Developing Characters

Dougyfresh13

Dougyfresh13

Active member
when writing a script, for me, the hardest part is developing meaningful and "deep" characters. i understand the importance of my characters being 3 dimensional as opposed to superficial but whenever i try and write a back story or set up a history or develop my characters in any way they come out being cliche and superficial anyway. so my question is how do you guys go about developing your characters into interesting people that people can connect with and watch?

thanks in advance for any help
 
I start with a weakness and build around it. Then I choose a strength that contradicts the weakness. These contradictions are what make people 3D.

I then go back and think of reasons for how these weaknesses were developed. Usually, it's step by step over a course of many years.
 
I technique I've used long time ago in the past that worked well for me was to interview the character. That way you get an idea of how they talk, react to situations and things crop up you didnt know before.

Also it's a good technique to have your character have some dark secret or emotional wound from the past. This can be a good insight into movitation of character for your film.

EJ
 
An example from something I wrote last year:

Kira is afraid of facing her problems, instead she runs away. She's also in track, so she'll go out and run to work off strong emotions. She tries to act tough, like she everything under control, so she's really organized and neat.
Click to expand...

Like EJ said, most of the weaknesses I try to work with are psychological or emotional.
 
Blaine said:
Oh my God, the penguins are multiplying...:Drogar-Shock(DBG):
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Blaine, when Spring comes all the mommy penguins lay eggs. Then the daddy penguins sit on the eggs in the harsh cold drinking beer and loosing their future children while the mommy penguins go to the dead sea day spa. Then come baby penguins when the mommy penguins return.

Our plan is to take over DVXUser and then the world. Bwahahahahaha! :evil:
 
so my question is how do you guys go about developing your characters into interesting people that people can connect with and watch?
Click to expand...

What helps me (in terms of backstory) is being extremely specific. It won't help me to say that JOHNNY was good in school, funny looking as child, parents were nice...

No. This is bad because it is generic. It doesn't make the character come to life for the writer, which in fact, is key to making a 3 dimensional character--realizing he/she as a real and living person.

I get as specific as possible. Brown hair, blue eyes, failed math class in highschool, played center in basketball but injured his knee senior year.

Not to say that him having blue eyes is crucial to the story, but it IS crucial that YOU recognize this character as a person. And the way to do that is with specific details.
 
You might also observe that a character's eyes aren't any particular color that you can remember, after having met him.

I know a character like that.
 
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