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Day 2 Assignments
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12 Replies
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Pablo’s Subtext Characters
What I learned: It’s fun to think of subtext for characters. It makes them deeper and gives me more ideas for content and scenes.
Character Name: Frank
Subtext Identity: Creative drug smuggler
Character Traits: Clever, competitive, direct, COVERT
Subtext Logline: Frank is blackmailed into working for the border patrol catching illegal immigrants but is secretly working with the Mexican cartel to smuggle drugs into the US.
Possible areas of subtext: Secretly keeps in contact with the cartel behind his partner’s back. Is constantly lying to the Border Patrol, his team and his family.
Character Name: Miguel
Subtext Identity: Professional video game addict
Character Traits: Tech-savvy, crafty, introverted, NERVOUS
Subtext Logline: Miguel has to come up with money to help his aging mother the only way her knows how: gaming. But stumbles onto an illegal gambling ring on the dark web and tries his luck though not without gaining a bit of an advantage.
Possible areas of subtext: He justifies his participation in the gambling ring by telling himself it’s just a game. He cheats to gain the advantage. He becomes obsessed with winning.
Character Name: Irma
Subtext Identity: Protective mother of two young boys
Character Traits: tough, loving, sensible, DEFIANT
Subtext Logline: Married to a deadbeat who’s in trouble with the cartel, Irma’s only chance at a better life for her sons is to take them across the border to Texas.
Possible areas of subtext: Devoutly religious, she constantly asks God’s forgiveness for her actions before breaking a couple cardinal rules. She’s sick of men telling her what to do, including her priest. She’s done following the rules.
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DAY 2 BOB SMITHS SUBTEXT CHARACTERS 121521
What I learned doing this assignment is…?
Nice to have a conversation with my characters. (I realize I’m actually speaking with aspects of myself.
ORIGINAL CHARACTER TRAITS
CHARACTERS AND TRAITS:
CHARACTER NAME: EMIL JANNINGS:
SUBTEXT IDENTITY: A great, Oscar-winning actor, but a troublesome and self-promoting
Oscar-winning prima donna. .
TRAITS: Jealous, imperious, fearful (about his possible loss of star-status and for his future career) and fears that he may not be admitted into the American sector of Berlin where he can revive his acting career.
SUBTEXT LOGLINE: Jannings is a great, Oscar-winning actor, but a troublesome a:nd self-
promoting prima donna who spoils on-the-set relationships.
POSSIBLE AREAS OF SUBTEXT: His jealousy of Marlene Dietrich is a definite which creates a feud. He threatens to walk off the set. Awkwardly, he tries to recruit fellow actors and cast-members of “The Blue Angel,” Kurt Gerron and Hans Albers to his point of view that the director, Josef von Sternberg is ineffective and totally devoted to shaping the career of Marlene Dietrich to the neglect of them as well as himself.
CHARACTER NAME: MAJOR KENT KERSHAW
SUBTEXT IDENTITY: He is a fan of Emil Jannings but is painfully aware of the unpleasant
job he has to do: vet Emil Jannings as to whether or not he needs to be
de-nazified.
CHARACTER TRAITS: Friendly, inquisitive, and professional. Subtext: He has to vet Emil Jannings as to whether or not he needs to be de-nazified.
SUBTEXT LOGLIINE: Major Kershaw is a fan of actor Emil Jannings and realizes that if
he advises that he needs de-nazification, he would end the acting career of his idol.
POSSIBLE AREAS OF SUBTEXT: His admiration of Jannings leads him to use euphemisms
To cushion the tough examination he he must have with Jannings. Euphemisms of Kershaw as subtext of the interior struggle of Kershaw who has to tell bad news to his idol in the end, a way of cushioning the impact on Jannings himself.
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Elizabeth’s Subtext Characters
What I learned: going back and revisiting subtext ideas previously considered help solidify some ideas and generate more. I’m going to try to remember to go back and re-do Hal’s various assignments from time to time as projects develop…
ED
Subtext Logline: Ed is a never-married, retired psychiatrist with a lifetime of relating to others only within the psychiatrist-patient frame whose desire to die—so he can continue avoiding his personal psychological work—gets upended by the family of a son he unknowingly sired in junior high.
Subtext Identity: a psychiatrist who’s running from/hiding the fact that he hasn’t done his own psychological work, which would allow him to relate to others in a personally intimate way.
Traits:
• Responsible
• Avoidant-& restless as a consequence (changes): Subtext: afraid to say (even to himself) that he’s afraid that the feelings (guilt/loss) he has to let himself experience to grow (that have grown over time) are too much to endure. Scared of his feelings and hiding his guilt over having sex outside of marriage.
• Caring
• Connecting (collects/mixes diverse ideas & people)-his brilliance (extreme)
Possible Areas of Subtext:
Diverts/Avoids sharing all intimate details about his one and only (junior high) love, Susan, with NH friends and Susan’s family, but carries her pictures (covering guilt of the ‘near sex’ they had in junior high and real sex—outside of marriage—when they hooked back up a year ago)
Bothered by/changes subject when sexual comments/innuendoes, jokes made
(Pointing to the subtext): on his alter for Susan there are both teen and recent pictures, 2 parts of a teen’s best friend necklace. Also Ed’s dad’s advice: “keep what’s in the drawers in the drawers”
Consider developing, as another thing Freud missed: an “Ulterior motive-unconscious Drive (Ed’s sense of obligation) to have and hold a bigger/meaning of life – which gets Ed sucked into the family b/f he realizes the biological connection.
Overtly uncomfortable with Jewels’ sexuality, as he’s clearly aroused
Everything “church” makes Ed uncomfortable
Grace
Basic traits
• Hard-working
• Playful/creative/musical – like ED, can put things together you’d never expect
• Enthusiastic/positive/exuberant
• SUBTEXT: Terrified she has powers that she doesn’t. She does and does not do certain things to prevent bad things from happening, the most relevant for the screenplay being: she does not say “I do” to make her connection to Mike“real”—so that it does not disappear.
Character Logline: Grace is woman who (magical thinking) feels if she doesn’t formally commit she can prevent further abandonment– who must learn how to look outside of herself and see the infinite opportunity to love and be loved, so she can feel safe enough to marry her children’s father—the man of her dreams.
Subtext Identity: Grace is a woman who’s hiding a nutty (magical thinking) idea that if she says ‘I Do’ she’ll lose the man she needs.
Possible Areas of Subtext:
DOES things quickly (Works, from the “love and work” of Freud) to avoid feeling unlovable – and to unendingly show that she is worthy of Love, many of them tasks others wouldn’t do—also as part of her trauma-related, developmentally ‘stuck’ magical notion that by doing certain things she can prevent bad things from happening.
Verbally and in action discounts her value
Tolerates her mother’s unloving, selfish exploitation – until she’s shown how it hurts her brother and decides to act differently
Ignores her mother’s demeaning comments, thinking that if she counters them, bad things will happen
Scans the environment: Worries/looks for ev Mike will have an affair – looks for ‘signs’ because she believes he’ll eventually figure out she’s not lovable.
Is desperate for grandmother/grandfather love, since she never had this-or parental love that would have given her a sense that outside of herself is a Power for goodness.
Overestimates kindness/generosity in others and underestimates these in herself (hides the feeling from herself)
Christopher (Grace’s brother)
• Passive aggressive (changes) – subtext – he’s avoiding productively dealing with his anger
• Avoidant/shy-like Ed. But this makes him lethargic (changes): Subtext: afraid of his feelings (guilt/rage – afraid that he/others might get hurt if he has/expresses them directly) he has to go through to grow
• Caring
• Brilliant in computer science (extreme)
Character Logline: Christopher is a brilliant computer engineer who under-achieves to maintain some power in his relationship with his mother who, with Ed’s help (and concern for his sister), addresses his depression and starts seeing-and going after-the life he’s been missing
Subtext Identity: Chris is hiding (afraid to feel and express) his anger, so he directs his rage at himself and only passively/ineffectually at the mother who has hurt him.
Possible Areas of Subtext:
Underworking is a way to dig back at his mother
He’s sublimating his anger into his computer work. But only when he does it.
Bothered by/changes subject when sexual comments/innuendoes, jokes made but for different reasons than Ed – he isn’t getting any and wants it!
(Pointing to his subtext): even when the family can’t pay the mortgage he says he’s working as much as he’s contracted to. But he feels guilty
Has a picture of his grade-school sweetheart on his desk. ‘She didn’t mind I was a geek.’
Linda (Grace and Chris’ mother) – personification of the Villain (which is, more fully, everyone’s psychological defenses that keep them from living fully and connectedly)
Basic traits
• aggressive/assertive
• exploitive/manipulative
• brilliant/cunning – subtext
• self centered (extreme) lazy
Character Logline: Linda is a smart, strong, malignant narcissist with emotional empathy deficits who brilliantly manipulates everyone—but somehow has the grace to admit and respect it when she’s called on it.
Possible Areas of Subtext:
why would I want to work?
respects power b/c she knows is very good at wielding it herself
Can sell water to fish – MM job is a saleswoman?
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Rob Bertrand’s Subtext Characters
What I learned: I learned the three methods of creating character subtext and how to use them to make my characters better.
CHARACTER 1
Character Name: Annie Andrews – Protagonist
Subtext Identity: Hiding Something
Character Traits: Sarcastic, quick tempered, fragile, in denial.
Subtext Logline: Annie dates boys, to hide her true sexuality because she craves acceptance from her narrow-minded father.
Possible areas of subtext: dates boys but has no interest in them. Avoids conversation by turning them into arguments. Hides her sexuality because she craves acceptance from her father.
CHARACTER 2
Character Name: Jocelyn Wilcox
Subtext Identity: Seducing
Character Traits: Free Spirited, Rebellious, Seductive and Sensual
Subtext Logline: Jocelyn is a professional new kid, who’s soul mission is to free Annie from her repressed lifestyle.
Possible areas of subtext: Jocelyn portrays herself as a rebellious free spirit, but lives in fear of her overbearing father. Jealous of her young step-mom. Jocelyn forces Annie out of her comfort zone and enjoys the pain it causes.
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What I learned is that when doing subtexts for minor characters, I imagined potentially dramatic scenes with major characters. Plot points are clear, but it is always challenging for me to design activities on a smaller level that create intrigue and conflict for scenes.
Character Name: Jake
Subtext Identity: Loving, insecure, jealous family man
Character Traits: External personality is to be a positive, successful, essential fitness pro who rhymes and tells jokes
Subtext Logline: Jake realizes that he is mortal and his legacy is through his family.
Possible areas of subtext: His feelings for Litonya, desire to be legally married, hope and fear for his kids, and concern about his parents who have neurodegenerative disease.
Then his flaw or weakness comes with his PD, making his imperfect in his fitness career. He may not want to accept the diagnosis or tell people. For the first time, he becomes insecure.
Character Name: Betty/Bobby
Subtext Identity: A serial killer/rapist/arsonist who hasn’t been caught
Character Traits: Externally he/she is organized, clean, hard-working, and helpfulSubtext Logline: Once Bobby light the fire that kills his son Joe, he feels sadness and regret for the first time and has a sex reassignment in his sixties to become Betty.
Possible areas of subtext: The conflict between his criminal activities for Ibrahim, his love of boats, his service as a female aide and chef, and his desire to hide his past. New relationships with the La Roche family
Character Name: Ibrahim
Subtext Identity: Greed and need for absolute to compensate for reproductive sterility that makes him plot, lie, and finally commit invisible crimes
Character Traits: On the surface, Ibrahim is cordial, calm, polite, super-educated,Subtext Logline: To become and stay on top of the pyramid, Ibrahim must do anything. But it gets lonely so he wants Litonya.
Possible areas of subtext: After Hurricane Ida kills his wife, son, and daughter, his ambition increases as he loses his religious faith and any residual ethics or morals. But then he falls in a kind of love with Litonya and will do anything to have her in his life.
Character Name: Litonya
Subtext Identity: She gets ensnared with humans because of her boys Kisele and Anahu, her passion for Jake, and her need for Ibrahim’s power and money that throws a wrench into the mix
Character Traits: Strong, brilliant, nature-first geologist
Subtext Logline: She must compromise her feelings to make Ibrahim do what she wants and she can’t give Jake what he wants
Possible areas of subtext: Two timing Ibrahim and Jake, Rodney before he dies of COVID, doesn’t want the brain drugs but wants a better future for her kids, but maybe they will do something she doesn’t like, I need a stronger history with Bobby that I will go back and put into the first novel.
Character Name: Jean La Roche
Subtext Identity: He is gender fluid and wants to feel loved even though his body has left his brain with ALS
Character Traits: Respected history prof and community member, dogmatic,Subtext Logline: He wants to resolve the affair with Nikos that made him feel guilty before he dies because he loves his wife and Nikos although Nikos is married to Orhan
Possible areas of subtext: Softening of his pedantry as he succumbs to ALS, new relationship with Jake whom he tried to control for years, must connect him and Joan to Ibrahim and Betty
Character Name: Joan La Roche
Subtext Identity: Fear of Alzheimer’s
Character Traits: Respected physician and community member
Subtext Logline: Wants to survive old age with the knowledge that hurts her
Possible areas of subtext: The irony of a physician refusing radiographs, the problem of knowledge in old age, how Jake takes over and gets smarter as she weakens, who or what does she forget first? A unique relationship with Betty whom she doesn’t recognize as Leo or Bobby. Her forgiveness of Jean in part because she doesn’t grasp the extent of his infidelity.
Character Name: Anahu
Subtext Identity: Angrier than he looks, self-righteous about crime
Character Traits: Curious, literate, family boy
Subtext Logline: He wants to be an American historian, like Jean his grandad, but his goal is unsolved crimes of Ulster County.
Possible areas of subtext: He suspects Bobby/Betty. He falls in love with his childhood mate, Aanadi. What goes wrong? What does he feel for his parents, Jake and Litonya? Ibrahim?
Character Name: Aanadi
Subtext Identity:In love with Anahu
Character Traits: Good at science, compassionate, wants to be a physician like her grandma, Joan
Subtext Logline: She wants to marry Anahu and live in the La Roche stone mansion
Possible areas of subtext:?? Touching scenes with Aanadi and Joan, Jake, what does she think of Litonya, Ibrahim, and Betty? Does she compete with Betty for care? Is that why they got suspicious?
Character Name: Joe
Subtext Identity: A bit of BB’s violent sexuality
Character Traits: Heroic, Super-strong, Silent, Servicing
Subtext Logline: Not sure. Indecisive. He is frustrated with his sick wife CS and the ambiguous dealings of his dad BB.
Possible areas of subtext: Burnt out by FDNY. When he saves CS, he is sacrificed to die a hero.
Maybe he gives hints to someone about his dad before he dies.Character Name: CS
Subtext Identity: Insecure, scared, little girl
Character Traits: Was a fierce competitive martial artist before long COVID, a financial whiz
Subtext Logline: Wants to get back her health but it isn’t working
Possible areas of subtext: Conflicts in her marriage and with the adoption of Aanadi who is too much for her.
Character Name: Orhan
Subtext Identity: Jealous and possessive despite his Sufi religion
Character Traits: Spiritual, talented musician, in love with Nikos, impractical, otherworldly
Subtext Logline: Wants to possess his lover Nikos to and through death
Possible areas of subtext: Conflictual scenes with Jean and Nikos, intellectual arguments.
Character Name: Nikos
Subtext Identity: Intellectual confusion and passion for two men
Character Traits: Super-educated, classical, reasonable, charming, good cook
Subtext Logline: Former lover of Jean, married to Orhan, but wants both of them in his Classical fashion
Possible areas of subtext: Conflictual scenes with Jean, Nikos, Betty, Jake. But I need to get back the connection he had with Litonya. What do they think of Ibrahim?
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Amy’s Subtext Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is that a character’s subtext identity gives them depth. A character’s subtext points to a flaw in that character that leads to their internal conflict that works against their outward goal.
Name: Andrea Richards
Subtext identity: A news anchor that doesn’t really care about the news, and a mom
Traits: well-spoken, image conscience, playful, competitive, concealing
Subtext logline: Andrea is a news anchor who doesn’t really care about the news. She fights to get promoted to the 6 o’ clock anchor for the money and the attention.
Possible areas of subtext: Andrea wants to be promoted to 6 o’ clock anchor, but she doesn’t show much interest in the news. When she comes back from time travel she fights to restore her marriage, but confesses to Joannie she’s not sure she wants to get back together with Josh.
Name: Meagan Donahue
Subtext identity: A nanny who doesn’t really like children
Traits: fakes being nurturing, fakes being motherly, conniving, deceitful
Subtext logline: Meagan is a nanny to Andre and Josh’s kids who just wants to steal Josh away from Andrea. She pretends to care about the kids to get in Josh’s good graces.
Possible areas of subtext: Meagan is always there for Josh and the kids, but she complains about the kids to Karen when Josh is not around. She is sweet and loving towards Josh and the kids when Josh is around, but indifferent to the kids when Josh is not around.
Name: Josh Richards
Subtext identity: Polite detective
Traits: inquisitive, honest to a fault, dad jokes, his kids’ biggest cheerleader, self-censoring
Subtext logline: Josh is detective who manages to interrogate his subjects politely. He has conflict in his family, but is never actually argumentative with anyone.
Possible areas of subtext: Josh interrogates people politely. He feels strongly that Andrea’s biggest concern should be her kids, but he’s too diplomatic to actually say that.
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Budinscak Subtext Characters
Day 2
What I learned doing this assignment:
o Even though I know these characters pretty well, they still continue to evolve.
o Solid exercise to assign the best subtext identities and traits for our characters, their flaws and internal conflict.
Character: Jack
Subtext Identity: Scoundrel uncle and chef
Character Traits: slick/street smart, selfish, condescending, big hearted
Subtext Logline: Jack is a scoundrel of an uncle and shady chef who bends the truth to support his version of the facts when he deals with his nephews.
Possible areas of subtext: Jack will lie about why he’s taking the trip, he’ll distort the facts about where he’s going, stretch stories to Puck and Sal to accomplish what he wants.
Character: Puck
Subtext Identity: Erudite nephew with a devious side
Character Traits: Nerdy, insecure, devious and intimidated
Subtext Logline: Puck is the erudite nephew with a devious side who constantly holds his uncle accountable and cousin in line.
Possible areas of subtext: Puck will question where they’re going, he will set up LC to confirm answers his uncle gave him, he will test the veracity of all of his Uncle’s stories.
Character: Sal
Subtext Identity: Sneaky nephew and convincing liar.
Character Traits: Manipulative, smartass, sneaky, bit of a bully
Subtext Logline: Sal is the sneaky nephew and convincing liar who is the one most apt to initiate trouble, benefit from it then abscond from blame.
Possible areas of subtext: Sal will tempt Puck and get him in trouble at the funeral home, he’ll start a ruckus at the picnic shooting gallery and anger Puck, he will test Jack’s nerves at many, many turns.
Character: Don Vito Pussillo
Subtext Identity: Treacherous Crime Boss
Character Traits: Dictatorial, aloof/arrogant, narcissist, underhanded
Subtext Logline: Don Vito is a treacherous crime boss who rules with an iron fist, relishes his reputation (The Weatherman) and rules with an iron fist.
Possible areas of subtext: What will Don Vito do to Jack, will he keep his end of the deal and not burn down the restaurant, what will he do with the nephews? What about the FBI?
Character: FBI GUY 1 (haven’t finalized his name yet)
Subtext Identity: Pompous government agent
Character Traits: snooty, authoritative, gullible, pompous
Subtext Logline: FBI Guy 1 is a pompous government agent who believes he has the right and authority to use any method to achieve the desired result.
Possible areas of subtext: will he set up Jack for his own personal gain, he cut a deal with Don Vito and wants to go back for more, can he be trusted.
Character: LC – Lincoln Clogs
Subtext Identity: Con man extraordinaire
Character Traits: intimidating, a planner, sarcastic, leader
Subtext Logline: LC is a con man extraordinaire who works the fringes of a legal entity and illegally siphons all proceeds.
Possible areas of subtext: his partnerships and dealings with Jack, the psychic call center growth and expansion, how will it effect he and Jack’s friendship?
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PS 80 Michelle Damis Subtext Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is that while the lesson talks mostly about subtext being someone negative or ulterior motives. I found in mine that it can also be good qualities if the narrative is flipped. For example, a Vampire is typically seen as bad or evil. So GOOD qualities can be an interesting juxtaposition.
Character Name: Osgood/Ozy the Vampire
Subtext Identity: Bored Vampire looking for a new place to live.
Character Traits: Wise/Honest/Practical/Sarcastic/Idealistic
Subtext Logline: Osgood is a bored Vampire, who is disappointed with humanity and the choices they make.Possible areas of subtext:
Multiple things he experiences in his new living situation that are “new” to him.
Newfound feelings that he wasn’t aware of.
The way he treats people that are doing good, show his conscience.
Glimpses of situations that surprise him or give him hope in humanity.
This creature that is supposed ot be evil. But is he really? Who isn’t?
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Character Name: Nina Brewster – Daughter
Subtext Identity: Angry Daughter with a secret.
Character Traits: Determined/Stubborn , Moody, Impatient, Wounded, Suspicious
Subtext Logline: Nina is a young woman with a painful secret she blames on her mother and is generally suspicious of men.Possible areas of subtext:
How she treats her mother
How she treats other men
Her behavior in general
Therapy context
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Character Name: Marin Brewster the Mom
Subtext Identity: Mother, a newly retired attorney
Character Traits: Articulate, Self-Disciplined, Meticulous, Strategic, Guilty
Subtext Logline: Marin is a successful, retired attorney, wife, and mother who is baffled as to why her only daughter despises her, she also is guilty of having a secret.Possible areas of subtext:
How she acts and reacts to her daughter.
Things that remind her of her secret/guilt
Her interaction with Osgood.
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Character Name: Jim Brewster the Father
Subtext Identity: The Father figure Osgood never had
Character Traits: Accessible, Loyal, Generous, Nostalgic
Subtext Logline: Literally the best person anyone knows, good to the bone.Possible areas of subtext:
How he treats people.
How Osgood reacts to him
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Jodi’s Subtext Characters – Day 2
It helped me think of ways the subtext could be brought out in the story, and it added more dimension to the characters.
Character Name: Pam Karras
Subtext Identity: Concealing, at times Stubborn Police Officer
Character Traits: Logical, Aggressive when mad, Compassionate, Tenacious
Subtext Logline: Pamela is like a dog with a bone when trying to uncover information, and will CONCEAL the information if she feels it will be to her advantage.
Possible areas of subtext: Acts clueless of facts when she’s trying to get more information. Having been brushed off by the Governor makes a plan of action in rebuttal. She has decided to run for Governor, but leads her family to feel they made the decision. She conceals her arrest which cause her problems.Character Name: Elizabeth Bailey
Subtext Identity: Vengeful
Character Traits: Loving, Assertive, Sorrowful
Subtext Logline: Elizabeth takes revenge against Bounty Hunters after her Daughter is killed.Possible areas of subtext: She forms a criminal ring tracking Bounty Hunters. They attack and steal from them. They rescue women who are being stalked by the Bounty Hunters
Character Name: Charles Wright
Subtext Identity: Committed, Withholding
Character Traits: Grounded, Ethical, Loyal
Subtext Logline: Charles loves Elizabeth and is committed to her recovery and healing after her Daughter was killed, but stifles his dissatisfaction on the way she’s going about it.Possible areas of subtext: Charles knows Elizabeth must handle her Daughter’s death in whatever way will help her. He is by her side through the thick and thin of it, even though he feels Elizabeth is handling Karen’s death very unethically. He encourages Elizabeth to get professional help or at least go to a support group.
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Armand Subtext Characters
What I learned…
If your characters are already designed for subtext, it will be so much easier to write award-winning scripts.
“Subtext is the “text beneath the text” or the meaning beneath the words/actions of your characters.”
THREE METHODS OF GENERATING CHARACTER SUBTEXT
A. Ask The Character
An easy way to gain a deeper understanding of your characters internal states in a specific scene is to ask these questions:
1. What are they hiding or withholding?
2. What are they afraid to say?
3. What internal conflict are they unwilling to acknowledge?
4. What are their ulterior motives?
The answer to one or more of those questions will often shed light on the subtext your character will deliver during the scene. But that is only one scene. What if you want to have subtext throughout the script? The answer is simple:
B. Give Them Covert Character Traits
Give the main characters covert traits they will operate out throughout the script. With covert traits, subtext will be a natural part of their behavior.
C. Give Them A Covert Identity
People operate out of a variety of identities as they go through theirlives. Some of those identities automatically cause subtext. If you want a character to naturally generate subtext, give them a covert identity. In real life, people adopt covert identities for work or fun or to cope with an internal or external issue. Some identities that could generate subtext are:
– The spy
– The victim (withholding, covertly getting revenge)
– The criminal
– The con
– The seducer
– The competitor
– The lawyer/advocate
– The alcoholic/drug user
– The boss
Any one of the three methods above can make a character more interesting and generate meaningful subtext.
THE KEY is that both the subtext identity and the subtext activity are designed for subtext. The Subtext Character Logline must include subtext to have any impact on your writing.
CREATE A “SUBTEXT CHARACTER LOGLINE”
Once you’ve gone through the three steps at the top of the page, it is easy to create a “subtext character logline.” Simply fill in these blanks:
Name is a subtext identity who subtext activity.
On the SUBTEXT IDENTITY, notice how A just describes the job, but B gives us much more depth just by adding the word “jealous.” Make sure you include the subtext. Real estate attorney doesn’t give us subtext, but jealous attorney does. See that?
On the SUBTEXT ACTIVITY, notice how the first only tells his emotional condition, while the second clearly tells us what he is hiding. Again, include the subtext.
ASSIGNMENT
Fill in this format for each character:
Character Name: TYLER
Subtext Identity: Entitled Ghost
Character Traits: Arrogant, Funny, Romantic, Scared
Subtext Logline: Tyler is the entitled ghost of a college jerk who is still afraid of the masked serial killer who murdered him 20 years ago.
Possible areas of subtext: Runs away, refuses to help, hides, lies to himself and others.
Character Name: MADDIE
Subtext Identity: Badass Survivor
Character Traits: Brave, Confident, Paranoid
Subtext Logline: Maddie is the badass survivor of the original massacre who is obsessed with the return of the masked killer who was never caught.
Possible areas of subtext: Obsessed with defeating the killer, puts her own life at risk in her pursuit, hiding her anger.
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Janeen’s Subtext Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is that actually writing the statement implied by my character traits and subtext character traits makes it much easier to flavor each character’s speech and actions with their subtext. Putting it into words solidified it in my thinking.
Morgan Day <div>A. Subtext Identity: Trophy Wife with Mind Control Power
B. Character Traits: Insecure; Curious/Eager to learn; Perfectionist — can’t leave well enough alone; Bold under pressure
C. Subtext Logline: Morgan is a wealthy trophy wife who uses mind control techniques to satisfy her need to prove she is more than arm candy.
D. Possible areas of subtext: Pretends to believe she is inferior to her husband. Collects friends who help intimidated women while not realizing she is intimidated. Pretends altruism while her work is a form of revenge against her husband.
Daniel Richards
A. Subtext Identity: Obsequious Fashion Designer Who Craves Control
B. Character Traits:
Temperamental artist; Insecure; Incredibly good designer; Perfectionist
C. Subtext Logline: Daniel is a fashion designer who vents his frustration with his clients on his submissive wife.
D. Possible areas of subtext: Obsequiously bows to his clients’ wishes in fashion. Gets as nitpicky with his wife at home as he feels his clients are with him. Hates anyone who challenges his right to be absolutely, unequivocally in charge at home.
Amber Richards
A. Subtext Identity: Abused Wife and Protective Mother
B. Character Traits:
Loving; Gentle; Long-suffering; Fiercely protective of her kids
C. Subtext Logline: Amber is beaten down and defeated but will kill to protect her children.
D. Possible areas of subtext: Pretends she is in control in front of her children no matter what Daniel is doing to her.
Gavin Day
A. Subtext Identity: Fabulously Successful and Lonely Writer
B. Character Traits: Cool (not cold or warm); Lonely; Domineering; Proud
C. Subtext Logline: Gavin vacillates between believing his wife loves him and that she only loves his money; between indulging her and dominating her.
D. Possible areas of subtext: Walks a fine line between dominating his wife and wanting her confidence and affection. Would be devastated if she left him because she is his best/only friend who actually understands how hard he works.
Bridget (Shelter Operator)
A. Subtext Identity: Mother Hen Drill Sergeant </div><div>
B. Character Traits
Down to Earth: Rigid; Wary; Older so automatically wiser
C. Subtext Logline: Bridget is a mother hen who using believes strict discipline and mandates may save her chicks.
D. Possible areas of subtext: Assumes she knows better than the other book club members what Amber and other abused women need. Feels she understands life better than any other member of the club. Is inflexible about what tactics abused women should use to escape to a better life.
Cinda (Cop)
A. Subtext Identity: Protective Mediating Warrior Cop
B. Character Traits: Tough; Practical; Mediator; Savvy
C. Subtext Logline: Cinda fiercely enforces the law through nonviolent methods and wants women to insist on justice for themselves.
D. Possible areas of subtext: Senses that women who care so much about abused women are probably abused in some way themselves. Fights for her law enforcement brothers to believe abused women and protect them from abusers.
G. Rhonda (ER Nurse)
A. Subtext Identity: Cranky Nurturing ER Nurse
B. Character Traits: Pragmatic; War-weary; Caring; Domineering
C. Subtext Logline: Rhonda is tired of seeing abused women return to their abusers and angry they don’t help themselves more.
D. Possible areas of subtext: Wants to protect Morgan, but believes there is something more to Morgan’s passion for her mission and her reliance on something akin to “magic” to help herself and others.
Emily (Lawyer)
A. Subtext Identity: Bandwagon-Joining Crusader for Justice
B. Character Traits: Rigid; Pedantic; Smug/Insecure; Benevalent
C. Subtext Logline: Emily doesn’t know how to start a pro-justice movement, but tries to dictate how each one she joins should be run.
D. Possible areas of subtext: Emily doesn’t start movements due to her insecurity, but when one is underway, she likes to dictate how everything should be done which doesn’t always set well with other
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Emmanuel’s Subtext Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is character subtext enriches the scene and elevates the script. Characters are more dimensional with subtext added.
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