1. Basics: Character Development

2. If you don’t know, then your the audience won’t know either. A place to start- Assign character traits from all categories: 1.Pick 3 main adjectives he/she would use to describe self 2.Pick 3 main adjectives others would use to describe him 3.Pick 1 main flaw (universal) 4.Pick 1 primary personality type (Plato, Astrology, Myers-Bridges, DISC) 5.Pick 1 method of Speech (accent, speed, grammar, vocabulary, rhythm) 6.Pick the Physical aspects (what does he/she look like, age, dress) 7.Pick the Behavioral aspects- Consider mannerisms, tics, movements. What does he/she do when upset, happy, bored, worried, laughing, afraid, etc.

3. Example: West Wing Sam Seaborne, late 20’s 1.Describe self= Cautiously smart, fair minded, particular 2.Described by others= Perfectionist, trust worthy, brilliant 3.Flaw= Lacks confidence (underestimates self) 4.Personality= High C on the DISC scale 5.Speech= Fast, intelligent, talks in lists (First of all, secondly, etc.) 6.Physical= Handsome, shorter than normal, perfectly pressed clothes 7.Behavior= Looks over people’s heads, goes back to basic logic when is trapped, never lets anything go until he is convinced

4. Character Descriptions- Technical Side What they are- 2-3 sentences introducing him/her Your big chance to be poetic Where they go- Top of the scene, first time we see them on screen After room description, before action description Avoid doing it after they speak Avoid mixing with action, in the same sentence What they look like- Start with FULL NAME (all caps), age (29), sex if not obvious, looks like and/or dress then… How they see themselves (visually if possible) How others see them (visually if possible) Try to capture the essence of them

5. Examples of Character Descriptions WARDEN SAMUEL NORTON (55), a colorless man in a gray suit and a church pin in his lapel. He looks like he could piss ice water. a colorless man in a gray suit = what he looks like church pin in his lapel = what he thinks of himself looks like he could piss ice water = what other think of him ERIN BROCKOVICH (she’s not telling) How to describe her? A beauty queen would come to mind - which, in fact, she was. Tall in a mini skirt, legs crossed, tight top, beautiful - but clearly from a social class and geographic orientation whose standards for displaying beauty are not based on subtlety. mini skirt, beautiful = what she looks like a beauty queen = what she thinks of herself not subtle = what others think of her

6. Final thoughts If you are having trouble here are some ideas…. Take them with you everywhere you go for a day. Ask yourself what would they do here, how would they act, etc. (Standing in line, pumping gas, etc.) Ask 1,000 questions: what he/she do if… (got caught in a lie, was mistaken for someone else, go lost, won an award, found something funny, etc.) Schedule time to think, brainstorm, ponder. Consider opposites. Make analogies. Draw pictures. Free write, back story, complete outlines. Do a character description for every character who’s in more than one scene or speaks more than one line. Place opposites throughout your script. (Give all main character an opposite, even if it’s just a waitress. This creates conflict.) Do these things, then plant the seeds in every scene as visual clues to your character’s depth.