Should Character Names Be Translated in a Screenplay?

Character names usually remain unchanged during screenplay translation.

Names often reflect cultural identity, personality, or symbolism within the story. Translating them can remove these meanings.

However, some adaptations may occur when a story is localized for a different market.

For example, pronunciation or cultural references might influence how names appear in translated scripts.

In most cases, translators keep original character names while translating dialogue and action lines.

Story Department allows writers to lock character names before translation runs so that they remain consistent throughout the screenplay.