Quiz 3: Character Flashcards
Protagonist
Central character- they have to have more to lose than anyone else in the screenplay
Hero- we have to root for them
Vulnerability- the audience must empathize and identify with them
Antagonist
The Heavy
Person, place, or thing standing in opposition to the protagonist
Can be human, animal, act of nature, supernatural, inner flaw or the protagonist
Must appear more powerful than the protagonist
Antaginist’s plan is what initiates the central conflict
Secondary characters
Supporting roles- they support the protagonist
Intrinsic to the story, but not the main focus
motivations/ actions can be less complex than the protagonist, but they must be developed.
Act within a subplot that supports or contradicts the main plot
Minor Character
Background- to fill in the world of the story
Push the story forward and then disappear
Full character development is not needed BUT given a single dominate trait or emotion to individualize them.
Make them unique- their look, speech pattern, a strange skill
2D Character:
Perfection
Fits neatly into the story
No history
Predictable
Logical
Often non- social
Archetype
3D Character:
Flawed
Has own story
Has unique past
Irrational
Unpredictable
Quirky
Often social
Individual- cannot be put into an archetype
Lajos Egri’s Tri-Dimensional Bone Structure: Physiology
The physical aspects of your character- appearance and general health
A character’s physical appearance can make him feel either secure or insecure. A healthy person reacts differently to things than an unhealthy one does.
Sex (gender)
Age
Height and weight
Color of hair, eyes, skin,
Posture
Appearance- good looking, over or underweight, clean, neat, pleasant, untidy, shape of limbs, head, face, birthmarks
abilities/ disabilities
heredity/ genetics
Lajos Egri’s Tri-Dimensional Bone Structure: Sociology
Environment means home life, marital status of parents, earning power, divorced, widowed, compatible, incompatible
How did/ does the character’s friends affect them, and how did/ do they affect their friends?
What schooling did they have? What was/ is their attitude and aptitude in school, their favorite subjects? What kind of social life do they lead?
Class- lower, middle, upper
Occupation- type of work, hours of work, income, condition of work, attitude toward job, suitability for work
Education- amount, kinds of schools, marks, favorite subjects, poorest subjects, aptitudes
Home life- parents’ living, earning power, orphan, parents separated or divorced, parents’ habits, parents’ mental development, parents’ vices, neglect, character’s marital status
Religion
Race, nationality
Place in community- leader among friends, clubs, sport
Political affiliations
Amusements, hobbies
Lajos Egri’s Tri-Dimensional Bone Structure: Psychology
The result of the previous two dimensions
It gives life to the ambitions, frustrations, temperaments, attitudes, and complexes of characters
To understand the actions of a character, we must first find her motivation
Sex life
Moral standards
Ambitions
Frustrations, chiefs disappointments
Temperament- easygoing, pessimistic, optimistic
Attitude toward life- resigned, militant, defeatist
Complexes- obsessions, inhibitions, superstitions, phobias
Extrovert, introvert, ambivert
Abilities- languages, talents, party tricks
Qualities- imagination, judgment, taste, poise
I.Q.
Emotional progression
A progression of emotions in a plot help us better understand characters and their motivations
Conflict will occur when the want is different from the need
Desire (want)
Characters are conscious of this
- Get rich
- A relationship with a particular person
- A magical object
Pulls the character- this is going to help define the parameters of the plot
This is really important for actors
What do they want moment to moment in the film?
Need
Characters are not usually conscious of this
- Love
- Self-acceptance
- Dealing with grief
Pushes a character
Gives a character more dimension
Makes them act irrationally
Internal conflict
A contradiction in a characters life that they must work out
Positive motivation
Something emotionally important missing from their life that is greatly desired
Limits of self knowledge
A characters flaws
Defects in judgment
Naming characters
Should provide insight into their nature
Reflect attitude, class, heritage
It provides a first impression
Associations with well known people of the same name
Irony
Don’t (naming)
Give characters similar names
Name characters who only appear once
- Give them descriptive names that evoke an image for example: Teenage Dirtbag or Goth Girl Cashier
Avoid Cop #1, Cop #2, Cop #3
- Instead descriptive names like Bearded Cop, Smiling Cop etc.
Stereotypes:
Begin with an individual and you will find that you have created a type; begin with a type, and you will find that you have created nothing
* Character that reflects a common prejudice or attitude towards a certain type of person, without adding to or improving it
* Cliches
* Borrowing without alteration
* Stock conventions
* Lazy writing
3 Roles of Dialogue:
- Advances the story- Reflects immediate circumstances and needs, addresses future consideration, may recount the past
- Reveals character- responses to situations = personality (big shot?/ anxious?/etc)
- Plays off the visual world of the film- aid/ compliment visual action, not replace it
Naturalistic
Dialogue is not real speech
Dialogue is not random– it has structure
Dialogue Techniques: Casting call
write dialogue with a particular actor, celebrity, or person you know in mind
Dialogue Techniques: IMPRINTS
words, inflections, tone, and resonance that make a voice unique
Dialogue Techniques: In the headlines
say only what needs to be said
Dialogue Techniques: Leapfrogging
skipping unnecessary lines to get to important thoughts of emotions
