CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

CHARACTER

CHARACTER AND PLOT CANNOT BE SEPARATED.

PLOT IS CHARACTER IN ACTION IN PURSUIT OF A GOAL

CHARACTER GOALS

1. EVERY CHARACTER HAS GOAL FOR THE ENTIRE SCRIPT
A. ACTORS CALL IT A SUPER OBJECTIVE
B. IN EVERY SCENE CHARACTERS WILL COME UP WITH SMALLER OBJECTIVES THAT SHOULD ALWAYS RELATE TO THE SUPER OBJECTIVE

CORRECT MOTIVATION:

1. ALL CHARACTER ACTION NEEDS TO BE MOTIVATED
2. IF IT SOMETHING FROM THE PAST AND NOT ADDRESSED IN THE PLOT AND WE DON’T SEE IT, IT IS HARDER FOR THE AUDIENCE TO BUY INTO THE MOTIVATION.

THE FLAW

1. WHAT IS THE CHARACTERS FLAW? SHOULD CREATE A CONFLICT WITH THE GOAL.
A. INDIE AND ANIMATED FILM REQUIRE A SYMPATHETIC FLAW
B. NAPOLEAN DYNAMITIE, ROCKY, GOOD WILL HUNTING, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING


DEFINE STAKES

1. STAKES ARE WHAT CHARACTERS STANDS TO LOSE IF HE OR SHE DOESN’T ACHIEVE HER GOAL
A. MINIMUM MUST BE HAPPINESS

DEFINE RELATIONSHIPS

1. FOR ALL MAJOR CHARACTERS
A. KEY FOR CREATING SUBTEXT
B. WILL INFORM DIALOGUE

WHAT ARE THE SECRETS?

1. KEY FOR DRAMATIC IRONY
2. WILL CREATE SUBTEXT
A. THE DEPARTED

BEWARE OF STEREOTYPES

1. CHARACTERS WHO REFLECT COMMON PREJUDICES OR ATTITUDES TOWARDS A CERTAIN TYPE OF PERSON WITHOUT ADDING OR IMPROVING ON IT.
2. LOOK FOR NEW TYPES
a. NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE, JUNO, THE JOKER

CONFIDANT

1. SOMEONE THE HERO CONFIDES IN.
A. ALLOWS HERO TO TALK HONESTLY
B. REVEAL EXPOSITION

THE CENTRAL RELATIONSHIP:

1. LOOK FOR THE CENTRAL RELATIONSHIP IN THE STORY
A. THE RELATIONSHIP MAY BE A FRIENDSHIP, MASTER, SERVANT, FAMILY MEMBER


GOAL VS. DRAMATIC NEED

1. PLOT IS THE FOOTSTEPS OF YOUR CHARACTER AS HE OR SHE CHASES HIS OR HER HEARTS DESIRE.
2. HARD TO DEFINE WHAT A CHARACTER NEEDS: OFTEN DIFFERENT FROM THE GOAL
3. SOMETIMES A CHARACTER DOESN’T GET WHAT SHE WANTS, BUT WHAT SHE NEEDS.
4. THIS CAN ADD DEPTH TO YOUR CHARACTER.

CREATING A CLOCK OR A TIME LIMIT ON THE ACTION

1. WILL PROPEL CHARACTERS INTO ACTION.
2. CHARACTERS REVEAL TRUE SELF UNDER PRESSURE.
3. THE BEST AND OR WORST OF HIM OR HER WILL COME OUT.



TOO MANY CHARACTERS CAN SAP STORY

1. DON’T REPEAT CHARACTER TYPES
A. LOOK AT THE BREAKFAST CLUB




COMIC CHARACTERS AND COMEDY

1. MYTH: COMEDY IS ABOUT FUNNY LINES
2. A COMIC CHARACTER WILL BE FUNNY BY JUST BEING HIM OR HERSELF.
3. NORMAL HUMAN BEINGS ACT DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.
A. A NORMAL HUMAN BEING IS FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE. HE OR SHE KNOWS HOW TO MODIFY BEHAVIOR IN DIFFERENT SITUATION AND ENVIRONMENTS.
4. COMIC CHARACTER IS RIGID AND INFLEXIBLE
A. WE LAUGH AT RIGID INFLEXIBLE CHARACTERS.
5. A COMIC CHARACTER ALWAYS DOES THE SAME THING, BEHAVES IN THE SAME MANNER WHETHER IT IS APPROPRIATE OR NOT
A. THEY OFTEN THINK OF JUST ONE THING
6. LAUGH.DISPROPORTION OF REACTION: THE REACTION IS TOO LARGE OR SMALL. A COMIC CHARACTER OVER REACTS OR UNDERREACTS.

COMIC CHARACTER GRID

1. OBESSION: THE THING THEY THINK ABOUT TOO MUCH.
A. BUZZ: DEFEAT ZURG
B. WILLIE COYOTE: GET THE ROAD RUNNER
2. FIXED ATTITUDE: A FIXED MOOD, STYLE, OR MANNER
A. BUZZ: OVERLY HEROIC
3. CRAZY THINKING: AT THE CORE THIS IS A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HIMSELF OR HERSELF OR THE WORLD.
A. BUZZ THINKS HE’S A REAL SPACE RANGER


THE MOST COMMON AND USEFUL ARCHETYPES
(FROM JOSHEPH CAMPBELL)

HERO – the archetype represents the ego’s search for identity and wholeness. In the process of becoming complete, integrated human beings, we are all Heroes facing internal guardians, monsters, and helpers.


MENTOR (Wise Old Man or Woman) - is usually a positive figure who aids or trains the hero. God to Adam, Merlin guiding King Arthur, the Fairy Godmother helping Cinderella, Obi Wan teaching Luke the force.

THERESHOLD GUARDIAN - all heroes encounter obstacles on the road to adventure. At each gateway to a new world there are powerful guardians at the threshold, placed to keep the unworthy from entering. They present a menacing face to the hero, but if properly understood, they can be overcome, bypassed, or even turned into allies.


HERALD - often a new force will appear in Act One to bring a challenge to the hero. This is the energy of the Herald archetype. Like the heralds of medieval chivalry, Herald characters issue challenges and announce the coming of significant change.

SHAPESHIFTER – is often the opposite sex, whose primary characteristic is that they appear to change constantly from the hero’s point of view. Often the hero’s love interest or romantic partner will manifest the qualities of the shapeshirter. The Big Sleep, The Maltese Falcon and Chinatown feature detectives confronting shape-shifting women whose loyalty and motives are in doubt. Femme fatale.

SHADOW – represents the energy of the dark side, the unexpressed, unrealized, or rejected aspects of something. The negative face of the Shadow in stories is projected onto characters called villains, antagonists, or enemies. Villains and enemies are usually dedicated to the death, destruction or defeat of the hero. Antagonists may not be so hostile – they may be Allies who are after the same goal but who disagree with the hero’s tactics.

TRICKSTER – embodies the energies of mischief and desire or change. All the characters who are primarily clowns or comical sidekicks express this archetype. They cut big egos down and bring heroes and audiences down to earth. By provoking healthy laughter they help us realize our common bonds, and they point out folly and hypocrisy.