Choosing character names

The names we chose for our two main characters “Jim” and “Rita” were a careful decision. It was important to us that primarily the name was of the 1940’s era, and secondarily that each possessed the appropriate connotations respectively, to inform our audience what type of characters our male love interest and female protagonist are.

The name Jim, as a shortening of the common name James, was suitably old-fashioned, and we liked its regular, ‘every-man’ feel. It seemed to compliment his character well as a young, sharp, straightforward man who was essentially good, and we hoped would help the audience to identify with him. The simplicity of his name made it more believable that he could be smitten with and deceived by a strong femme fatale.

Rita, as well as being popular in the period, and the namesake of forties Hollywood seductress Rita Hayworth, seemed fittingly exotic, racy and sensuous. Such a short, bold name to us connoted a headstrong female and definitely possessed a sexy, passionate but duplicitous quality. Once we had arrived at these names we were in no doubts as to who Jim and Rita were as characters.