Full Monty", "Good Will Hunting" come out, "Titanic" was the top film of the year, Tiger Woods was the youngest golfer to win the Masters, Notorious B.I.G. is killed...

This is where you do some serious research all on your own. Picking the right news reports, sports, music, films, etc. can tell the audience a lot about your character(s) and provide a background for your story. Your characters can meet at a bar watching the World Series or the Super Bowl, your female lead can be all bent out of shape by Princess Diannas death, there are endless possibilities. Doing research is one of the fun parts of creativity.
 
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klitch said:
I'm currently writing a script set in the late 90's. I'd rather not start out with text at the beginning that says "1997" any idea how I can convey that in a more subtle way. Or is it just best to throw it out there and just say it's "1997"

The year is important because the characters won't have access to cell phones, gps units, or any other thing that makes travel so easy for us now.

I know cell phones were around back then but not for 20 year old kids on fixed budgets.

thanks
Click to expand...

Well, son, you see, a good woman is like a can of beer... Oh wait. That's not what you're asking is it? :P

When creating a period piece, I think it's best to just go ahead and put the year, along with the place. For example: Los Angeles 1997. However, there are some exceptions. Like if your story takes place during the 1700. Then putting the date really isn't necessary, unless it's significant to the story.

I could be mistaken, but in Born on the Fourth of July, with Tom Cruise, I don't think they showed the date. They just showed JFK on TV. I thought that was pretty clever.

Another way to establish time, is to have a popular song from that era playing from someone's radio.

Since it's 1997, maybe someone can by playing this from their car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qapou-3-fM8

That was a good year. :D
 
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It's lazy to set your story in 1997 just because there are no cell phones back then. No one will remember being told it's set in 1997, because the cars and fashion haven't changed much so it will still look like now, and a lot of young people today don't even know they didn't exist back then.

And even if they do, they'll still be thinking, well, that wouldn't happen today.

Are you sure you haven't got holes in your plot that can't be plugged some other way?
 
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rayw said:
Just make it a superimposition after the slug line or after a key event event:

SUPER: 1997

Alternatively, if your audience is old enough and informed enough to know any 1997 history, find some key historical event widely recognized as having occurred in 1997 and stick it in there ASAP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997

(PS, thank you for not asking the IT forum for actual "dating" advice, as in romance. Whew! Dodged a bullet with that one!)
Click to expand...

The handover of Hong Kong to the chinese was in 97. Just a suggestion.
 
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