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WIM+AI – Module 3 – Lesson 5: Audience Connection to Characters
Post your assignments here
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40 Replies
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LJ’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My vision is to write incredible high-concept screenplays that are made into popular, financially successful movies.
What I learned from doing this assignment is being aware that each person has good and bad qualities which make them more relatable to audiences.
Genre = Sci-Fi
Concept = Mia Vance, an eighteen-year-old woman who was abused as a foster child rescues Ariael, a gifted, exiled alien princess who's in the form of a twelve-year-old girl, and agrees to help her avoid capture by Zarael, an alien adversary who wants to misuse her gift and is involved in a conspiracy that threatens both humanity and alienkind.Mia Vance:
1. Likability: Have Mia demonstrate acts of kindness towards others, such as rescuing a stray animal or helping a stranger in need. Show her volunteering at a local shelter, highlighting her compassionate nature.
2. Relatability: Explore Mia's struggles with trust issues stemming from her abusive past, allowing the audience to empathize with her internal conflicts. Show her navigating the challenges of forming meaningful connections despite her emotional scars.
3. Empathy: Put Mia through moments of distress where her traumatic past resurfaces, causing the audience to empathize with her pain and root for her resilience. Highlight her vulnerability as she confronts her past and strives for redemption.
4. Showcase Mia bonding with Ariael over shared experiences of feeling out of place or misunderstood, emphasizing their unlikely friendship and the strength they draw from each other.
5. Highlight Mia's resourcefulness in overcoming obstacles, such as using her biomechanical arm to creatively solve problems or outsmart adversaries, earning admiration from the audience.
6. Develop Mia's character arc by showing her gradually learning to trust others and open up about her past, allowing the audience to witness her growth and transformation.
7. Introduce moments where Mia stands up against injustice, risking her own safety to protect others, reinforcing her courageous and selfless nature.
8. Explore Mia's sense of responsibility towards Ariael, showcasing her determination to keep her safe despite the dangers they face, resonating with the audience's desire to protect loved ones.
9. Allow Mia to make mistakes and face consequences, demonstrating her humanity and relatability as she learns from her failures and strives to make amends.
10. Show glimpses of Mia's resilience in the face of adversity, highlighting her ability to persevere despite the odds stacked against her, inspiring the audience to root for her success.Ariael:
1. Likability: Showcase Ariael's compassion towards others, such as her concern for the well-being of humans despite their initial fear and mistrust of her alien nature.
2. Relatability: Explore Ariael's struggles with feeling like an outsider on Earth, longing for a sense of belonging and connection that resonates with the audience's universal desire for acceptance.
3. Empathy: Put Ariael through moments of vulnerability and betrayal, allowing the audience to empathize with her emotional pain and root for her redemption.
4. Highlight Ariael's intelligence and wisdom, demonstrating her ability to adapt to new environments and navigate complex political landscapes with grace and determination.
5. Showcase Ariael's curiosity about human culture and customs, leading to humorous or heartwarming moments of cultural exchange that endear her to the audience.
6. Develop Ariael's relationship with Mia as a source of emotional support and camaraderie, emphasizing the bond they share despite their differences.
7. Explore Ariael's internal conflicts between her duty to her people and her desire for personal freedom, allowing the audience to empathize with her difficult choices.
8. Highlight Ariael's resilience in the face of adversity, showcasing her determination to fight for justice and reclaim her rightful place as a leader among her people.
9. Introduce moments where Ariael uses her shape-shifting abilities to aid others or outmaneuver her adversaries, earning admiration from the audience for her resourcefulness.
10. Show Ariael grappling with her own insecurities and fears, allowing the audience to see her as a complex and relatable character striving to find her place in the world.Zarael:
1. Likability: Present Zarael as a formidable antagonist with a compelling backstory that explains her motivations and actions, earning begrudging respect from the audience despite her ruthless nature.
2. Relatability: Explore Zarael's insecurities and vulnerabilities beneath her facade of confidence and authority, revealing the human flaws that drive her relentless pursuit of power.
3. Empathy: Put Zarael through moments of betrayal and loss that challenge her convictions, allowing the audience to empathize with her struggle to reconcile her ambitions with her personal demons.
4. Showcase Zarael's cunning and strategic brilliance, demonstrating her ability to outmaneuver her enemies and maintain control over her faction through manipulation and intimidation.
5. Develop Zarael's rivalry with Ariael as a complex dynamic rooted in jealousy, resentment, and a shared history of betrayal, adding depth to her character and motivations.
6. Highlight Zarael's conflicted feelings towards Mia, wavering between viewing her as a threat to be eliminated and a pawn to be manipulated for her own ends.
7. Explore Zarael's relationship with her subordinates, revealing moments of camaraderie and loyalty that humanize her character despite her authoritarian leadership style.
8. Introduce moral dilemmas that force Zarael to question the righteousness of her actions, adding nuance to her character and inviting the audience to ponder the nature of good and evil.
9. Show glimpses of Zarael's past successes and failures, illustrating the high stakes of her quest for power and the personal sacrifices she has made along the way.
10. Allow Zarael moments of vulnerability where her facade cracks, revealing the wounded soul beneath the armor of ambition and control, eliciting sympathy from the audience despite her villainous deeds.-
This reply was modified 1 year ago by LJ (Lawrence John) Seliski.
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This reply was modified 1 year ago by
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Harry’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My vision for success from this program is:
To create scripts freely when working with producers, directors and cast, so to make award-winning work and create a lifestyle which is confident of financial freedom.What I learned from doing this assignment is: That getting the bedrock down will make the character stronger, more complete, and easier to write!
Suli (Protagonist)
Likability – Altruism, genuine, resiliance
Relatability – Moral challenge re. sharing. Personal dreams,
Empathy – Warmth, In the public eye, Physical challengeJon (Boyfriend/Father)
Likability – Humour, Inventiveness, Team player
Relatability – Fish out of water, Social actions, Pressure, personal doubts
Empathy – Moral issues with family background re birth in space – religion? Loss, ProtectiveHarrison (Antagonist)
Likability – Charisma, Competence
Relatability – Manipulating media. Ambition, Pragmatism
Empathy – Loss, Isolation, Regret in deeper emotional lifeNancy (Unit Nurse)
Likability – Compassion, Flaws, Dedication
Relatability – Hobbies, Social interactions
Empathy – Ethics, Emotional support, backstory?-
This reply was modified 1 year ago by Harry Rankin.
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This reply was modified 1 year ago by
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Mike’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My Vision is to write an original screenplay, make a couple of calls to pitch it, to start a bidding war.
From this lesson, I learned how to start plotting out the character’s connection with the audience.
• ·Character: Jocinda/Coach Jo
• ·Role: ProtagonistJocinda has predicted where a serial robber will strike next. While on an unauthorized stakeout, she hears a call for help. Torn between leaving the stakeout or investigating, she leaves her post to help the person in trouble. She is suspended for insubordination; this is not the first time she has followed her hunches and been reprimanded. The bad thing is she was right.
• ·Likability: Jocinda leaves a possible crime for one in progress, helps with a domestic disturbance, and saves the woman from another beating.
• ·Relatability: Being in this situation, any of us would have done the same thing.
• ·Empathy: Suspended for doing her job, because this is not the way her male bosses and male counterparts want it doneJocinda uses her newly acquired spare time to Coach her goddaughter’s baseball team.
• Likability: Jocinda visits her sister and finds out her goddaughter’s baseball team needs a coach. She decides to use her newly acquired downtime to help Ava out.
• Relatability: It’s a heartfelt moment until her sister and husband discover why she has this downtime.
• Empathy: It is the same reason she and her brother-in-law are always at odds with one another.Coach Jo has her first practice, and she learns that the Little League has stacked Ava’s team with brainiacs.
• Likability: She shrugs her shoulders and accepts the challenge.
• Relatability: She thinks back to her playing days and implements a strategy used by her coaches when she was their age.
• Empathy: The plan fails dramatically, so now what?• Character: Mr. Black
• Role: Antagonist
Mr. Black is the CEO of Vita Solutions, a local corporation making cutting-edge vitamins and one of the Little League’s largest sponsors.
• Likability: Mr. Black is very active in the community, especially with the Little League.
• Relatability: Running a large corporation doesn’t leave him with much spare time.
• Empathy: Being a single man, he treats the Little League like family.We find out that Mr. Black is also the CEO of Synapse Tech Systems, which applies Nanotechnology to interface with neural systems.
• Likability: Who doesn’t like an owner of a company that is involved in futuristic capabilities?
• Relatability: Everyone thinks about delving into this type of futuristic technology. It might not be this involved for most, but it is exciting nonetheless.
• Empathy: His advancements are falling behind, and no one likes to fall off schedule.Coach Jo uncovers the truth behind Vita Solutions' free vitamins for the Little League Teams. The vitamins are being used as vessels to introduce Nanobots into the children's blood system to manipulate their motor neurons. Mr. Black uses the Little League as a testing ground for his nanotechnology experiments.
• Likability: Mr. Black is now seen as a modern-day mad scientist.
• Relatability: Everyone is upset at Mr. Black for misusing the kids they thought he cared about.
• Empathy: There is no sympathy, only a lynch mob going after the mad scientist.-
This reply was modified 1 year ago by Michael Collado.
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This reply was modified 1 year ago by
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The program is success because I have a solid, top drawer screenplay from doing the work. Believing is receiving, hence the present tense verbs not future tense verbs.
Chris' vision: When people watch the trailer for my movie, they have to watch the movie.
I learned how smoothly this writing process goes having these wonderfully-sized lessons instead of wandering around aimlessly trying to get stuff "down on paper." Just keep chipping away at it.
Character: Holly
Role: ProtagonistIn the opening scene she makes coffee and pours a cup. She goes to her back door wall and opens the sliding glass door. Her squirrel friends are waiting for her to feed them. She lets them take shelled walnuts out of the palm of her hand. She notices one of them is injured with some bite marks from a larger creature, maybe a racoon. She goes to her daughter's room and gets a dollhouse (not the good one but the cardboard one she made out of old boxes, she figures she can always make a new one), and puts it on the deck just outside the sliding glass door in a secure corner. She puts a bunch of walnuts in. The injured squirrel lets her put Neosporin on its wounds. She sets him in the dollhouse with the squirrel family. They all leave after they eat all of the walnuts but in the morning they are in there and the feeding scene repeats.
Likability: Going above and beyond to take care of squirrels who live in her backyard.
Relatability: Who hasn't had or heard of an injured pet? Most wouldn't take the risk of catching rabies but Holly does.
Empathy: Her family thinks she is irresponsible for taking the risk but you have to admire her courage of risking getting bit.In Rodney's introductory scene he patiently trains his protege. You have to zoom in on their eyes and watch for pupil dilation, he says. 79% percent of shoplifters' eyes dilate when they get stimulated by the hunt for their free stuff. They dilate really big, bigger than an excited customer who is going to make a purchase. And remember, he says, they ain't customers, so we have to bag 'em. He shows him how to zoom in and record the scene. If you catch this one, I'm buying the beers tonight. Rodney's boss pokes his head in the door of the monitor room and says, make sure you have those TPS reports on my desk by 4:30 pm and leaves, then comes back after a few seconds and says or you'll be sitting in the basement with your red stapler. They laugh. Then his protege asks, why was he so intense about that? He needs the reports every day because has to turn a report into his boss at 5 pm. He's damn serious about 4:30 but likes to make fun of the system like in that movie.
Likability: He takes the time to teach the younger man the skills of the trade instead of hazing him into the new position like some bosses do.
Relatability: Everyone has had a mentor who patiently taught them a new skill.
Empathy: Most people have deadlines at work but he takes the time to teach and explain everything to the assistant who he is mentoring.-
This reply was modified 1 year ago by Christopher Confer. Reason: Forgot to write what I learned
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This reply was modified 1 year ago by Christopher Confer. Reason: grammar
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This reply was modified 1 year ago by Christopher Confer.
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This reply was modified 1 year ago by Christopher Confer.
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This reply was modified 1 year ago by
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Pat Fitzgerald’s Likability/Relatability/Emphathy
My vision is to complete this class with a contest-winning script that will establish me as a courageous and original writer.
What I learned doing this assignment is that there’s no reason why edgy dark comedy characters can’t have positive traits and it was fun stretching my imagination to find those traits.
Myra Jenkins – Protagonist
Likability – She saves a small child who runs into the street from being hit by a car.
Myra is kind to an ugly, old pet.
Myra doesn’t want anyone to die who still enjoys and has quality of life.Relatability – She’s a newcomer into a tight knit group of people in a retirement village.
She wants to have fun and relax in her retirement and wishes her peers would feel the same.Empathy – She makes comments others wish they could make but don’t have the nerve.
She is diagnosed with terminal cancer but wants to keep that a secret so she can go on enjoying what time she has left.
Her world turns around when the woman she thought was her best friend turns on her.Julie Pankowski – Antagonist
Likability – She brings food to folks in wheelchairs at a retirement village picnic.
Julie loves to entertain and show off her singing voice.Relatability – Julie still bears the scars of being bullied in high school
She has a hard time dealing with an acquaintance who takes her sore-ridden, arthritic, and smelly pet everywhere and expects folks to fawn over the ugly, old thing.
She stands silent while her overbearing friend tries to control her.Empathy – Julie feels bad once she realizes that she is the only one who can be the angel of mercy for her best friend.
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ED's Characters Likability/Relatability/Empathy
MY VISION is to be a bankable, reputable, and industry go-to writer who’s demonstrated how to entertain and hold an audience’s attention through unforgettable characters and stories that are as enjoyable to write as they are to watch.What I learned doing this assignment is I have a ways to go to further understand my character's qualities. Yes they are intriguing but creating them as likeable is a different skill. These three traits requires a deeper dive into their emotional states and personalities. I'll get there!
HOWIE – PROTAGONISTLikability: Howie’s a good grandson, he treats his grandparents with love and respect. Behind his jadedness lies a heart of gold. He helps Jasper, and forgives Jesús, despite the consequences. Howie’s witty, and sometimes that wit get’s him in trouble.
Relatability: Howie get’s stressed out over the Christmas holiday. He has money troubles. His relationship with his family is complicated. He is a good friend. Howie doesn’t want to be alone at Christmas. He wants to be with the right man and won’t stop until he finds him.
Empathy: Howie’s had his heart broken. Deep down he wants to believe again in the magic of Christmas – again. Howie seeks redemption by helping Jasper. Howie and Jasper are meant to be together and yet they can not be.
JASPER – ANTAGONIST
Likability: Jasper is like warm milk and cookies. He’s keenly aware of others feelings and emotions. He truly wants to help Howie find his Christmas joy despite Howie’s pessimism. Jasper’s a lovable klutz. He’s a screw up but hard to get mad at.
Relatability: He’s screwed up and needs to fix the broken chimney but afraid to ask Howie for help. He has secrets and revealing them is the only way to get home. He can’t fall in love with Howie because he knows doing so will eventually will break his heart.
Empathy: Jasper stranded and needs to get back home. If Jasper can’t get the chimney fixed Christmas will be ruined for everyone. Coming out as an elf to Howie risks losing him.
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Michael E. Katz’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Ways to present each of the three lead characters to create likability, relatability, and empathy:
Kirsten (Protagonist)
Likability:
– Kirsten is introduced as a devoted mother who, despite her personal struggles, always prioritizes her daughter’s happiness and well-being.
– She shows genuine kindness and empathy towards her friends and the people she encounters, even in the midst of her own emotional turmoil.
– Kirsten’s involvement in charitable work and her willingness to help others demonstrate her compassionate nature.Relatability:
– Kirsten’s journey of coping with the emotional fallout of divorce is a relatable experience for many viewers who have gone through similar challenges. Kirsten’s struggle to move on after her divorce is a universal experience that many viewers can relate to.
– Her attempts to maintain a strong facade while privately dealing with her pain and insecurities are relatable struggles that individuals often face during difficult times.
– Kirsten’s moments of self-doubt and the pressure she feels to keep up appearances in her social circle are relatable experiences for people navigating life changes.Empathy:
– The audience witnesses Kirsten’s raw emotional breakdown when she is triggered by reminders of her ex-husband’s presence in the house, evoking empathy for her unresolved pain.
– Kirsten’s vulnerability is showcased through her private moments of grief and the emotional challenges she faces in letting go of the past, prompting the audience to empathize with her struggles.
– The film depicts Kirsten’s internal battle between her desire to move on and her fear of change, allowing the audience to empathize with the complexities of her emotional journey.Hallworth (Obstacle Character)
Likability:
– Hallworth’s introduction scene showcases his quick wit, humor, and charisma, making him instantly likable to the audience.
– He goes above and beyond in his role as a designer, providing not just professional expertise but also emotional support and guidance to Kirsten.
– Hallworth’s genuine care and concern for Kirsten’s well-being, even when it means challenging her, demonstrate his integrity and good intentions.Relatability:
– Hallworth’s own experience with a recent painful breakup allows the audience to relate to his understanding and empathy towards Kirsten’s situation.
– His struggle to balance his professional ambitions with his personal life and the desire to help others is a relatable challenge for many viewers.
– Hallworth’s moments of vulnerability and the emotional impact of his own past experiences are relatable to individuals who have faced similar challenges.Empathy:
– The audience learns about Hallworth’s own journey of healing and self-discovery through his honest conversations with Kirsten, evoking empathy for his personal struggles.
– Hallworth’s willingness to put Kirsten’s emotional needs above his own professional goals, even when it creates conflicts, prompts the audience to empathize with his selflessness.
– The film depicts Hallworth’s own journey of self-discovery and healing alongside Kirsten’s, allowing the audience to empathize with his personal growth.Jesse (Antagonist)
Likability:
– Jesse is introduced as a charming and successful businessman, initially portraying him in a positive light.
– Jesse genuinely cares for his daughter and wants to maintain a positive relationship with her, demonstrating his caring side as a father.
– He makes efforts to be a present and supportive father, attending his daughter’s important milestones, showing interest in her life, and spending the holidays with her.
– Jesse’s moments of self-awareness and his attempts to be a better person, even if flawed, can make him more likable to the audience.Relatability:
– Jesse’s struggle to navigate his new life and relationships while co-parenting with Kirsten is a relatable challenge for many divorced individuals.
– His moments of regret and the realization of the impact his actions have had on his family are relatable experiences for those who have made mistakes in their personal lives.
– Jesse’s attempts to maintain a successful career while balancing his personal responsibilities and emotions are relatable struggles for many viewers.
– His attempts to maintain a cordial relationship with Kirsten for the sake of their daughter, despite their differences, is a relatable experience for divorced parents.
– Jesse’s moments of self-reflection and doubt about his past actions and their impact on his family are relatable experiences for individuals who have made mistakes in relationships.Empathy:
– The audience witnesses Jesse’s moments of vulnerability, regret, guilt and the emotional toll his past mistakes have taken on him, evoking empathy for his own struggles.
– Jesse’s genuine desire to be a good father, despite his shortcomings and the challenges of co-parenting, can prompt the audience to empathize with his efforts.
– The film portrays Jesse’s gradual realization of the consequences of his actions and his attempts to make amends, allowing the audience to empathize with his personal growth.What I learned: By presenting these characters through a combination of likability, relatability, and empathy, the audience will form a strong emotional connection with them. This connection will enhance the audience’s investment in the characters’ journeys and the overall impact of the story.
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Jan’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My vision: I am a talented and strong writer with a unique voice, recognized by the movie industry with multiple screenplays produced
What I learned by doing this assignment is how these elements enriched the characters and helped define the relationship between them from the opening up to the inciting incident
Present your Protagonist: Emberleaf
Opening: Emberleaf is spending time feeding and playing with an outcast and feral creature, interacting with it with and without her magic
Likability:
Emberleaf connects with an outcast creature, despite how it looks and acts(we do not yet know she created it using forbidden dark magic as a young and rebellious pixie);Relatability:
She shows qualities of mothering and caring for something otherwise repulsive to look at;Empathy:
Emberleaf clearly has a love for this creature;Emberleaf is training Khyber-Ra and he wields forbidden dark magic
Likability:
Emberleaf is teaching her student and love interest advanced magic;Relatability:
She is giving Khyber-Ra her experience and expertise on using magic;Empathy:
Khyber-Ra wields dark magic and beats down Emberleaf and her love for him is shattered;Emberleaf is in a dilemma of exiling Khyber-Ra to the forbidden forests, but he shatters the numinous amulet, the source of her magic, after the punishment is handed down
Likability:
She goes through the phases of knowing she must exile Khyber-Ra;Relatability:
She was deceived by the one she loves;Empathy:
Emberleaf is caught in the dilemma of having to exile the one she loves;After consulting with Lightthistle on how to regain her magic, assembles a pixie alliance to protect her on her quest to retrieve and reassemble the numinous amulet
Likability:
Vulnerable and weak, Emberleaf shows courage in the face of great peril;Relatability:
Emberleaf has Lightthistle as her advisor to advise her on what she must do to regain her magic;Empathy:
Emberleaf acknowledges she needs help even though she is the queen of Eveandor;Present your Antagonist: Khyber-Ra
Opening: shows allegiance to Emberleaf by giving her the royal respect she deserves
Likability:
Opens the door to the magic training room for her;Relatability:
Being chivalrous, knows she likes him;Empathy:
Showing respect for his queen;Emberleaf is training Khyber-Ra and he wields forbidden dark magic
Likability:
Khyber-Ra takes the lesson seriously, listening to EmberleafRelatability:
He shows up Emberleaf by using dark magic on her, teaching the teacher;Empathy:
Khyber-Ra uses forbidden magic to prove he is stronger than Emberleaf;Intrigue: recruits Nightshade to sabotage the alliance and return the amulet fragments to him
Emberleaf exiles Khyber-Ra to the forbidden forests, and he shatters the numinous amulet
Likability:
Khyber-Ra knows he did something forbidden and must accept the punishment;Relatability:
He tries to plead his way out of the punishment, arguing was teaching Emberleaf there is stronger magic out in the realmEmpathy:
Khyber-Ra lashes out by shattering the numinous amulet, stripping Emberleaf of her magic;-
This reply was modified 12 months ago by Jan Westbrook.
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This reply was modified 12 months ago by
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Sunil Pappu’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My Vision: I’m a successful produced writer who specializes in female-led thrillers.
“What I learned from doing this assignment is… is to create likability, relatability and empathy for my characters so the audience can feel deeply connected to them.”
Protagonist: Ria – Radio operator, Spy
SCENE: Ria calls her mother to wish her on Mother’s Day and her mother tell her it would be nice to see her in person now that she’s all alone in the world after she believes the country took her husband from her and disgraced him and she fears they will do the same to her daughter. She wants her to quit her job and come home. She has nothing to prove to anyone.
• Likability: Ria remembers to wish her widowed mother on Mother’s Day before she is called into Secy. Verma’s office.
• Relatability: Remembering to call our mom when we are busy at work.
• Empathy: Her mother agonizes about her dangerous spy missions and we empathize with her.SCENE: Secy. Verma believes in her and gives her a top-secret mission, but she has doubts if she’s the right person for the job after her last mission which ended in loss of a colleague.
• Likability: She is honest and looks up to Secy. Verma as her mentor.
• Relatability: Her doubts about her abilities
• Empathy: We feel her pain and guilt for losing her colleagueSCENE: Her male colleagues ridicule her for getting a punishment posting. A top-secret mission that takes her away from the frontlines of impending war.
• Likability: She is respectful and shares excitedly about her new mission.
• Relatability: Male colleagues make fun of her and put doubts in her mind about the true nature of her mission.
• Empathy: A young woman trying to navigate a male-dominated world.SCENE: She is met with a cold reception by a misogynist captain who thinks this mission is a waste of his time and Ria is unfit for the high seas.
• Likability: Ria meets the rebel crew and is mistaken for the captain’s daughter and instantly connects with a young diver who apologises for the insensitivity of his friends.
• Relatability: Captain shouts order and makes it known who’s boss and derides Ria publicly before they board his ship.
• Empathy: Ria is going to be the only woman on board a ship whose captain is a misogynist who doesn’t believe in her mission. She’s already being setup to fail before her mission can begin.Antagonist: Cdr. Vikram – Tactical Commander of the rebel Naval crew, Traitor
SCENE: Cdr. Vikram waits to meet Ria at a tea stall behind Fort William. He is jovial and charming and puts her at ease. He gives her the coordinates for their rebel base to begin their mission the next day. He thanks her country for helping them in their freedom struggle especially her before heading back to his hideout.
• Likability: He is jovial and charming
• Relatability: nervous to meet new people especially on an important assignment
• Empathy: he’s hiding out in a rundown shelter as a refugee while courageously trying to fight and win his country’s freedom struggle.After his rendezvous, he sends out a cryptic message “the palanquin sways. Reception tom 0600 hrs,” through a makeshift ham radio on a secret frequency to his handler in Pakistan.
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This reply was modified 12 months ago by Sunil Pappu.
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This reply was modified 12 months ago by
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Subject: Monica’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
VISION: I am a very successful screenwriter who has had multiple movies made.
What I learned from doing this assignment is to set up each character’s story layer by layer using experiences we all possibly go through in our lives.
Emily Davis
• Likability: Pleasant, loves animals and her brother, volunteers.
• Relatability: Struggles with life, wants to be a successful writer but wonders whether this is her purpose. Money issues. Lost her parents when she was young.
• Empathy: Struggles with alcoholism and tries to kill herself.Donahue the Guardian
• Likability: Welcomes Emily and vows to help her be a successful writer. Charming.
• Relatability: Acts like a mentor showing her stories that can now be allowed in the world. Lost a “loved” one (but it’s Satan!).
• Empathy: Works hard for God but feels unappreciated.-
This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Monica Arisman. Reason: Formatting
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by
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Lee’s Likability, Relatability, and Empathy
My Vision… I am a writer who is excellent, recognized as such by people in the industry, and has several projects sold for WGA-type fees and some of those produced and successful in the theater and/or on a major streamer.
What I learned doing this lesson is that a person doesn’t have to be a perfect person or even really a good one for us to be able to relate to them, like them, and even emphasize with them.
Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
KELLEN HAMILTON
* Likability: She’s really good with kids, she likes them, they like her, she’s competent at her job, she has friends that like her, she gets on with them, etc.
* Relatability: She has to counsel one of the kids in her group—he can’t go with them because he’s misbehaved during the week—too many “strikes” against him. She’s gentle but very firm, doesn’t fall for sympathy ploys—and finally leaves as the kid yells at her that she’s so not fair, etc.
* Empathy: She runs into one of the counselors. Turns out it’s Jesse, her 18 year-old nephew. They converse about the fact that he’s supposed to be going with her on her enrichment trip today. He’s noncommittal. She wonders if it’s okay with him—they won’t have the same kids, smaller group, etc. He says sure, they’ve been together all week, it shouldn’t be any different, and how about her? She says she can’t wait—unless he’s going to be an asshole or tell the kids about family secrets, etc. He says if he did, she wouldn’t know what he’s talking about anyway—she was never there. He gives her a hurt, firm look and goes about his business. She calls out to him, but he’s gone… She looks stunned for a minute, then says “damn” and goes about her work.
* She goes into the dining hall. Everyone’s eating homemade cinnamon rolls. She salivates, but her intercom beeps. It’s the school director—Kellen’s got an important phone call—now!Just to get the experience, give us one or more ways that your Antagonist could be presented through each of these:
GABRIEL KNOX
* Likability: Gabriel seems genuinely nice and tries to keep his people busy with their work and out of the way of
* Relatability: Gabriel works for a hard boss who will punish him if things don’t go right (in his mission)
* Empathy: Gabriel truly doesn’t want to take the class hostage or hurt anybody, but he must to complete his mission and not risk its discovery or disruption, so he does it anyway.-
This reply was modified 12 months ago by Lee Tidball.
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This reply was modified 12 months ago by
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Madeleine’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Vision: I am going to do whatever it takes for me to be a writer of original, emotionally rich stories, recognized for depth, humor, and enduring impact, resulting
What I learned from doing this assignment is: This helps a lot to discover the unconventional traits of the characters. It’s interesting to see, that even the antagonists have the positive qualities that makes them “attractive” to an audience.Mary
Likability: Mary's likability stems from her unapologetic honesty and wit. She openly expresses her frustrations with modern societal norms and isn't afraid to defy expectations about aging. Her directness and refusal to sugarcoat her feelings give her a unique charm, especially when she criticizes or mocks the absurdities of everyday situations that irritate her.
Relatability: Mary's experiences resonate with many as she navigates the challenges of aging in a society that often overlooks the elderly. Her struggles with physical limitations, ageism, and her fears about health and mortality strike a chord with anyone facing similar issues or watching their loved ones do so.
Empathy: The audience feels empathy for Mary through her series of personal setbacks. From the physical pain and vulnerability of a hip fracture to the emotional distress of seeing a younger rival take her place and reading harsh critiques about herself. These hardships, coupled with her fighting spirit and resilience, draw the audience closer to her, rooting for her success and well-being.
Likability: Unapologetic honesty, wit.
Relatability: Challenges of aging, societal norms.
Empathy: Personal setbacks, emotional distress.
Placid
Likability: Placid exudes a stiff demeanor as he attempts to assert authority, which feels somewhat contrived. Despite his overly correct attitude leading to missteps, his genuine passion for dance and quirky traits endear him to us.
Relatability: Placid's overprotectiveness stems from his deep concern for the elderly, revealing his compassionate side. His efforts, although occasionally clumsy, reflect a universal fear of seeing loved ones in distress, making his actions relatable.
Empathy: His protective nature makes him a maternal figure, contrasting with Mary’s independence. Placid's deep care for the elderly, treating them almost like children, draws empathy, especially as he learns to balance his protective instincts with respecting their autonomy.
Likability: Genuine passion, quirky traits.
Relatability: Compassionate, protective.
Empathy: Cares for elderly, learns to respect their autonomy.
Sophie
Likability: Sophie's likability comes from her spontaneous and joyful spirit, often providing comic relief and light-hearted moments that charm both other characters and the audience.
Relatability: Her actions and light-hearted demeanor resonate widely, as she navigates her relationship with Mary, reflecting common generational clashes with humor and heart.
Empathy: The audience empathizes with Sophie's challenges in connecting deeply with Mary, which are highlighted through her playful acts that sometimes mask deeper feelings of neglect or misunderstanding.
Likability: Joyful, spontaneous.
Relatability: Navigates generational relationships.
Empathy: Feels neglected, seeks deeper connections.
Vince
Likability: Vince's likability comes from his charm and suave demeanor. He is always quick with a joke or a smile, making him easy to like despite his flaws. He is supportive of Mary, showing loyalty and dedication, which endears him to the audience.
Relatability: Vince struggles with the fear of becoming irrelevant in his career, a concern many can identify with. His attempts to balance personal relationships with professional ambitions resonate with anyone who has felt conflicted between different aspects of life.
Empathy: The audience feels empathy for Vince as he navigates the pressures of the music industry and his role as a mentor and friend to Mary. When he faces the dilemma of possibly replacing Mary with a younger singer, his emotional turmoil and guilt are palpable, evoking sympathy from viewers who see his human side.
Likability: Charm, loyalty.
Relatability: Career relevance fears.
Empathy: Emotional turmoil, mentorship struggles.-
This reply was modified 12 months ago by Madeleind Gentinetta.
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Bob Creager’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
VISION: As a screenwriter, I aspire to craft highly unique, high-concept stories that intrigue from the first glance and reach an A-list storytelling level at my own pace.
What I learned: This was a good step in character development. I learned a lot about my main characters.
2. Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
Nicholas Samichlaus a.k.a. Santa Claus (protag and anti-hero)
• Likability: As Santa, everyone loves him. He is kind to the “nice” children. He helps those deserving people in need.
• Relatability: We all want to have the effect on people that Santa has.
• Empathy: He is a vampire through no fault of his own. He is controlled by the need to feed. He works hard to fight it, directing his attacks against the “naughty.”
3. Just to get the experience, give us one or more ways that your Antagonist could be presented through each of these:
Interpol Agent Isabella Clarke (antag and love interest)
• Likability: Caring, yet unforgiving, of those who went down the wrong path.
• Relatability: Believes no one is above the law. In order to do her life’s work, she must “kiss a few toads.”
• Empathy: Bullied by her boss. Feel for her continued failure to capture the “vampire.” Is teased because she is chasing the mythical vampire.-
This reply was modified 12 months ago by Bob Creager.
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James’ Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My Vision: I am a great writer who is recognized by the industry as an exceptional collaborator able to elevate any project into production and have maximum success.What I learned from doing this assignment is…that every scene should have the characters connecting to the audience on some level. Once the audience loses a connection, the story will most likely falter and become less engaging.
Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist (Ethan – male lead) through each of these:
• Likability: Ethan is appreciated by an elderly man at the New Year’s Eve party. Many party revelers wish him well for the new year ahead.
• Relatability: Ethan is alone at the party and not too happy. Anxiety builds as the night appears to be a total waste.
• Empathy: Ethan’s supposed date was never going to show up; stood up on New Year’s Eve. He witnesses others smooching with their dates; decides to go home shortly after midnight.Give us one or more ways that your Antagonist (Lily – love interest) could be presented through each of these:
• Likability: Lily gives Ethan a gift she made at one of her pottery sessions.
• Relatability: She feels threatened in her relationship with Ethan when it is learned Joey is pursuing him.
• Empathy: She catches Ethan and Joey in a compromising position; now she believes she’ll never find the love of her life no matter how hard she tries.-
This reply was modified 12 months ago by James Hernandez.
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Kelly’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
I am an empowered writer who consistently produces salable scripts.
What did I learn? I learned to think about the crucial areas that make an audience love your story, up front and before you start writing the outline. By thinking about these areas up front it will inform the outline.
Likability:Avery is courageous, very skilled, hard working, obsessed
Relatability:Avery struggles building relationships and with mental health
Empathy:Avery has mental health issues and a traumatic past.Likability: Bennet is hardworking, bold, and obsessed loved by his family
Relatability:He has a demanding boss, The Board that wants profits to increase.
Empathy:Pressure to perform in a company that he founded. -
WIM+AI – Module 3 – Lesson 5
Robin’s Audience Connection to CharactersMY VISION: I aim to make my writing flow naturally, like second nature, crafting stories that resonate globally and leave a mark, backed by a supportive team who really get what I'm about.
Today, I learned when, from act one you’re rooting for your lead to the climax that’s because Likability/Relatability/Empathy have been worked out in advance. Love this!
Jake: Likability:
Jake demonstrates acts of kindness, such as helping a homeless person or rescuing a stray animal.
Have other characters expressing admiration or gratitude towards Jake for his selfless actions.
Jake risks his safety to rescue Maya.
Relatability:
Portray Jake experiencing universal struggles like overcoming addiction, dealing with personal demons, and striving for redemption.
Highlight Jake's inner conflict and emotional journey, allowing the audience to connect with his struggles on a personal level.
Empathy:
Subject Jake to significant challenges and setbacks related to his addiction and past mistakes.
Create moments of vulnerability and emotional turmoil for Jake, evoking empathy from the audience as they witness his struggles and pain.
Veronica: Likability:
Showcase moments where Veronica displays charm and charisma, winning over other characters with her wit and confidence.
Highlight instances where Veronica shows kindness or loyalty to those she cares about, revealing a softer side beneath her tough exterior.
Incorporate scenes where Veronica uses her skills to help others, earning admiration from those around her.
Relatability:
Explore Veronica's motivations and vulnerabilities, revealing the human side behind her calculated demeanor.
Present Veronica facing challenges and conflicts that resonate with universal experiences of ambition, power struggles, and the pursuit of success.
Empathy:
Inflict setbacks and betrayals upon Veronica, exposing her vulnerabilities and weaknesses to the audience.
Confront Veronica with moral dilemmas and ethical quandaries that force her to confront the consequences of her actions, eliciting empathy from viewers as they witness her internal struggles.-
This reply was modified 12 months ago by Robin Fellows.
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ET’s Likeability, Relatability, and Empathy for my characters
Vision: to be recognized for my best work, including with money.
What I learned – these traits in all characters go a long way in setting the tone for their action(s), and dialog, with room remaining for the plot. What interested me most is the recommendation from AI that all characters share their stories and practice active listening.GENRE: Drama
TITLE: Senior STEAM
CONCEPT: Can people in a retirement community get along with STEAM students from a neighborhood middle school, and eventually collaborate?Character – Bee Finch, Protag
• Likeability – as a champion gamer, Bee gives up her title to a less-experienced player who needs the win to move forward with his life (or so she believes)
• Relatability –Bee tells her work-history story, a solo woman often surrounded by men, and even when her ideas were the best, she didn’t earn the credit she deserved.
• Empathy – Bee listens to Tyler and helps him understand that this grandfather’s version of her work and its result, isn’t correct.
Character – Tyler Wilson III, Antag
• Likeability – Tyler is extremely well mannered and articulate, with a lively sense of humor, he’s a kind leader, helpful and generous with his time.
• Relatability – in his coming of age moments, he learns that his grandfather’s version of events surrounding Bee’s work aren’t quite true, and he learns to accept his grandfather’s position and respect him for making the decisions that he made.
• Empathy – Tyler becomes an active listener, and overcomes his distain for Bee and allows her to help him build his robot.
Character – GiGi Monroe, entertainment
• Likeability – GiGi entertains everyone; seniors who agree with the Rube Goldbert machine project, and those who do not. She flirts with the STEAM school boys, and shows them how normal their hormones can be at their age.
• Relatability – As engaging and demonstrative as she is, we learn more about her accident and how she’s surviving the PTSD related to the accident that took her partner and her fingers.
• Empathy – GiGi plays hard for Doc’s attention, by listening to his endless fantasies about becoming an astronaut.
Doc Jenkins – Strong personality
• Likeability – Doc helps his neighbors by delivering their groceries and meals on his motorcycle.
• Relatability – Doc maintains his Tob Gun persona, which may be common for some men as they age.
• Empathy – Doc discovers the facts around the accident in Tyler’s grandfather’s robotics factory, and helps Bee and Tyler understand what really happened. He also takes over the Rube Goldberg machine project after Bee’s minor stroke.-
This reply was modified 12 months ago by Elle Tracy.
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Margaret’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My Vision: To write profound faith-based screenplays that are produced.
What I learned: I used the lesson definitions to create my own A.I. prompt for Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Jabin Munoz
Likable:
• Actions: Jabin continues to go to school, even though he is sick and throws up in class, showing his perseverance even in hard times.
• Interactions: His friends and family express their admiration and love for him, highlighting his positive qualities and perseverance.
Relatability:
• Universal Experiences: Jabin experiences the ups and downs of falling in love with Becca, rekindling their relationship and dealing with the uncertainties that come with it. He struggles with the typical pressures of college life—worrying about grades, future careers, and financial issues—making him relatable to young adult audiences. His journey of confronting and overcoming personal fears and insecurities is something many people can relate to.
Empathy:
• Distress: Jabin faces the devastating diagnosis of terminal illness, causing the audience to feel deep empathy for his situation. He experiences moments of intense physical pain and emotional despair, such as during a particularly harsh treatment session or when he receives bad news about his prognosis. Jabin has a moment where he breaks down alone, revealing his vulnerability and inner turmoil, which evokes strong empathy from the audience.
Dr. Joel Morgan
Likable:
• Actions: Dr. Morgan stays late at the hospital to ensure all his patients are comfortable, showing dedication and care beyond his professional obligations.
• Interactions: His colleagues and patients speak highly of him, emphasizing his compassionate and committed nature. Dr. Morgan has a moment where he comforts a distraught family member of another patient, showcasing his empathy and human touch.
Relatability:
• Universal Experiences: Dr. Morgan deals with professional burnout and the struggle to balance work with personal life, something many working professionals can relate to. He faces ethical dilemmas and tough decisions, resonating with anyone who has had to make difficult choices in their career. His internal conflict and desire to make a difference, despite feeling overwhelmed, are emotions many can connect with.
Empathy:
• Distress: Dr. Morgan struggles with the guilt of losing a previous patient under similar circumstances to Jabin’s, a haunting memory that creates a deep emotional wound. He faces intense pressure from hospital administration about treatment costs and patient outcomes, putting him in a stressful and compromising position. During a moment of self-reflection, he reveals his feelings of inadequacy and fear of failing Jabin, eliciting empathy from the audience.
Becca Nowak
Likable:
• Actions: Becca stays with Jabin during his chemo, helps when he is weak and throwing up.
• Interactions: Her friends and family highlight her caring and supportive nature, making it clear that she is well-loved and respected.
Relatability:
• Universal Experiences: Becca’s journey of rekindling a past relationship and dealing with unresolved feelings is something many people have experienced. She faces the fear of losing a loved one and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it, making her highly relatable. Her struggle to balance her own needs and emotions with her desire to support Jabin mirrors the challenges of many caregivers.
Empathy:
• Distress: Becca deals with the regret and guilt of abandoning Jabin during high school, a past mistake that haunts her and drives her actions. She faces the fear and emotional pain of potentially losing Jabin, a constant source of distress and worry. In a poignant moment, Becca breaks down after a particularly tough day, revealing her deep fears and vulnerabilities, which evokes strong empathy from the audience. -
My Vision: I will be in the top 1% of screenwriters and be known in the industry as an A-list screenwriter who is easy to work with, gets the job done, and never has to worry about the next job.
I learned from this assignment the importance of creating characters that the audience loves. By focusing on how you can create relatability, empathy, and likability for your characters, you can get audiences to fall in love with them.
Protagonist: Dr. Hope Thorn
Likability: she is trying to help others overcome their dark tendencies
Relatability: she is wrestling with her past mistakes while seeking personal redemption.
Empathy: as her group members are killed off, she risks her own exposure as a serial killer and her safety to protect her patients.Antagonist: Felix Moray
Likeability: he is charming and supportive during the group sessions and always shows empathy toward the other group members.
Relatability: his entire family was killed by Dr. Hope Thorn when he was a child, and he was the only survivor.
Empathy: Felix is emotionally vulnerable after reliving his trauma during a session. -
Kathryn’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
I choose to be a highly creative and energized writer who makes big movies and loves her life working with the most creative people in the world.
What I learned: All three of these things can make the audience connect to your characters. It’s connection more than pleasant characteristics that engages the audience.
2. Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
• Likability: He’s helping his disabled little sister be able to walk. He’s a leader and the kids around him look up to him.
• Relatability: He loves his sister, and he wants to make a better life for them both. He also wants to make himself and his friends stronger so they can live better lives.
• Empathy: The odds are stacked against him. He’s been wrongly accused and the people coming after him are ruthless. He’s made sacrifices for his sister, giving up an opportunity to have a good job and live in a nice safe place. The society they live in is completely unjust.
3. Just to get the experience, give us one or more ways that your Antagonist could be presented through each of these:
• Likability: She helps the poor get healthcare. She mentors kids.
• Relatability: She is fighting for justice in an unjust world. There really is a terrible plot to make the world an even more unjust and unequal place, and she has a plan to stop it.
• Empathy: She was fired and everything taken from her for doing good. She lost her family for doing the right thing.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 4 weeks ago by Kathryn Gould. Reason: formatting
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Subject Line: Karen's Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My vision: I'm a creative writer who writes better than I imagine while industry professionals enjoy my work, keeping it always fun and satisfying.
What I learned: Likeable and relatable and empathetic traits or details help audience care about your characters and and should be conscious choices as you create the character.2. Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
Protag:
Likability: Cares about stray cat, climbs out of house collapse… went under the stairs, humble, not wanting extra attention, almost invisible to others, keeps her head while others panic.
Relatability: No id, or health insurance, gets kicked out of fancy hospital emergency room
Empathy: Injured in a tornado, no place to go3. Just to get the experience, give us one or more ways that your Antagonist could be presented through each of these:
Antagonist:
Likability: Charming, successful, fun-loving, drives a convertible with the top down, takes little kids for a ride but only with parent's permission.
Relatability: smooth talker, looks you in the eyes and makes you think you are important to him,
Empathy: insecure deep down; unpopular as a child -
Chuck’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My Vision: I am a writer/director known for a particular brand of storytelling, in both comedies and dramas, that greatly appeal to their respective markets. I have Studios, Producers, and Actors wanting to work with me.
What I learned from this assignment: These three shades—Likeability, relatability, empathy- are the soft underbelly of character development and vital building blocks.
Character: Dr. Tom Walker
• Likability: Easy-going, hometown veterinarian that helps everyone’s animals. He likes animals and has created a home for unwanted, misfit, damaged animals on his little country farm.
• Relatability: Average Joe with no pretenses. Living life on HIS terms. No one pulling HIS strings. Well liked in the community.
• Empathy: Heart broken by Katy years ago, now self-protection mode. She puts him down masking her own true feelings.Character: Dr. Kathryn Wells
• Likeability: Confident, Smart, Driven. Wants to win.
• Relatability: Struggles with achieving balance in life; problems with relationships
• Empathy: Fish out of water, discovers and embraces her vulnerability. Trapped in her own ambition. -
Linda’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My Vision is: I will do whatever it takes to be a sought-after profound writer who has many successful movies produced and an Oscar on the mantel.
What I learned from doing this assignment is there were many opportunities that I was missing to add likability, relatability and empathy into my opening scenes.
Protagonist – Joaquin:
• Likability: As police sirens get closer, he risks his freedom to help an elderly or disabled person get to safety.
• Relatability: Cooks a bunch of tamales because it’s the only way he can get time with his son. Highlight scenes where Joaquin deals with common struggles, such as his frustration and fear over his inability to provide a safer environment for his family, tapping into universal fears of failure and concern for loved ones.
• Empathy: His friend is killed right in front of him.Antagonist – Arturo:
• Likability: He offers a hand to Camila to get out of the jeep. Hands money to poverty-stricken kids. Puts a protection detail on Camila’s kids. Alerts Joaquin when Isabel is in danger.
• Relatability: Reminiscing about a time when he and Camila were younger, happier.
• Empathy: This job cost me a lot. -
David Wickenden Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Assignment #5 Audience Connections to Characters
Vision: I become a writer that the industry respects and wants to work with and it offers me challenges that helps me to continue to grow and be successful.
“What I learned from doing this assignment is…?”
A great bad guy can enhance
State: I have fun…
Activity: …making my characters likable, relatable, and empathetic!
• 2. Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
• Likability: She is protective of her siblings
• Relatability: She has lost both parents. Other than her siblings, she is alone. She is afraid her siblings will blame her if they found out and hate her for her role in their mother’s disappearance.
• Empathy: She has held the blame over her mother’s disappearance internally.3. Just to get the experience, give us one or more ways that your Antagonist could be presented through each of these:
• Likability: He saved the siblings from the ghost attack at great risk to himself.
• Relatability: He morns for the cult member who was killed in the encounter.
• Empathy: His whole life has been dedicated to stopping the ghost for harming others.-
This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by David Wickenden.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by David Wickenden.
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David Z’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Vision:
I am an interesting, dependable, successful writer that people love to work with.
What I learned from doing this assignment is to continue pushing for layers to all the main characters.
Tessa (Protagonist)
Likability:
Caring Nature: Tessa is shown taking care of her brother Chris in small but meaningful ways, such as cooking his favorite meals, or defending him from bullies.
Determination: Her strong will to stay healthy and her resolve to save money to leave the town show her as someone who is hardworking and determined, qualities that are generally admired.
Relatability:
Struggle with Responsibility: Tessa’s sense of responsibility for her brother, especially after the death of their mother, is something many people can relate to, particularly those who have had to take on a caretaker role.
Desire for Escape: Her longing to escape a toxic environment and build a better life is a universal aspiration, making her relatable to anyone who has ever felt trapped by their circumstances.
Empathy:
Emotional Vulnerability: Scenes that show Tessa’s moments of vulnerability, such as breaking down when alone or confiding in a friend about her fears and frustrations, can make the audience empathize with her struggles.
Sacrifices: Highlighting the sacrifices she makes for Chris, like giving up personal dreams or enduring hardship, can deepen the audience’s empathy for her.Mick (Antagonist)
Likability:
Charismatic: Mick can be portrayed as charming and charismatic, winning people over with his confidence and social skills. This likability can create a compelling contrast with his darker actions.
Moments of Kindness: Showing Mick in moments where he helps others, even if it’s for selfish reasons, can make him appear more human and multifaceted.
Relatability:
Ambition and Desperation: Mick’s ambition to rise above his circumstances and his desperation to escape his past can be relatable to anyone who has felt driven to change their life for the better, even if his methods are flawed.
Empathy:
Backstory: Providing a glimpse into Mick’s traumatic childhood and the abuse he suffered can evoke empathy from the audience, helping them understand the roots of his ruthless behavior. DOES THE PUSHER THREATEN TO SCAR HIS FACE IF HE DOESN’T GET MORE PEOPLE HOOKED? BEAT HIM UP?
Inner Conflict: Highlighting moments where Mick shows regret or conflict about his actions, such as hesitating before committing a harmful act or expressing sorrow in private, can make the audience empathize with his internal struggle. -
Terrie’s Likeability / Relatability / Empathy
Vision: I am paid to write screenplays that become successful movies. My process is so solid I can enjoy my equestrian hobby while exceeding expectations with my writing
What I learned from this assignment is that I need to make it clear how much Misa is risking by helping Bill rather than contacting the authorities and how much danger Bill is in.
Misa – protagonist
• Likability: she helps Bill fix his ship, hides him rather than contact the authorities
• Relatability: trying to always ‘do the right thing’ makes her crazy
• Empathy: her outhouse was destroyed and her home damaged when Bill crashed.
Bill – protagonist
• Likability: he’s kind and nice and scared.
• Relatability: he’s stuck on strange planet – people can relate to being a stranger and out of place
• Empathy: his ship is broken, how can get home? He’s in danger of being discovered.
Deputy Rhoades
• Likability: doesn’t arrest Misa
• Relatability: has a job that isn’t always easy
• Empathy: recovering addict-
This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Terrie Shaft.
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Pam’s Audience Connection to Characters
Vision: Become a Writing Athlete
What I’ve learned: Mostly trying to shove down fear and move forward – I’m thinking that I can dream up layers but I’m hoping for economy of skilled writing to incorporate them all!Protagonist
• Likability: Her goofy, fun-loving friend is looking after her, she has a sense of humor
• Relatability: she’s flirting and rejected, simple relaxation evades her
• Empathy: she has had a major life failure, life and the spa are confusing her, broken so fixing things brings out the best in her
Antagonist
• Likability: she seems to really care about her guests, her goals seem so pure
• Relatability: she’s flirting and rejected, her staff drive her crazy
• Empathy: she’s had a major physical injury -
Jamie’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Here we go again, another breakthrough!!! I look forward to how the story is going to play out because these three layers in the character will change and get much deeper as I go along. I can’t wait!
Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
PROTAGONIST – LINDSEY TURNER
Likability: She cares for others easily in fact too much so. She grew up being the caregiver when her father and mother got divorced, she became the man in the house and everything else; iron, clean, etc. This began at the young age of 7 years old.
She deeply cares for her 3 best friends as well as caring for her ex-husband with Alzheimer’s then caring for her mother until their deaths.
As much as she is intimidated by her older sister she loves her dearly.
Relatability: She has financial problems but keeps it to herself. She has conflict with her younger sister, they are estranged and have been for years. Like oil and water don’t mix. Throughout the story she has had turbulent time with both her daughter Gracie and Brooke about many different issues, falling for the wrong man, low self-esteem, drugs, drinking and not caring for themselves. Lindsey has been an enabler for years, always giving them the best of things, things she never grew up. And to top it off she really can’t afford it but somehow, she finds a way. Lindsey kept them in catholic school with hope that they both would get better values, making a path to find their own faith. Both have never had the presence of a “father/man” figure.
Empathy: She is very generous; she gets caught up in not sharing her thoughts for fear it could belittle or hurt the other person. Except when she is in the heat of the moment and then she really lets it out and spues out of her which she will deeply regret after the fact. Often she feels like Cinderella and the three sisters, always doing for others.Sadie Meade is the Antagonist.
Likability: She genuinely loves people provided they have something in common. She is quick with her tongue and can make you laugh all day. She just has a way about her with people, she welcomes them, gets to know a little bit about them and then she takes the stage and makes you immediately like her. Everything is about her rules or her way or you’re out the door. She very creative in many ways. She loves her possessions and she’s quite the collector.
Relatability: She doesn’t just let anyone into her life, she is very picky. She doesn’t want to hear anything bad or ugly. She hates the computer and change. She’s had several extremely bad marriages. She became an alcoholic after her husband deliberately killed himself leaving behind a letter.Empathy: As she struggles with many medical issues, she hides her pain in many ways and with many different people. But it depends on the person and time of day. Don’t come barging in early in the morning before she puts on her makeup. We feel for her when her surgeries are botched, and there is nothing any doctor can do for her. She grieves the loss of her mother and the love of her life. She has nothing to live for, not even when it comes to her daughter or sister who love her so deeply.
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Brandi’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Brandi’s vision: I want the creative freedom to attract an audience that is passionate about my films, and regularly deliver films that are commercially successful and leave my audience thrilled and eager for the next.
What I learned from doing this assignment is: Likability, Relatability and Empathy are all different things.
Mei Chang’s Likability/ Relatability/ Empathy
Likability: Mei says the things the rest of us wished we would have said after a day and a half of overthinking. She’s smart and funny.
Relatability: She wants something so bad she’s blinded to almost everything else
Empathy: Someone takes a huge chance on her, and poof! It’s ruined by her ex boyfriend.
Buddy Henry’s Likability/ Relatability/ Empathy
Likability: Buddy is good looking, powerful and takes good care of the people working for him
Relatability: Buddy feels unappreciated for all the sacrifices he’s made for his family
Empathy: He hasn’t had a chance to explore who he really is, what he wants, what he can do. He’s sacrificed most of his life for his family.
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Bonnie’s Vision for Success: I want to improve my writing skills by 200% and sell at least one script between 2024 and 2025.
What I learned from doing this assignment is that each lesson and assignment brings me closer to getting to the heart of my characters.Bonnie’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Protagonist: XIOLA
• Likability: Strong, take-charge confident role model for women
• Relatability: Seduced by charmers because of deep need to be loved
• Empathy: Loses her beloved motherAntagonist: ZARTUUF
• Likability: Charming, polite
• Relatability: Feels scared and helpless in a crisis
• Empathy: We feel sorry for him because he’s unaware he’s a pawn to the ETs conspiracy, embarrassed for him for his cowardice.Triangle Character: QUARKY
• Likability: Lovable, bumbling, quirky-looking ET
• Relatability: Anxious and confused in new situations
• Empathy: Outcast, rejected by father -
Hope’s likability/ relatability/ empathy
My Vison: To be a full-time respected screenwriter whose work brings joy to viewers and creates work for others in the industry, including actors and crew.
What I learned: I love seeing how the characters begin to grow even before we write “fade in.” This is the right time to be considering these traits for them.
Character Name: Marta Jordan
- Likability: She cares about/loves not only her fiancé, but also about her fictional characters. She even respects Royal and invites him to her wedding.
- Relatability: She’s anxious about her wedding day, while also being excited.
- Empathy: We feel her pain as her wedding day goes off the rails and she struggles to get it back on track in spite of the “fictional” characters taking charge.
Character Name: Royal Brighton
- Likability: He’s polite and smooth.
- Relatability: He’s been an author for years and has acted as a mentor to many.
- Empathy: He’s aging and losing his readership to younger authors such as Marta.
Character Name: Vincent Darkwood (triangle character)
- Likability: He’s charismatic and full of energy.
- Relatability: He wonders if he should have chosen another career.
- Empathy: He’s lost many, many parts to other actors.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by Hope McPherson.
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Drew’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My Vision: I am doing all that is needed to create a future where I am a well-respected Hollywood writer and have the freedom to choose the projects I put my time towards as well as working with amazing producers, directors actors, and agents/managers.
What I learned from doing this assignment is… By blending these three areas you can design a character that really connects with the audience and makes them root for their success.Character: Emma
Likability: Sense of humor. Great at what she does. Respected. Kind to people who deserve it. A very supportive friend.
Relatability: Extreme fear of failure. A woman in male dominated business. Family expectations to settle down. Falls in love for the first time.
Empathy: When Emma opens up about her insecurities and fears, particularly about love and trust, it creates a deep empathetic connection with Matt and the audience. A lot of pressure to succeed at work.Character: Matthew
Likability: His self-deprecating sense of humor, particularly when he makes light of his own misfortunes, endears him to both Emma and the audience. He is also a positive thinker who is polite and kind.
Relatability: He’s not in love with his fiancée but is too afraid to tell her. He feels like life is passing him by. He falls in love and can’t stop thinking about Emma. He years for a magical love story.
Empathy: He gets bullied by his boss and by his fiancée. He struggles with his next career move. Fear he is making the wrong choice. Not knowing why, he woke up in a field. Fear he is going crazy and losing his mind.-
This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by Andrew Foerster.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by
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ASSIGNMENT: Module 3: Lesson 5
Vision: To captivate audiences by writing, producing, and directing smart, well-written, blockbuster scripts.
What I learned from doing this assignment is: how my characters have more depth.
Subject Line: WIM – Vernall Ritchey – Likability/Relatability/EmpathyProtagonist: Kyla
• Likability: Kyla initially presents as highly likable. She’s a compassionate caregiver, dedicated to her faith, and possesses a gentle demeanor. This facade makes her possession all the more shocking and unsettling. As the truth unravels, her likability diminishes, replaced by a sense of unease and creeping dread.
• Relatability: Audiences may initially relate to Kyla’s desire to help others and her dedication to her spiritual path. However, her internal struggle against the demon and the potential darkness lurking within might resonate with anyone who has grappled with personal demons or moral ambiguity.
• Empathy: While Kyla appears empathetic towards Father Gill initially and while she’s In distress as she is terrified of demonic presence. Less so when her true motives are increasingly questionable. As the story progresses, audiences may struggle to find empathy for her as she loses control and the demonic entity takes hold. However, a flicker of vulnerability in her moments of resistance could offer a glimpse of the person she once was, sparking a sliver of empathy for her plight.• Likability: Kyla is initially portrayed as highly likable. She is presented as a compassionate caregiver, dedicated to her faith and Father Gill’s well-being. Her attentiveness, gentle demeanor, and unwavering faith in God can evoke sympathy and admiration from the audience.
• Relatability: Kyla’s internal struggle against the demon can be relatable for viewers who have faced inner demons or battles with temptation. Her initial denial, fear, and attempts to control the darkness can resonate with human experiences of grappling with negative impulses or hidden desires.
• Empathy: As the story progresses and Kyla’s true nature is revealed, the audience’s empathy may shift. However, her vulnerability and the internal conflict between her faith and demonic nature can still elicit a sense of empathy for her plight. The audience may even feel conflicted, torn between their initial positive impression and the horrifying reality of her true nature.
Victim: Father Gill
• Likability: Father Gill is portrayed as a kind and wise figure, despite his physical limitations. Even through his fear and vulnerability, his faith remains strong. This makes him an easy character to root for and sympathize with.
• Relatability: Audiences may connect with Father Gill’s fear of the unknown and his struggle to maintain faith in the face of terrifying circumstances. His dependence on Kyla and his vulnerability also evoke a sense of protectiveness.
• Empathy: As a bedridden stroke victim, Father Gill is the main catalyst for empathy in the story. He is innocent and helpless against Kyla’s deception and the demonic forces threatening him. The audience’s fear and concern for him drive the narrative and fuel the tension.• Likability: Father Gill is presented as a kind and wise mentor, a man weakened by illness but still clinging to his faith and humanity. His vulnerability and dependence on Kyla’s care can evoke sympathy and protectiveness from the audience.
• Relatability: The audience may find Father Gill relatable in his fear of the unknown and his struggle to maintain his faith in the face of a seemingly demonic threat. His helplessness and dependence on others can resonate with viewers who have faced similar situations of vulnerability or dependence.
• Empathy: As the story unfolds, the audience’s empathy for Father Gill may deepen as they witness him being manipulated and even endangered by Kyla. His fear, confusion, and potential spiritual torment can elicit strong emotional responses from viewers.• Likability: Father Gill is immediately endearing. Despite his physical limitations, he retains a gentle spirit, radiating warmth and faith. His vulnerability makes him a sympathetic figure, and his trust in Kyla endears him to the audience. However, his role in the story is primarily to serve as a catalyst for Kyla’s internal struggle. His likability remains constant, acting as a counterpoint to Kyla’s descent into darkness.
• Relatability: Father Gill’s struggle with illness and his dependence on Kyla’s care are relatable to anyone who has experienced vulnerability or relied on others for support. His faith and his gentle demeanor further endear him to the audience, making them easily connect with his plight and root for his safety.
• Empathy: The audience’s empathy for Father Gill is central to the story’s emotional impact. His vulnerability, his trust in Kyla, and his fear of the unknown make him a powerful figure of sympathy. The horror of Kyla’s possession is amplified by the contrast between her actions and Father Gill’s innocence. The audience will feel deeply for him and fear the threat she poses to his soul.• Likability: Father Gill, despite his physical limitations, manages to be highly likable. His gentle spirit, despite the circumstances, his vulnerability, and his trust in Kyla (initially) make him a sympathetic figure. The audience will naturally root for his safety and protection.
• Relatability: Father Gill’s vulnerability and dependence on Kyla’s care are relatable to anyone who has experienced physical limitations or relied on others for support. His gentle disposition and faith further endear him to the audience, making them connect with his plight and fear for his safety.
• Empathy: Father Gill’s role as the potential target of Kyla’s possession and his innocence in the face of evil draw strong empathy from the audience. Witnessing Kyla’s descent into madness and his realization of her true nature evoke a chilling understanding of his situation. The audience will feel deeply for him and fear for his safety as the story unfolds.• Likability: Despite his limited physical presence, Father Gill is a very likable character. His vulnerability and dependence on Kyla make him a sympathetic figure. The audience will root for his safety and feel protective of him as Kyla’s true nature becomes clear.
• Relatability: Many viewers can relate to Father Gill’s experience of illness and dependence on others. His gentle spirit and unwavering faith further endear him to the audience, making them easily connect with his vulnerability and fear.
• Empathy: The audience’s empathy for Father Gill is crucial to the story’s emotional impact. His witnessing of Kyla’s descent into madness and the revelation of her true nature will evoke a strong sense of horror and empathy. His awareness of the situation adds a layer of tragedy and reinforces the audience’s desire to see him protected.• Likability: Despite his physical limitations and fear, Father Gill retains a quiet strength and dignity. His vulnerability makes him a sympathetic figure, and his unwavering faith in God inspires admiration. The contrast between his gentle demeanor and Kyla’s growing darkness further enhances his likability.
• Relatability: Father Gill’s dependence on Kyla’s care and his reliance on his faith in the face of danger can resonate with anyone who has faced vulnerability or found strength in their beliefs. His witness to Kyla’s descent into madness adds a layer of horror and tragedy to his character.
• Empathy: The audience’s empathy for Father Gill is crucial to the emotional impact of the story. His fear, his confusion, and his eventual understanding of Kyla’s true nature all contribute to a powerful sense of connection and concern for his well-being. Witnessing his suffering at the hands of Kyla’s demonic possession can be both terrifying and heartbreaking.Mentor Priest: Father Moore
• Likability: Initially, Father Moore is highly likable. His compassion, dedication to Sister Kyla, and unwavering faith in God make him appear trustworthy and supportive. This likability strengthens as he bravely confronts the supernatural occurrences, showcasing his commitment to protecting the innocent. However, as the story progresses, and he witnesses the full extent of Kyla’s possession, his likability takes a subtle hit. The trauma and fear visibly affect him, and his unwavering demeanor cracks at times, revealing a vulnerable human beneath the priestly vestments. This shift keeps him relatable but adds a layer of complexity that makes him even more captivating.
• Relatability: Father Moore’s initial calm and composed demeanor is relatable to anyone who has faced fear or uncertainty. His reliance on faith and ritual provides a familiar anchoring point for viewers, especially those with religious backgrounds. As the story progresses, and his fear becomes more apparent, he becomes even more relatable. His emotional journey mirrors the audience’s own as they face the horror of Kyla’s possession.
• Empathy: Father Moore evokes strong empathy. His vulnerability, his unwavering faith in spite of fear, and his determination to protect Father Gill make him a sympathetic figure. The audience will root for him to overcome his fear and ultimately help defeat Kyla. His potential connection with the demon adds a further layer of intrigue and empathy, raising questions about the nature of good and evil within him.• Likability: Initially very likable. His compassion for Kyla and unwavering faith in God make him a comforting and supportive presence. However, his likability wanes as the supernatural events escalate. His fear and vulnerability become more apparent, shaking his initial composure. This shift in his demeanor adds depth and complexity to his character, keeping the audience invested in his journey.
• Relatability: Many viewers can relate to Father Moore’s struggles with faith and doubt in the face of the unknown. His fear and vulnerability are relatable emotions, especially in a situation involving demonic forces. His reliance on religious rituals and symbols provides a sense of hope and grounding, further connecting him to the audience.
• Empathy: The audience will feel empathy for Father Moore’s emotional and spiritual turmoil. Witnessing his fear and confusion as he confronts the darkness will evoke compassion. His connection to Kyla and his desperation to save Father Gill will further solidify the audience’s emotional investment in his character.• Likability: Father Moore initially exudes a quiet charisma. His compassion and dedication to his faith are evident in his interactions with Kyla and Father Gill. He serves as a voice of reason and calm amidst the escalating supernatural events. However, as the demonic presence intensifies, his own fear and vulnerability become apparent. This vulnerability can make him both endearing and relatable, but also adds a layer of tension to his interactions with Kyla.
• Relatability: Father Moore’s initial skepticism and eventual acceptance of the supernatural can resonate with viewers who question their own beliefs in the face of the unknown. His reliance on faith and ritual in the face of fear is also relatable to those who find solace in their spiritual beliefs.
• Empathy: The audience’s empathy for Father Moore grows as he becomes increasingly affected by the demonic presence. His fear, his desperation to protect Father Gill, and his potential connection with the demon all contribute to a sense of emotional investment in his character. Witnessing his struggle against Kyla’s hidden darkness can be both terrifying and heartbreaking.Fellow Priest & Confidante: Father Lyle
• Likability: Father Lyle’s initial likability stems from his role as a fellow priest and Kyla’s confidante. He appears skeptical yet supportive, willing to help her uncover the truth. However, this likability plummets as he encounters Kyla’s possession firsthand. His quick fall to the possessed Kyla’s illness raises sympathy for his suffering, but also casts a shadow on his previous trustworthiness. He becomes a cautionary tale, highlighting the fragility of faith and the vulnerability of good intentions.
• Relatability: Father Lyle’s initial openness and willingness to listen could be relatable to anyone who has experienced doubt or uncertainty within their faith. His shock and fear upon encountering the demonic are also universally relatable, as they mirror the audience’s own reactions to the horror unfolding.
• Empathy: While Father Lyle evokes some initial sympathy due to his suffering, his connection to Kyla’s evil deeds and his quick demise limit the audience’s emotional attachment. However, his fate serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of Kyla’s actions and the fragility of human life in the face of demonic power.• Likability: Initially presented as a mysterious and intriguing figure. His discovery of Kyla’s secret adds a layer of suspense and intrigue to the story. However, his brief screen time and the nature of his encounter with Kyla make it difficult to fully assess his likability.
• Relatability: The viewers may connect with Father Lyle’s dedication to uncovering the truth and his willingness to face danger to protect others. His quick demise at Kyla’s hands adds a sense of tragedy and raises the stakes of the story.
• Empathy: While Father Lyle’s time in the story is short, his suffering and his connection to Father Moore can still evoke empathy from the audience. The viewers will likely sympathize with his plight and feel a sense of injustice for his fate.• Likability: Father Lyle’s initial role as a concerned observer and potential witness to Kyla’s secret makes him a somewhat enigmatic figure. His quick demise due to Kyla’s demonic breath adds a layer of mystery and tragedy to his character. However, his actions in uncovering Kyla’s secret and attempting to warn Father Moore demonstrate his courage and devotion to his faith.
• Relatability: Father Lyle’s vulnerability in the face of Kyla’s supernatural power can be relatable to anyone who has felt powerless against a larger force. His role as a victim of Kyla’s hidden evil can also generate sympathy and a desire for justice.
• Empathy: While Father Lyle’s screen time might be limited, his suffering and potential connection to Father Gill’s stroke can still evoke empathy from the audience. Witnessing his struggles can add to the overall sense of dread and the urgency to expose Kyla’s true nature.Antagonist: Demonic Kyla
• Likability: Kyla initially presents as highly likable. Her dedication to her caregiving duties and her unwavering faith in God make her appear compassionate, selfless, and worthy of trust. This likability deepens as she confronts Father Gill’s possession with bravery and determination. However, as cracks in her facade begin to show, her likability takes a sharp turn. Subtle gestures like flickers of darkness in her eyes or a too-long touch on Father Gill’s vulnerable areas create unease and suspicion, gradually shifting her from a sympathetic protagonist to a chilling antagonist.
• Relatability: Kyla’s initial struggle with doubt and fear is relatable. Many viewers can identify with her internal conflict between faith and fear, especially in the face of the supernatural. Her desire to protect Father Gill and do the right thing also taps into universal themes of compassion and selflessness. However, as her true nature is revealed, the audience’s connection shifts to a morbid fascination with the darkness lurking beneath the surface of someone seemingly so relatable.
• Empathy: Initially, Kyla evokes a strong sense of empathy. Her devotion to her calling, her fear of the unknown, and her struggle against a powerful entity all resonate with the audience’s capacity to understand and sympathize. However, as her demonic nature is revealed, empathy shifts into a chilling fascination with the depths of her darkness and the lengths to which she will go to maintain her facade. The audience may still find themselves drawn to her internal conflict, but it is a twisted, dark empathy that borders on horror and morbid curiosity.• Likability: Initially, Demonic Kyla is the epitome of angelic virtue. Her devotion to Father Gill, her unwavering faith, and her gentle demeanor captivate everyone around her. This manufactured likability is her greatest weapon, a mask that lulls her victims into a false sense of security. As cracks begin to show, her likability plummets, replaced by a chilling aura of veiled malevolence.
• Relatability: Demonic Kyla’s initial facade of goodness allows the audience to relate to her on a surface level. Her anxieties about faith, her struggle against darkness, and her desire to help others can resonate with viewers who have grappled with similar internal conflicts. However, upon revealing her true nature, any semblance of relatability dissipates, replaced by a morbid fascination with the depths of her hidden evil.
• Empathy: While Kyla’s internal conflict might hold a flicker of potential empathy, it’s quickly overshadowed by her manipulative nature and the harm she inflicts. Witnessing her torment of Father Gill and Father Lyle evokes disgust and fear rather than sympathy. However, a twisted form of empathy may arise from understanding the torment she might be enduring within her own possessed consciousness.• Likability: Initially, Demonic Kyla is the picture of saintly likability. Her gentle demeanor, attentive care for Father Gill, and unwavering faith in God make her instantly endearing. Her dedication to her calling and her pious demeanor add to the illusion of righteousness. However, as the cracks in her facade begin to show, her likability plummets. Subtle hints of malice in her eyes, predatory touches, and chilling pronouncements gradually reveal the darkness beneath the surface, creating a sense of unsettling unease.
• Relatability: While not directly relatable in her demonic nature, Kyla’s initial struggle with faith and fear can resonate with viewers. Her internal conflict between piety and the lure of darkness can be seen as a metaphor for the battle between good and evil within each individual. This creates a sense of fascination and morbid curiosity, even as her actions become increasingly sinister.
• Empathy: Demonic Kyla’s true nature evokes a complex mix of emotions. The audience may feel a twisted empathy for her internal struggle, the fear and desperation that fuel her descent into darkness. However, this empathy is constantly challenged by her manipulative actions and the harm she inflicts on others. The audience may find themselves simultaneously drawn to her hidden darkness and repelled by its destructive consequences.• Likability:
Initially High: Demonic Kyla is meticulously crafted to appear highly likable at first. Her attentive caregiving for Father Gill, her unwavering faith, and her gentle demeanor disarm suspicion. She may even be seen as a pillar of strength and devotion, earning the audience’s initial trust and admiration.
Cracks Appear: As the story progresses, subtle cracks in her facade emerge. A fleeting flicker of darkness in her eyes, a touch lingering too long on Father Gill’s hand, a hint of cruelty in her voice when speaking of the “demon” within him. These moments, though brief, create a growing sense of unease and suspicion, gradually chipping away at the initial likability.
Full Revelation: When her true nature is revealed, any remaining likability is shattered. The audience witnesses her descent into madness, her fanatical zeal replacing her feigned piety. This transformation can be terrifying and unsettling, showcasing the depths of her darkness and solidifying her as a chilling antagonist.
• Relatability:
Struggle with Faith: Demonic Kyla’s internal conflict between her faith and her demonic urges can be surprisingly relatable. Many viewers may have grappled with their own doubts and struggles within their belief systems, creating a point of connection even with such a monstrous character.
Hidden Darkness: The concept of a hidden darkness, a monster lurking beneath a seemingly normal exterior, can resonate with anyone who has felt conflicted or unsure of their own inner demons. This underlying fear of the unknown within ourselves can make Demonic Kyla a terrifying reflection of our own potential vulnerabilities.
Tragic Deception: The revelation that she has been possessed all along adds a layer of tragedy to her character. The audience may see her not just as a monster, but as a victim herself, manipulated by a powerful entity into becoming a pawn in a larger game. This complexity can elicit a twisted form of empathy, forcing viewers to grapple with the consequences of demonic influence and the loss of innocence.
• Empathy:
Limited Empathy: While Demonic Kyla may evoke some initial empathy due to her struggles and tragic backstory, it is important to maintain a healthy distance from her actions. Her manipulative nature, her willingness to harm others, and her embrace of darkness must not be condoned.
Empathy for the Deception: It is possible to feel empathy for the human Kyla who was possessed, the innocent girl who lost control of her own body and soul. However, this empathy should not overshadow the monstrous acts committed by Demonic Kyla, ensuring a clear distinction between the victim and the perpetrator.
Empathy for the Fallen: The audience may also experience a morbid fascination with Demonic Kyla’s descent into madness. Witnessing her fall from grace, her embrace of darkness, and her ultimate confrontation with Father Moore can be a captivating spectacle, even as it evokes a sense of horror and dread. -
Kristin’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
VISION: “I envision writing so well and consistently that I’m in demand, cherry-picking projects, selling beyond my wildest dreams, collaborating with people I admire and truly care about, and speaking my soul—on a big scale—so that I enjoy professional freedom, financial freedom, and joy.”
WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT: This part feels more surface than the assignments we just did. To me, these are the “packaging” for the “real story,” which percolates underneath. Just as important. The frosting.
PROTAGONIST: JOHN
OPENING
• Likability: He is totally connected to the livestock on the ranch; gentle with calves (but not too gentle).
• Relatability: John is carrying on his mother’s wishes, taking care of the ranch for his siblings; “doing his duty.”
• Empathy: His work is hard; it’s 365 days a year. He just puts one foot in front of the other.
ONCE HE REALIZES THERE’S A PROBLEM
• Likability: He’s protective of his sister and family, even if some of the brothers don’t deserve it. Also, he’s honorable.
• Relatability: He mourns the loss of his mother; goes to her grave and “reports” to her; they used to be in this together.
• Empathy: We feel his fear, his loss of what his life will be without her. He both loves and hates the obligation for the family; he resents and defines himself by the role he plays.ANTAGONIST: ZEKE
OPENING
• Likability: Zeke is charismatic, a charmer, smooth—a salesman. We’re not sure we trust him, but he is easy to be around.
• Relatability: We might relate to his need to compete with the very competent John; realizing that Zeke is bigger and more handsome, seemingly more cultured…but just not as formidable. We can relate to this underdog.
• Empathy: We might feel a little sorry for Zeke, at first buying into his victim story. He’s one of those guys who talks about his high school football days as his highest moment. -
Hari’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My Vision: I want to write screenplays that enable me to work with like minded creative people in the industry to produce profound movies that will have a long lasting positive effect on the world.
What I learned…Relatability and empathy are more important than likability.
Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
Likability: Saves his K9 partner from Beck’s abuse
Relatability: screwed up at his job, his wife left him – for his best friend. The backstory comes out as Beck interrogates him at a traffic stop.
Empathy: Harassed and humiliated by Beck during the traffic stop as Beck shows him who’s boss.Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Triangle Character through each of these:
Likability: Jamaica could help a local business owner struggling due to the water controversy, showing her compassion and willingness to assist others despite her corporate ties.
Relatability: Identity Crisis: Jamaica’s struggle with her heritage and discovering her true identity is highly relatable, as many people experience questions about their origins and identity.
Empathy: Shock and Revelation: When she discovers her alien heritage, the shock and subsequent identity crisis make the audience feel for her confusion and fear.Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Antagonist through each of these:
Likability: Can be sophisticated and charming
Relatability: Power Struggle: Del’s desire to maintain control and protect his authority is a relatable experience for anyone who has been in a leadership position and fears losing power.
Empathy:Unspoken Wound: Del’s rare moments of vulnerability, perhaps when he reflects on the loneliness of his secret life or the human emotions he can’t fully embrace, can evoke empathy.-
This reply was modified 11 months ago by hari messer.
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This reply was modified 11 months ago by
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Farrin Rosenthal’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
Farrin’s Vision: To do what it takes to become a highly paid A-List Hollywood writer whose produced movies will entertain audiences around the world.
What I learned doing this assignment is the power of Likability/Relatability/Empathy. Audiences crave engaging characters. They don't need to be 100% likeable, or at all, but they need to be relatable in some way and for the audience to feel empathy for them. If you do this, you can create a character who kills dozens of people, yet we root for this mass murderer. Have the audience like that person somehow, relate to what they are going through, and make their life hell to really draw them in and the audience will follow the character anywhere.
Character Name and Role: Eleanor “Rose” Turner – Protagonist
Likability: Does something heroic.
Relatability: Gets in trouble for being late to class. Something most of us have done.
Empathy: But we feel for her when we find out why she was late. She was helping a mother give birth. This sets the audience to like her right away and feel for her completely when she learns her father was murdered.Character Name and role: Calvin Stone – Antagonist
Likability: Incredibly charismatic and tries to charm the Sheriff onto his side.
Relatability: Wants power, control, and to be rich. We can relate to wanting a lot of money and power.
Empathy: Not getting what he wants creates empathy, for we all have been disappointed. But he then kills the Sheriff as a result and now we grow to hate this man. Having him be defeated and his life spared at the end will bring some empathy back to him, especially when he is somewhat of a pawn in a bigger game. If the protagonist feeling conflicted can spare him, then we can start to forgive what he did too. -
Tom’s Likability/Relatability/ Empathy
My vision is to perform well and quickly so I will get writing assignments.
Doing this assignment, I got better at collecting good AI suggestions
Protagonist Sara Amed:
• Likability: Sara works tirelessly to find a cure and educate young women.
• Relatability: The audience warms to Sara, who over works herself.
• Empathy: Audience empathizes with Sara who wants to cure the disease to save her people as well as her mother who is also afflicted.Antagonist General Ratkin:
• Likability: Many find Ratkin revolting, the opposite of likable.
• Relatability: Most can’t relate to Ratkin because he’s a stupid narcissist.
• Empathy: The Audience can’t empathize with Ratkin. He’s a pig. -
Dawn Crouch’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My vision is that I just want to learn and write better, more marketable scripts.
What I learned from this assignment is to keep it real, to make the characters human.
Protagonist – James Fontenot
• Likability: show small acts of genuine kindness, sense of humor and ability to laugh at himself, bravery in the face of adversity,
• Relatability: Conflict between corporate life and his bayou roots, have him marvel at the oystermen balancing family and work, reflecting on unfulfilled dreams or aspirations, his fight to overcome personal flaws, romantic struggles
• Empathy: facing rejection or harsh criticism, especially from his father or the bayou community, financial sacrifices to support his legal battle, situations where he has to make difficult moral choices, especially when they involve significant personal sacrifice, journey to find a sense of belonging
Antagonist – Odette Carvel
• Likability: charming and charismatic personality that makes her interactions with others engaging and enjoyable, working long hours, dedication to her job, a sense of humor and quick wit, especially in situations where she uses it to defuse tension or connect with others.
• Relatability: struggle to balance her ambitious career goals with her personal moral compass, need for validation, regrets about past decisions
• Empathy: under significant professional pressure, especially when her corporate duties clash with her personal ethics, personal losses and moments of isolation.
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This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by Dawn C Crouch.
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This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by
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Becky's Likability/Relatability/Empathy
vision for my success : I am an extraordinary writer – prolific, produced, profound, joyful, and well paid – who writes stories that entertain and inspire.
What I learned from doing this assignment is my character is morphing from a Flat Stanley into a very empathetic and relatable man – Pinocchio lives!
2. Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
• Likability: Daytona rehabs WSDs (Working Service Dogs) after their retirement to be ready to be rehomed to a veteran with PTSD. He gives back to veterans (human and animal)
• Relatability: He had a WSD that got killed on a mission with Daytona.
• Empathy: Being of service like this helps him with his own PTSD.
3. Just to get the experience, give us one or more ways that your Antagonist could be presented through each of these:
• Likability: Joe has the black Irish charm – you can't help but like him even though you know you shouldn't.
• Relatability: He has a bit of a gambling addiction, but he is no Robinhood
• Empathy: His quest for gold/fortune is his own gold rush even though destiny seems to keep snatching success from him. -
WIM+AI – Module 3 – Lesson 5: Audience Connection to Characters
Sylvia’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My vision from this program is to challenge myself in my writing genre and write my most amazing script to date.
What I learned from doing this assignment is…this is a great exercise to specifically get the audience involved emotionally.
ASSIGNMENT
Brainstorm one or more ways you can present your Protagonist through each of these:
HOPE
• Likability: She is easy going, creative, caring and fun.
• Relatability: She has strong self-doubts about her abilities.
• Empathy: She is stuck in a dead-end relationship.
Give us one or more ways that your Antagonist(s) could be presented through each of these:
Joy
• Likability: She is funny and quick witted in a self-ashiered way.
• Relatability: She is ambitious and keeps messing up.
• Empathy: (We think) she’s in love.
Will
• Likability: He is handsome and charming.
• Relatability: He over compensates due to his self-doubts.
• Empathy: He is confused with who he is expected to be and who he really is.-
This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by Sylvia Krawczyk.
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This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by
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