Trying to put some faces in my writing...

azharrison

azharrison

Active member
I am fumbling through my first SERIOUS attempt at a screenplay. I am currently at the OUTLINE/TREATMENT phase, I think I have a main plot and several sub-plot elements that I think will work well... the problem I am having is that I am trying to picture some current actors that may fit characters in my script. I just want a general idea of who is out there so that I can put a face to who I am writing about...

My question to you is where is a good place to search for talent? I know about IMDB, but I am sorta looking for somewhere that you can search like: male, 35, brn hair brn eyes... rustic looks, etc... and have that spit out a result of current actors.

Anything like that out there? If so, is it cheap or free? Id rather not invest a lot into something that is only for my own notes, but something like this would be a great timesaver for me
 
I don't get it. The purpose of writing with a specific actor in mind is that he/she inspires you. Gives you ideas for the character along the way.

If you aren't inspired, and need to refer to a list of actors - what's the point? Kinda seems like coloring by numbers and less to do with inspiration. Unless you literally need a face, and only a face to build these characters.
 
I wouldn't write with a particular actor in mind. That may subconsciously have you insert behavior and dialogue from other films you have seen them in. If you really need a face, pick up a magazine and find a random model. Its only a face anyway.
 
I'll sometimes think in terms of a period or role for an actor like Kevin Dillon as his platoon character or Michael Shannon from Chicago Cab(Hell cab). I know they're both much older now and wouldn't be right but it gives me a quick snapshot of a type that I can riff off of and spin into my own creation. For secondary characters this can save you time (how much time do you really want to spend on a character that has three lines?). I keep about 600 dvds on the shelf where I write and sometimes will just glance and remember an actor or a performance. I do know many working actors who I sometimes keep in mind when creating a character.
"The purpose of writing with a specific actor in mind is that he/she inspires you. Gives you ideas for the character along the way." True but sometimes the purpose of writing for a specific great actor is that you have access to them and if it's written well they may want to do the part. The same way you may write a script that is set at locations you have access to.
I wrote a feature script a few years ago for a best actor winner NY stage (a major A list actor snagged the role he created on stage for the feature film), a friend sent him my script and he wanted to do it.( The stock market tanked and we decided that the shift in the market left a pretty big question in how viable the project would be. If I was a little more savy at the time and had talked to someone like Barry Green I probably would have felt comfortable making the film with state incentives and tax writeoffs).
 
lambert said:
"The purpose of writing with a specific actor in mind is that he/she inspires you."

True but sometimes the purpose of writing for a specific great actor is that you have access to them and if it's written well they may want to do the part.
Click to expand...


I fail to see the distinction.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by lambert
"The purpose of writing with a specific actor in mind is that he/she inspires you."

True but sometimes the purpose of writing for a specific great actor is that you have access to them and if it's written well they may want to do the part.


"I fail to see the distinction."

I should have added that sometimes you are being paid to write for a specific actor whether you are inspired or not. Or you know you can get the actor or they're the key to financing the movie. Doesn't always lead to inspiration.

"The actor needs to become the character, not the other way around. "
I don't think it's as black and white as we may want it to be . If a producer hires you to write a script that can be filmed in Bulgaria staring a Wrestling star who can't act his way out of a paperbag the character you write needs to be close to what the actor can handle (what the actor is).
 
Knoxworth said:
I don't get it. The purpose of writing with a specific actor in mind is that he/she inspires you. Gives you ideas for the character along the way.

If you aren't inspired, and need to refer to a list of actors - what's the point? Kinda seems like coloring by numbers and less to do with inspiration. Unless you literally need a face, and only a face to build these characters.
Click to expand...

I want to have the faces in my head as I write. That doesnt mean I am clouding my characters with an certain actor nor am I creating a role around a certain actor nor drawing "inspiration" from any certain actors! I have a few characters that need to have specific hair/eye color... etc.

I has nothing to do with my inspiration sir. Instead of answering my question, you questioned my motives, why?
 
Gotcha, I'd go to the website of an agency like Stewart Agency in Chicago and check out some headshots. You can probably print off headshots and stick them up. Many (most)headshots are in color these days. Hope that helps.
 
lambert said:
Gotcha, I'd go to the website of an agency like Stewart Agency in Chicago and check out some headshots. You can probably print off headshots and stick them up. Many (most)headshots are in color these days. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks a bunch lambert! I'll do that...
 
This can be a particularly good idea if you have the tendency, like many new writers (myself included), to make all the dialogue for all the characters sound the same (most likely similar to how you talk). If you have different pictures of people for the different characters, it may help you vary the language they use and the way they use it.
 
Precisely. A great example is this: Two of my characters are a widowed mother and her rebellious emo daughter, I have a fair idea of what they should look like but I keep defaulting to this images like Holly Hunter for the Mother and Selina Gomez (i think that's her name) for the daughter and that is NOT who I want to visualize! I need a more edgier teen... but I just don't have a big mental database of actors. I need someone MORE like Natalie Portman in THE PROFESSIONAL, etc, etc....

But just having SOMEONE's face in mind to frame a character around is very helpful to me and the way my brain works.
 
Exactly. You want to give each character their own "voice".

I'd agree with the other people in the thread against using characters in movies as a reference point, unless you're goal is to write the part of an awkward, nerdy, outcast, and are planning on sending the script to Michael Cera's agent. Using pictures of models from magazines, or better yet, actors/models headshots you have direct access to, is a good idea in order to keep the frame of mind of the character, while making them unique to your film, instead of a regurgitation of a previous role they've done.
 
I am trying to looking for a certain personality that fits their backstory, I'm trying to get as closed to the look and feel as I can to a personality not a character...

Magazines is a brilliant idea as well! I don't want a film full of "beautiful people" either, but it seems a good source to develop some faces.

Thanks Dave!
 
azharrison said:
I am trying to looking for a certain personality that fits their backstory, I'm trying to get as closed to the look and feel as I can to a personality not a character... ...
Click to expand...

Maybe this might (or not) interest you--
http://www.characterpro.com/characterwriter/index.html
Version 3 (I have) of the software allows importing actual photos for chars, in addition to a few hundred already stocked clipart avatars. I think there is a trial versions. I have this software, quite good for quickly building characters of various personalities and enneagrams, and associating a picture with a character, etc. See attached screenshot I just made to show you some of the built-in avatar characters, plus you can see in the lower left an avatar image I used but you could use any photo really.

You might also consider storyboarding your story, heck even using big index cards, or software like Toon Boom (I have that), then you could put pictures of your actors in scenes along with beat sheet snippets, whatever works, That would let you have your visuals of actors, even glue photos of your actors out of magazine onto your story board index cards that you have glued elements from your beat sheet. Just an idea.
 

Attachments

  • Untitled.jpg
    Untitled.jpg
    53.6 KB · Views: 0
Last edited:
azharrison said:
I has nothing to do with my inspiration sir. Instead of answering my question, you questioned my motives, why?
Click to expand...

Because you put great effort into expressing that this was your first serious attempt. My response wasn't intended to question your motives. But rather to alert you to the fact that I didn't understand your process. My short answer was in fact, "No I do not know of a database of actors by height and hair color."
 
Randall_Oelerich said:
You might also consider storyboarding your story, heck even using big index cards, or software like Toon Boom (I have that), then you could put pictures of your actors in scenes along with beat sheet snippets, whatever works, That would let you have your visuals of actors, even glue photos of your actors out of magazine onto your story board index cards that you have glued elements from your beat sheet. Just an idea.
Click to expand...

Thanks Randall. Pasting photos to large index cards for character profiles, sounds like it would work well for me! I think I will experiment with that as I move forward.

I tried a brief bit of storyboarding... I tried learning to draw Manga characters... but I can't draw well enough to pull it off. all my manga guys look the same!!! lol. As others on that "Storyboarding" thread suggested, that was more distracting than helpful or productive.

I also heard of someone that uses his iPhone to photograph places that would make a good location for a scene and uses them as backgrounds for storyboarding! I would like to use this idea to archive scenes as well.
 
azharrison said:
Thanks Randall. Pasting photos to large index cards for character profiles, sounds like it would work well for me! I think I will experiment with that as I move forward.....
Click to expand...


I would seriously take a look at Character Writer software-- it can help you create quite different characters with enneagrams, and dialogue you choose, character faults, etc., then print it all out (allows export as rtf file) as a character bio, then you can paste digitally or with glue a photo of a celebrity or whomever. There are also some good books on different hero and character profiles to use as archetypes, e.g. I own this one, worth having in one's toolbox, The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines.
good luck
randall
 
Randall_Oelerich said:
I would seriously take a look at Character Writer software-- it can help you create quite different characters with enneagrams, and dialogue you choose, character faults, etc., then print it all out (allows export as rtf file) as a character bio, then you can paste digitally or with glue a photo of a celebrity or whomever. There are also some good books on different hero and character profiles to use as archetypes, e.g. I own this one, worth having in one's toolbox, The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines.
good luck
randall
Click to expand...

Thanks Randall. Will download the demo. I find that the learning curve on many of these demos exceeds the expiration date hehehe...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top