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Lesson 7
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Heather’s Character Strengths Part 2
(this is lesson 6 with lesson 7 added)
Vision statement: I want to see my scripts optioned this year and turned into movies that the audience will remember long after they leave the theatre.
What I learned from doing this assignment: after doing this I can easily see how I can end up with a two-page character description. In the past my descriptions have been disorganized and all over the place, but using this template the thought process flows easily from one attribute to another and your character takes flesh in your mind. Flaws – one never thinks about that, or if you do, it’s in a nebulous way that doesn’t really affect things. When you put everything together, putting a flaw in there is like sticking a splinter in their foot and waiting for it to fester.
Sarah-
A. The High Concept; The monster isn’t always the evil thing you expect it to be.
· B. This character’s journey: a journey of discovering her inner strengths and coming to terms with the ghosts holding her back.
C.The Actor Attractors for this character.
1. Mousey to Brave
2. Terrified to not giving a damn.
3. Growing from mental teenager to mature woman.
4. Forced to learn new skills.
5. Make hard decisions.
3. Brainstorm the first 6 parts of the profile for each of your lead characters.
1. Role in the Story: Protagonist
2. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Age <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>range and Description: late twenties to 40
3. Core Traits: determined, resourceful, quick-thinking, hardworking.
4. Motivation;Want/Need: to find her daughter before she needs her medication.
5. Wound: She was responsible for her little brother’s death while babysitting.
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy: Her parents farmed her out to foster care after her
brother died and she thinks CPS will take her children away if she can’t
find her child.7 Character Subtext: Has a rebellious
streak a mile wide but can’t let anyone see it because women are supposed
to be servants in the 50’s and know their place.8 Character Intrigue: secretly years
to be some sort of wise woman who lives in hut in the forest making
potions and spells.9 Flaw: is ruled by her
fears and insecurities10 Values: are a
reflection of the 1950’s, and they chafe her – but she respects human life
and isn’t racist, like her neighbors.11. Character Dilemma: she can either wait for someone else to find her daughter (who will probably b dead by then) or face her fears and search for her herself.
Sherriff Harper-
The High Concept – the monster is exactly who you expect it to be.
This character’s journey – from conniving man of the law to outright bad guy who wants his man any way he can get him.
The Actor attractors for this character
· Gets to play a character with a hidden side personality and life.
· Has a high range of switching emotions.
· Gun fanatic (if you like that sort of thing)
· Can buff up for the part.
3. Brainstorm the first 6 parts of the profile for each of your lead characters.
1. Role in the Story: Antagonist
2. Age range and Description: 30’s to 50s
3. Core Traits: ex-military (or just thinks he is) high opinion of himself, insufferable,
bigoted. Sly. Intelligent. Two faced.4. Motivation; Want/Need: has to have people respect him. Needs to be ‘the rescuer’.
5. Wound: he was passed over for a promotion and he’s bitter about it.
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy: He has his moments. You can see there were once shreds of a real RCMP officer there, but now he’s looking out for himself most of the time. He has a soft spot for children though.
7 Character Subtext: Has no respect
for Sarah. Knows about her past and considers her trash, especially when
she teams up with Joe.8 <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Character Intrigue: Actively
engages in poaching to supplement his income.9 <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Flaw: Will always take
the easy way out.<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>10 <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Values: Appreciates the
finer things in life.11. Character Dilemma: How can he get rid of Joe and make it look like it was justified?
Joe:
The High Concept: There are no monsters. All life should be respected.
The character’s journey: He’s drifting, drinking too much and looking for a purpose. Long ago he refused his tribal calling. Now no one respects him.
The Actor Attractors for this part:
· Diversity.
· Gets to express a lot of emotion through action, instead of words.
· Will learn physical survival and tracking skills
· Goes from a derelict to the reluctant Hero
3. Brainstorm the first 6 parts of the profile for each of your lead characters.
1. Role
in the Story: Catalyst for the MC’s change. </div><div>2. Age
range and Description: 30’s to 50s3. Core
Traits: Indian tracker, patient, wise, skilled. Thoughtful, respectful,
quiet.4. Motivation; Want/Need: needs a purpose in life. Has to find his father.
5. Wound:
he believes he has no worth unless he takes his rightful place in the
world as his father’s replacement (medicine man).but he doesn’t have his
father’s gifts.6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy: Quiet, kind and sympathetic to Sarah’s plight. Is a Helper by nature. Strong and resourceful. Knows how to survive in the woods.
7 Character Subtext: He knows what
and where the Shadow Man is SO he knows where the girl is too.8 Character Intrigue: The Shadow Man
is actually Joe’s father, who’s dying and is searching for his
replacement. Joe knows he’s responsible for the abduction because he was
supposed to be his father’s successor.9 Flaw: He drinks to
forget how unworthy he is.10 Values: Respect life in
all its forms. Fit yourself into creation, don’t make creation fit you.11. Character Dilemma: he has no idea how he’s going to convince his father to let the girl go and accept him instead since his father already rejected him once.
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Cameron Martin’s Character Profiles Part 2
Vision: Write a movie that connects with audiences on a deep, spiritual level, regardless of background, while prioritizing quality time with family.
What I learned doing this assignment is…taking all of the brainstorming so far, and compiling it into short beats. Even if many of the elements sound the same or fall along the same track, there’s still nuance created by examining those similarities through all the different elements. Values, Dilemma, and Subtext may say something similar, but the way each is written invites different scenes and unique ways these messages can be expressed.
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Null
A. The High Concept: A woman wakes up in an AI generated purgatory with no memory of her past life, and must compete with an exact copy of herself to return to the world of the living.
B. This character’s journey: To go from a woman with no past or future to a fully fledged human being
C. The Actor Attractors for this character: Ability to play two different parts in one character, display a range of emotions between both characters, take part in never-before-seen action, create and perform a dramatic and active self-actualization, self-destruction, and self-healing in a never-before-seen way
1. Role in the Story: Protagonist
2. Age range and Description: 20’s, athletic, beautiful
3. Core Traits: compulsive liar, simple, earnest, self-sacrificing
4. Motivation; Want/Need: Wants to escape purgatory/Needs to discover her worth
5. Wound: Has no memory/Is a means to an end (not a “real” person)
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy:
– Willing to sacrifice her success for others, keeps calm under pressure through humor, highly skilled, Never backs down
– Wants to prove herself, Needs to reconcile/rediscover her past, feels more like a pretender than an expert, in competition with the only person that can relate, Wants to escape, Wants to live.
– Forced into a situation she doesn’t want to be in, Her only ally is her worst enemy, Betrayed by those she trusted, Doesn’t want life to end
7. Character Subtext: Has no memory, but doesn’t want others to know that
8. Character Intrigue:
Unspoken Wound: Has no memory. Was made to be a means to someone else’s end.
Conspiracy: Prevent Janice from completing her quest.
Competition: Tries to win against Janice for the chance to live.
9. Flaw: Over-confidence and Leaps headfirst without thinking things through
10. Values: Honesty and Connection
11. Character Dilemma: Honesty versus Fabrication / Truth versus Fiction
Janice
A. The High Concept: After suffering a traumatic assault, a woman kills herself to be reborn through the futuristic “Afterlife Protocol” as a new and better person, so that she can seek vengeance on her assailant and never be hurt again.
B. This character’s journey: From possessed by her vision of vengeance to a healed and self-actualized human being.
C. The Actor Attractors for this character: Ability to play two different parts in one character, display a range of emotions between both characters, take part in never-before-seen action, create and perform a dramatic and active self-actualization, self-destruction, and self-healing in a never-before-seen way
1. Role in the Story: Antagonist
2. Age range and Description: 20’s, athletic, beautiful
3. Core Traits: Cagey, Sabatour, Vengeful, Poetic
4. Motivation; Want/Need: Wants to render vengeance on her assailant/Needs to forgive herself and heal from her trauma
5. Wound: Was horrifically assaulted and took her life as a response so she could be stronger
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy:
– Polite, Poetic, Never backs down
– Has a past and wound that’s affecting her, Wants to change or be better than who she was
– Was gravely wronged, Committed suicide, Had strings attached to the deal she thought she was signing up for (From simply coming back as someone stronger to having to “test” to return to her life)
7. Character Subtext: Hiding the truth of Null’s existence from her
8. Character Intrigue:
Hidden Agenda/Conspiracy: Janice is going to kill Null to prove herself on her path to taking vengeance against her assailants.
Unspoken Wound/Secret Identity: Janice was brutally attacked and took her own life in order to use the “Afterlife Protocol” for her means of vengeance.
9. Flaw: Refuses help so she can have vengeance on her terms
10. Values: Self-Reliance and Determination
11. Character Dilemma: Vengeance versus Mercy
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Jeff Glatz’s Character Profiles 2
My Vision: To create commercial studio size films that move people. To create characters that can live forever and bring electrifying memories to those that have watched one of my films.
What I learned from doing this assignment – Really opened up the characters to new ideas and direction.
Chris Wentworth (Protagonist)
The High Concept: Chris, 20, a college student, learns she is a Descendant of Zeus and must assume the role in her destiny and save the world by defeating another Descendant of a God.
This Character’s Journey: Chris must burst out of her sheltered safe and shy life and become a warrior and leader and save the world.
The Actors Attractors:
1. She is an unknowing Descendant of Zeus with Super Human Powers that must discover her inner strength to save the world.
2. Learning to embrace the fact that she is a Descendant of the most powerful deity and all the responsibility that comes with that awakening.
3. A female lead that is a “Super Human Hero” and NOT a comic book hero.
The Character Profile:
1. Role in the Story: Protagonist/Female Lead
2. Age Range and Description: Chris Worthington, an attractive applied mathematics student who also happens to be a martial arts expert but is introverted and prefers to be by herself.
3. Core Traits: Brilliant, Brave, Optimistic, Empathetic,
4. Motivation:
a. Want – To defeat Ronin.
b. Need -To save the World.
5. Wound: Lost her mother as child and adopted father as adult.
6. Likeability, Relatability, Empathy:
a. Likability:
i. Professor likes her in her opening scene.
ii. Smart, intelligent, independent female.
iii. Her “Aunt” cares for her and saves her life.
iv. Wants revenge for death of her loved ones.
v. She can kick ass.
vi. Appears to not care about money while living in a privileged world.
b. Relatability:
i. Shy, awkward – attempts to speak with her classmate and he ignores her.
ii. Doesn’t like to be set up on date with cocky rich kid.
iii. Her world is turned upside down in the attack on her and her family.
iv. Falling in love with James.
v. Shock of learning about her true self (being a “Super Human Hero”)
c. Empathy:
i. Her father is killed, her mother injured.
ii. Her Aunt/Best Friend killed.
iii. Shock of learning about her true self (being a “Super Human Hero”)
2. Character Subtext: Shock that she is a Descendant and fear that she may not be able to do what is necessary.
3. Character Intrigue: Always felt out of place. She has a brilliant mind but hides the physical side.
4. Flaw (how they sabotage themselves): She undervalues herself and does not think it possible to rise above and be the leader of the Descendants.
5. Values: Family, Loyalty, Love
6. Internal Dilemma: Being powerful versus being/feeling helpless.
Ronin (Antagonist)
The High Concept: Ronin, 45-50, a Descendant of the Japanese God of Wind, wants to rule the world and must find a Key that will get him enough power to do so.
This Character’s Journey: Ronin is uncaring of human life and will do whatever is needed to accomplish his goals, including sacrificing his son.
The Actors Attractors:
1. Villain of all Villains. A Super Human and a Descendant of the Japanese God of Wind.
2. A master of martial arts and all his “powers” are what humans can already to but pushed to the extreme. Don’t go into the unbelievable.
3. One of the Descendants that was supposed to protect our World now wants to control it.
The Character Profile:
1. Role in the Story: Antagonist/Male Lead
2. Age Range and Description: Ronin, a billionaire businessman and father who commands a room.
3. Core Traits: Machiavellian, Arrogant, Narcissist, Manipulative
4. Motivation:
a. Want – To rule the World.
b. Need -To find the key.
5. Wound: Overlooked in the God hierarchy, no matter his financial success.
6. Likeability, Relatability, Empathy:
a. Likability:
i. Cultured, sophisticated.
ii. Martial Art Skills. Just trying to show accomplished villain.
iii. Loves his Son.
iv. Knowledgeable.
b. Relatability:
i. Truly believes he is right.
ii. Fight for what he believes right.
c. Empathy:
i. Son is killed.
ii. His ancestors passed over in the past for high responsibility.
2. Character Subtext: Narcissist who is manipulative and arrogant.
3. Character Intrigue: Appears as normal businessman to the world but is a Descendant of the Japanese God of Wind.
4. Flaw (how they sabotage themselves): His hubris costs him his son.
5. Values: Winning, power, money.
6. Internal Dilemma: May lose what may be most important to get what he wants.
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