JP Serra’s Character Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is that discovering who our characters are early on in the development of the show will help us be consistent when writing our scenes later on.
ASSIGNMENT 1: Example Show
The show I’m watching is SUPERNATURAL. I’m at S1E5
SAM’S PROFILE
A. Hope: Find who killed his girlfriend. / Fear: Lose another loved one.
B. Want: To get out of the monster hunter life. / Need: Help others.
C. Base Negative Emotion: Constant nightmares / Public Mask: Chill
D. Weaknesses: Too soft.
E. Triggers: Seeing people getting hurt
F. Coping Mechanism: Fight back.
DEAN’S PROFILE
A. Hope: Find his dad. / Fear: That they’ll find him dead.
B. Want: To kill monsters. / Need: Help others.
C. Base Negative Emotion: Scared / Public Mask: Player
D. Weaknesses: Women.
E. Triggers: Seeing people getting hurt
F. Coping Mechanism: Fight back.
ASSIGNMENT 2: Your Show
- For each of your main characters, brainstorm an Emotional Profile, filling in the following:
Eliza Thornfield
A. Situational: Hope: Her agency will succeed / Fear: She’ll get killed
B. Motivation: Want: Power / Need: Approval
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Overwhelmed with the evil in the world / Public Mask: Always in control
D. Weaknesses: Ego-driven
E. Triggers: Questioning her ability
F. Coping Mechanism: Manipulate and lie
Finch Calloway
A. Situational: Hope: Go back to his old way of living / Fear: That his power makes him evil
B. Motivation: Want: Freedom / Need: To be useful
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Afraid to take on responsibilities / Public Mask: Homeless man
D. Weaknesses: Fragile mental health
E. Triggers: Prejudices against homelessness
F. Coping Mechanism: Becomes condescending
Isabella Vale
A. Situational: Hope: That her powers will grow stronger / Fear: Lose her powers
B. Motivation: Want: To help others with her gifts / Need: Love and validation
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Doubts her own abilities / Public Mask: Confident
D. Weaknesses: Compulsive, spontaneous
E. Triggers: People taking advantage of the vulnerable
F. Coping Mechanism: Shuts down
Felix Harper
A. Situational: Hope: Take care of his family / Fear: Endangering his family because of the nature of his work
B. Motivation: Want: Money / Need: Validation
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Pride / Public Mask: Nerdy Engineer
D. Weaknesses: Can’t stand up for himself
E. Triggers: Threat to his family
F. Coping Mechanism: Take revenge
Once you have a version that you created, go to AI and have it create a version of the Emotional Profile for your characters.
Eliza Thornfield:
A. Situational:
Hope: Building a successful agency to protect the city from supernatural threats.
Fear: Losing control over escalating supernatural threats endangering the team.
B. Motivation:
Want: To establish the agency as a leading force in paranormal investigations.
Need: Balancing the pursuit of success with ethical considerations for the greater good.
C. Mask:
Base Negative Emotion: Frustration when her abilities or leadership are questioned.
Public Mask: Confidence and assertiveness, projecting strength in the face of challenges.
D. Weaknesses:
Tendency to keep secrets and ego-driven decision-making.
Struggles with trust issues and a reluctance to share vital information.
E. Triggers:
Challenges to her abilities or leadership within the team.
Uncovering threats that could undermine the agency’s reputation.
F. Coping Mechanism:
Engages in intense research and strategic planning to divert emotional turmoil.
Relies on a facade of unwavering confidence to maintain team morale.
Finch Calloway:
A. Situational:
Hope: Overcoming the curse’s influence to protect the team.
Fear: Failing in his responsibilities and becoming a danger to others.
B. Motivation:
Want: Liberation from the curse to live a normal life.
Need: Acceptance within the team despite the potential danger he poses.
C. Mask:
Base Negative Emotion: Fear of taking on responsibilities.
Public Mask: Appears carefree and light-hearted, hiding internal struggles.
D. Weaknesses:
Fragile mental health and a reluctance to confront the darkness within.
Struggles with guilt over the potential harm he may cause.
E. Triggers:
Prejudices against homelessness and assumptions about his capabilities.
Confrontations that force him to confront his responsibilities within the team.
F. Coping Mechanism:
Withdraws from stressful situations, isolating himself to manage internal conflicts.
Uses humor and a carefree facade to deflect from the weight of his responsibilities.
Isabella Vale:
A. Situational:
Hope: Bringing justice to victims and finding closure for her own trauma.
Fear: Losing control over her medium abilities, endangering the team.
B. Motivation:
Want: Redemption for her past mistakes and the release of trapped spirits.
Need: Acknowledging her vulnerability and seeking support from the team.
C. Mask:
Base Negative Emotion: Internal guilt over past failures and personal trauma.
Public Mask: Displays determination and self-assurance, concealing emotional struggles.
D. Weaknesses:
Compulsive and overly spontaneous in her actions.
Struggles with balancing personal vendettas against supernatural threats.
E. Triggers:
Encountering spirits tied to her own unresolved trauma.
Facing moral dilemmas related to releasing certain spirits for personal reasons.
F. Coping Mechanism:
Engages in meditation and spiritual practices to maintain balance.
Distancing herself emotionally to avoid potential vulnerabilities.
Felix Harper:
A. Situational:
Hope: Eradicating the paranormal threats to prevent further loss.
Fear: Failing to protect the team from the consequences of his inventions.
B. Motivation:
Want: Vengeance against ghosts responsible for the death of a loved one.
Need: Acknowledging the potential dangers of his creations and seeking redemption.
C. Mask:
Base Negative Emotion: Pride when showcasing his technological innovations.
Public Mask: Displays confidence and innovation, projecting strength to the team.
D. Weaknesses:
Overconfidence in his technological solutions, underestimating supernatural complexities.
Struggles with guilt over the unintended consequences of his inventions.
E. Triggers:
Malfunctions in his inventions, revealing potential dangers to the team.
Confrontations that challenge his pride and expertise.
F. Coping Mechanism:
Immerses himself in building new inventions to distract from emotional pain.
Downplays the risks of his creations to shield the team from potential concerns.
MODULE 1 LESSON 5: DEPTH OF EMOTION
Moses Quainoo
‘What I learned doing this assignment is ‘
ASSIGNMENT 1: Example Show
Watch the next episode of your Example Show and create an Emotional Profile for two or three Main Characters in the Show.
MODULE 1 LESSON 5: DEPTH OF EMOTION
Moses Quainoo
“What I learned doing this assignment is
ASSIGNMENT 1: Example Show
Watch the next episode of your Example Show and create an Emotional Profile for two or three main characters in this show.
MAIN CHARACTER 1: SAM NELSON
A. Situational:
Hope:
Sam hopes the flight will arrive safely in London.
/ Fear: Sam fears if the two other passengers try to overpower the Hijackers, they will put all the other passengers in danger.
B. Motivation:
Want: Sam wants to ensure the safety of the passengers.
/ Need: He needs to be careful what he says to the Hijackers.
C. Mask:
Base Negative Emotion /Public Mask
D. Weaknesses:
E. Triggers:
F. Coping Mechanism:
MAIN CHARACTER 2: Lead Hijacker Collins
A. Situational :
Hope: Collins hopes the flight passengers will calm down.
Fear: He fears if the two desperate passengers try to overpower the Hijackers, the plane may go down with everyone on board.
B. Motivation:
Want: He wants to play safe where possible
Need: He needs to know time is ticking.
C. Mask:
Base Negative Emotion: Collins in terrified /Public Mask: He portrays a brave person.
D. Weaknesses:
E. Triggers:
F. Coping Mechanism:
ASSIGNMENT 2: Your Show: SKYY LAR
1. For each of your main characters, brainstorm an Emotional Profile, filling in the following:
CHARACTER: SKYY LAR
A. Situational: Hope / Fear
B. Motivation: Want / Need
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask
D. Weaknesses
E. Triggers
F. Coping Mechanism
CHARACTER: EMMA
A. Situational: Hope / Fear
B. Motivation: Want / Need
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask
D. Weaknesses
E. Triggers
F. Coping Mechanism
CHARACTER: DR. AVA GREEN
A. Situational: Hope / Fear
B. Motivation: Want / Need
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask
D. Weaknesses
E. Triggers
F. Coping Mechanism
CHARACTER: RAPHAEL
A. Situational: Hope / Fear
B. Motivation: Want / Need
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask
D. Weaknesses
E. Triggers
F. Coping Mechanism
CHARACTER: RAVEN
A. Situational: Hope / Fear
B. Motivation: Want / Need
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask
D. Weaknesses
E. Triggers
F. Coping Mechanism
2. Once you have a version that you created, go to AI and have it create a version of the Emotional Profile for your characters. Use this prompt:
For each of the [Main Characters] for this [Genre] about this [Concept], please brainstorm the [Internal Struggles] of that character that have the fit this TV series well.
Internal Struggles =
A. Situational: Hope / Fear
B. Motivation: Want / Need
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask
D. Weaknesses
E. Triggers
F. Coping Mechanism
Genre = 1 hour Drama/Family/Animation
Concept = SKYY LAR, a pigeon injured by human negligence, collaborates with a compassionate girl EMMA, in London to ignite a worldwide bird rebellion against environmental destruction, focusing on the beauty industry’s influence.
Main Characters =
1. SKYY LAR
Situational (Hope / Fear): Hope for a better, safer environment for birds vs. fear of failure and further harm to their community.
Motivation (Want / Need): Wants to lead a successful rebellion but needs to ensure the safety and well-being of its avian followers.
Mask (Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask): Conceals deep-seated fear and trauma behind a mask of confident leadership.
Weaknesses: Tendency to act impulsively and struggle to trust humans.
Triggers: Human negligence or actions harmful to the environment and birds.
Coping Mechanism: Focuses on planning and executing rebellion activities, often overlooking personal well-being.
2. EMMA
Situational (Hope / Fear): Hope to make a significant difference in environmental activism vs. fear of familial rejection or conflict.
Motivation (Want / Need): Wants to be a part of the rebellion but needs to reconcile her family’s role in the environmental crisis.
Mask (Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask): Hides her inner conflict and guilt behind a façade of youthful enthusiasm.
Weaknesses: Naivety and struggle to balance her idealism with the complexities of the real world.
Triggers: Discovering deeper levels of environmental harm or hypocrisy in her family.
Coping Mechanism: Throws herself into activism and building bridges between humans and birds.
3. DR. AVA GREEN
Situational (Hope / Fear): Hope to redeem himself through his work vs. fear of past mistakes resurfacing.
Motivation (Want / Need): Wants to advance environmental science but needs to do so ethically.
Mask (Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask): Masks his past regrets and guilt with a demeanor of scientific professionalism.
Weaknesses: Internal conflict between scientific ambition and ethical responsibility.
Triggers: Encountering situations reminiscent of his past unethical choices.
Coping Mechanism: Dedication to developing ethical and groundbreaking environmental technologies.
4. RAPHAEL
Situational (Hope / Fear): Hope for peace and compromise vs. fear of betrayal or making the wrong choice.
Motivation (Want / Need): Wants to see an end to the conflict but needs to maintain his loyalties and values.
Mask (Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask): Projects a calm, diplomatic front while hiding his internal turmoil and doubt.
Weaknesses: Indecisiveness and susceptibility to manipulation due to his conflicted loyalties.
Triggers: Situations that force him to choose sides or confront his past.
Coping Mechanism: Engages in secret negotiations and covert operations to avoid confrontation.
5. RAVEN
Situational (Hope / Fear): Hope to guide SKYY LAR and the rebellion wisely vs. fear of repeating past failures or misguidance.
Motivation (Want / Need): Wants to see the avian community thrive but needs to adapt to the changing dynamics of human-avian relations.
Mask (Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask): Maintains an image of unwavering wisdom despite feeling uncertain about the evolving world.
Weaknesses: Stubbornness and reluctance to fully embrace new ideas or methods.
Triggers: Seeing SKYY LAR or the rebellion take risky paths or repeat past mistakes.
Coping Mechanism: Reflects on historical knowledge and experiences, often resorting to traditional approaches.