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Even actors that play dead people in films get credit. A murdered hooker or mugging victim, for example, on a cop show. I am not sure about unnamed extras in a crowd scene, or shopping mall or stre...
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#4: Attribution notice removed
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/38923 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/38923 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
Even actors that play dead people in films get credit. A murdered hooker or mugging victim, for example, on a cop show. I am not sure about unnamed extras in a crowd scene, or shopping mall or street scene, but since your actor shows in the final scene, if there is an exception for extras, this doesn't apply. The character has name, presumably has lines, this is not an extra. If a named character appears on stage or camera, dead or not, no matter how small the part, **they get credit.** You aren't giving anything away, the person could be part of a flashback, a body in a funeral scene, whatever. Give them credit. EDIT: A way to be open but keep the secret is to refer to the dead character by an affectionate nickname; like Skipper. In fact, make it a nickname they remember the character didn't even like, but they used it to tease her. Then, in the moment before it is revealed Skipper is alive, produce the real name. > "Sir, there is somebody at the door. She says her name is Skyler, and you know her." > > "Skipper? She's a con, Skipper died when the plane went down. We had a funeral." > > "Yes sir. I shall send her away." > > "Wait. Skyler. I have to see this fraud for myself."