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Day 3 Assignment
Post your assignment by replying here.
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24 Replies
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SANDRA HILDRETH
ASSIGNEMENT THREE
Person One
1. Charming
2. Helpful
3. Controlling
4. Narcissistic
Person Two
1. Christian
2. Leader
3. Liar
4. Pedophile
Person Three
1. Bubbly
2. Sincere
3. User
4. Uses God to hide her true character
What I learned: Unfortunately, I live very far from these people now so cannot experiment with validating their traits today. Fortunately, I know each of them quite well and can validate each and every one of their traits. I created a character grid spreadsheet and am going to add trait fields. This is my epiphany moment about my screenwriting. My characters need more depth and interest.
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Joe McGloin
What I learned that is improving my writing is to be precise, as that makes for a more intensive study than using general traits. It’s hard, and worth it to get to the true traits.
Select three EXTREME people in your life. At least one of them should
be someone you really like. At least one of them should be someone you
don’t like.Person 1– family guy, sponges, know-it-all, all-or-nothing
Person 2 – egotistical, insinuating, leader, patriarchal
Person 3 – engaging, talkative, helpful, spiritual
All the traits were born out in persons 1 and 3. 2 wasn’t as snide an insinuating as I thought, so I changed insinuating to self-satisfied – close to egotistical, but not quite.
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Doug Ryan Profiles People
“What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is some people never change and you can use that in writing really interesting characters. You can take those traits and make a character expand and eventually resolve issues using those traits, rather than the real life person that will most likely stay the same and not have any resolve to change themselves.
Person 1:
Intelligent
Caring
Meticulous
Integral
In talking with this person all the traits came out sporadically but organically. By the end of the conversation they figured out what I had been doing and proved that they truly are intelligent, maybe too intelligent.
Person 2:
Talkative
Pedantic
Narcissistic
Unstable
In talking with this person they were unable to stop talking about themselves and kept shifting the conversation back to something that they did either recently or decades ago. It was impossible to tell if the person’s anecdotes were true or not. When I pointed out there were holes in the stories the person became defensive and doubled down on their lies. It was really annoying.
Person 3:
Lethargic
Naive
Resolute
Loyal
In talking with this person I found that their naivety helped them with learning and made them more resolute in their quest for knowledge. We ended the conversation better than has been before and they were no longer lethargic. They actually became more focused on family and continuing education.
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Rebecca Profiles People
“What I’ve learned that is improving my
writing is to reduce the essence of character to core traits and use these to motivate actions and dialog in various situations. The other thing I learned that my attraction to “characters” ( I have many in my life) could be one of my core traits.
Person 1: When tested, the traits remained consistent.
1. Fun
2. Humorous
3. Helpful
4. Needy
Person 2: When tested I decided that traits one to three to be the result of insecurity. I listed competitive because this person competes with others not even in the running.
1. Condescending
2. Preachy
3. Judgmental
4. Competitive
Person 3: When tested these remained the same. I also know that this person may be bipolar, escaped from abuse, and afraid of being found.
1. Friendly
2. Needy
3. Secretive
4. Paranoid
Person 4: Is a relative who consistently exhibit these traits but also humble and kind.
1. Intelligent
2. Inquisitive
3. Quirky
4. Impractical
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Julie Wochholz Profiles People
Person 1:
Knowledgeable
Humorous
Gossipy
Cowardly
Person 2:
Hard-working
Insecure
Nit-picky
Manipulative
Person 3:
Gregarious
Con-artist
Tempestuous
Greedy
What I Learned: I do not have daily access to any of these people; however, I know each one well and have known them for years. One thing I noticed was how people tend to shove their good traits to the foreground to make good impressions, but eventually a situation emerges where the undesirable traits manifest themselves. I can use this in my writing as my characters are challenged by their circumstances, their more hidden and undesirable traits show up. I also learned that when I write and I like a character, I may avoid (unconsciously) giving them negative traits – but to be a whole character, they need to have both positive and negative traits.
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Janeen Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is that when the negative traits come out, there is an internal battle likely going on too. The cognitive dissonance often exaggerates their negative traits in their “user interface”. Stress can make the traits more extreme — especially the negative ones.
Person 1
Secretive
Controlling
Manipulative
Engaging
This person demonstrated all of the negative traits in a phone call today and was only moderately engaging. I think I nailed it.
Person 2
Worrier
Insecure
Generous
Caring
I’ve known this person all my life and verified all of these traits during a chat.
Person 3
Pompous
Engaging
Domineering
Backstabbing
This person’s social capital implodes when they become pompous in their presumed position of power — the domineering tendency and pompous “I’m the leader” attitude generally precede a fall from grace in their peer group. Humility and withdrawal result, followed by a rebuilding of reputation as an engaging person. Then eventually the pomposity and dominance returns. Very cyclical over the years.
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SUBJECT: Monica’s Character Traits
What I learned doing this assignment is I’m a pretty good judge of character – unfortunately! I have been using some of these traits in my characters since I’m around these people a lot. Makes for some slimy characters.
Person 1:
Traits: Liar
Petty
Fraudster
Lazy – always looking for the easiest way regardless of whether it’s the right way
Unfortunately, this is a family member and he proves these traits over and over.
Person 2:
Traits: So nice
Selfish – talks only about herself and her family
Unreliable
A pushover
This person was a friend and I got tired of listening to her bitch about her family and never listening to my problems. She is now out of my life.
Person 3:
Traits: Coward
Manipulative
Secretive
Procrastinator
This person has been like this as long as I’ve known them. They’re dead now.
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Don Thompson Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is that extreme people are often either successful or tragic, and they often seem uncomfortable with ‘normal’ people outside of their families. They make excellent role models for characters in screenplays.
Person One
Charming
Industrious
Risk-Taking
JudgmentalPerson Two
Talented
Intelligent
Avoids opportunity
Lacks confidencePerson Three
Charming
Self-hatred
Alcoholic
Hark workingI won’t be able to chat with these people as they currently are not easily accessible.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Don Thompson.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by
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Celia profiles the extremes
What I’ve learned: I have vastly increased the clinical approach to people over the past several years. I was born into an environment of extreme personalities and taught to accept and tolerate regardless of their treatment of me; only recently have I cleaned house, as it were, but I have used many of these characters both in writing and acting. Once I have identified the motivation(s) behind the veneer, I sometimes like to bait the person, much like this assignment, to verify or expand the character for my future reference. I realise that this sounds rather sociopathic – it is not. It is my personal defense mechanism.
Person #1
Extrovert
Dynamic
Effusive
Racist
Narrow-minded
The conversation with this person took place a couple of years ago. After several years of seemingly accepting friendship, they attempted to involve me in their own relationship issues in a most insulting, racist manner (I am of Mediterranean descent; they are Slavic/blonde/blue eyed, and assumed that “my culture” included illegal activities, etc.) I thoroughly torpedoed their “white privilege ” statements, which as predicted, did not register. I have used elements of this deceptive friendship/undercover racism in subsequent scripts/writing as well as the use of patience prior to shock tactics.
Person #2
Conceited
Hedonistic
Selfish
Stuck in time warp
This conversation took place a few months ago: this chance meeting could/should have been ‘lose his business card immediately ‘, but I was curious and definitely prepared to bait. He continually interrupted me and put my opinions down, so I threw some wild cards to listen to the verification of his reach toward gaining a second dimension for his personality. He actually asked for a date at the end of that character study! I know he will appear in my work at some point, perhaps also in my acting if I need to play a character who is oblivious to the passage of time and the value of other people.
Person #3
OCD!!!
Introvert
Narcissist
Denial
This person was one of the catalysts that led to my personal ‘house cleaning ‘. I have no idea how someone with the consuming need to be ‘perfect’ would be able to deal with me! As I was slammed, over and over again, by the universe telling me that I do not have to tolerate this extreme, I began to bait him. I challenged the ‘perfection’ thing and glimpsed the shift in dimensions to his truncated perspective of reality. I wrote a narrative POV short about him – a terrific character study in controlled paranoia.
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Title: James Bodley Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is that when young and foolish I imagined that I was a good judge of character. Many years and mistakes later I understand how I was blindsided on more occasions than I care to admit. Any insight into our or our character’s motivation is precious.
Person 1
· Sales talk
· Artful
· Miserly
· No taste
Person 2
· Artistic
· Intelligent
· Shy
· Reserved
Person 3
· Gregarious
· Gift of the gab
· Wanton
· Unpredictable
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This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by James Bodley.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by
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Joseph Profiles People
PERSON 1 “like”
TRAITS
Conspiracy theorist
God Fearing
Germophobe/Paranoid
Two-faced
1-Recently discussed Government takeover of healthcare system, EMP attack, and monetary collapse of U.S. dollar system, ALL UNSOLICITED TOPICS, during the same conversation.
2-Constantly infuses conversation with blessings. Will constantly bring up recent events occurring in the State of Israel, and the Armageddon to come.
3- Steadily increasing use of PPE, despite new knowledge of risk factors in his age group. (also, see #1 above)
4- complained to me that he does not receive business referrals or our company support, and therefore can’t make a living, but a company official’s recent home visit of his property for an equipment check discovered that a hardware station set-up to enhance his business access to clients (provided by the company for his benefit) was piled in a corner of his garage, collecting dust.
PERSON 2 “dislike”
Grifter
Know-it-all
Devoted parent
Lazy, generally apathetic
1-never ending schemes to make money without much effort. Newest gig is to provide menial work at a local winery and somehow receive payment in the form of cask run-off, which he bottles and applies a (non-registered) new company label for re-selling. Seemingly unmoved by the fact that he never generates enough income with these schemes to support himself.
2-has convinced, and is currently advising, a mutual acquaintance about legal defense strategy for a domestic dispute/custody/eviction process, despite the fact that he barely finished high school and has no first-hand knowledge of these matters. A name-dropper, who always has a key contact “somewhere”.
3- extremely dedicated to his two-year-old daughter, despite no real means of financial support for her, along with the knowledge that the child’s mom has no emotional ties toward him whatsoever.
4- absolutely refuses, to this day, at the age of 38, to procure any steady, gainful employment or develop a stable marketable talent. Satisfied to live off of the financial charity of others for his food, and a roof over his head. Daily, excessive marijuana use.
PERSON 3 “neutral”
Emotionally unstable
Vengeful
Corrupt
Delusional
1-Becomes tearful during discussions, if he feels an action directed toward him is false (generally they are not false, however)
2-recently threaten to bilk money directly from clients, if company did not meet his bonus expectations
3- Accidentally revealed his billing practice approach, knowing that charges were inflated
4- constantly embellishes upon the level of his experience and accomplishments, despite documented personnel file knowledge to the contrary.
Argues that he should be the highest paid employee within his department, despite lowest production.
What I learned is that I am now focusing more on the motivations behind demonstrated behavior traits, which should help me when constructing character depth/dimension
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Cindi Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is the value of extreme traits for elevating a character and creating conflict. I was stuck on how to improve my characters, and I discovered that they need at least one extreme trait to be more interesting. I also learned it was challenging for me to narrow down a variety of similar traits to find the core trait in people I know. I am excited to experiment with extreme traits!
1. Select 3 EXTREME people in your life and list their CORE traits.
PERSON 1:
Intuitive
Dangerous
Scattered
Self-Righteous
This individual means well but uses her strong personal beliefs in a way that endangers others. I trust her because of the many ways she’s helped me, but it creates conflict within me because I know she’s not right about everything.
PERSON 2:
Controlling
Caring
Insecure
Victim
This person is likable until her dark side arises. I know it stems from her traumatic childhood, and I try to have compassion. However, after experiencing her dark side, I can never let myself trust her again.
PERSON 3:
Entitled
Liar
Funny
Lazy
Unfortunately, interacting with this woman enraged me, so I can’t even comment on her objectively for this assignment. This probably says something about my own traits, sadly!
4 & 5. It was an eye-opening experiment to interact with these people based on their traits. Most responded exactly as I expected. My interactions helped me to fine-tune their core traits. I also noticed how their moods affected which trait would come out in response.
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Henry Kana Profiles People
What I learn that is improving my writing is People have all different types and varity of traits, some normal, some good, some bad and some that are extreme.
Person 1. (Mary)
Kind, Sweet, Helpful, but if she doesn’t get her way, she will stab you in the back.
Person 2. (Marvin)
Arrogant, Deceitful, Out for what he can get out of it.
Person 3. Tilly
Lush, Kind, Alcoholic, Can’t keep her hands off men.
Yes, I have interacted with each one of these and they are very true to their Character Traits.
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Hope McPherson Profiles People
What I learned: Spending time “paying attention” to individuals’ character traits is the only way, I think, that we screenwriters can hope to understand our scripts’ characters. So many conflicting traits in any of us. I’m seeing that the complexity of our fictional characters only benefits by our observing how people interact with others — and seeing how that interaction changes based on who those people are speaking with.
Person one:
Motherly
Lacks self confidence
Passive aggressive
Caring
Christian
Humorous
Person two:
Foolish
Liar
Controlling
Lacks self confidence
Empathetic
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Kathleen Schank
Assignment three
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is that it is an important skill, to be able to detail character traits and personality attributes in our stories.
Person 1- Diana
Traits
Friendly
Responsible
Fanciful
Dauntless
Person 2- Jeff
Ferocious
Dominant
Strong
Unmerciful
Person 3- Tim
Creative
Controlling
Brilliant
Fun
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Title: Carol L. Paur’s Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is my characters can go from angry to raging; from nice to exuberant, from fearful to paranoid. I see how upping the game on characters can improve the entire script.
Person 1 Core Traits: Kind, Intelligent, Distrustful, Pessimist
I mentioned different real estate agents. Person 1 immediately said she thinks of Eddie Murphy from Haunted Mansion movie. Person 1 responded in a way consistent with the traits I gave him/her.
Person 2 Core Traits: Hospitable, Funny, Attention Seeking, Judgmental
We went out to breakfast with other people. I was talking to the group when Person 2 kept butting in to show us selfies of (himself/herself). Person 2 responded in a way consistent with the traits I gave him/her.
Person 3 Core Traits: Hard working, Conscientious of the poor, Opinionated, arrogant
We went to dinner with a group of people. Person 3 voiced (his/her) opinion on several topics and felt (he/she) was always correct. Person 3 argued forcefully for his/her opinion and refused to listen to anyone else’s opinions. Person 3 responded in a way consistent with the traits I gave him/her.
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Carolyn Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is…those core traits should show up in every line of dialogue and every action the character takes. Wow!
Person 1
Loud!
Perpetually late or cancels last minute.
Always cheerful
Responsive
Person 2
Opinionated
Ornery
Extravagant
Playful
Person 3
Hypochondriac
Obsessive
Can talk to anyone in the world
Loyal
It’s true once I looked through the lesson’s lens at the above 3 people I was able to better predict their behaviors. It actually improved all my relationships!
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Aurora Profiles People
I realized that I enjoy extreme people, and my favorites are “Creatives,” perhaps because they have some new (yet predictable) way to express their eccentricity. But they do drive me nuts with their flaws despite entertaining with their unique over-the- top attributes. Perhaps we are all drawn to people that are “larger than life.”
Person 1 Core traits
Warm & charming
Entertaining & creative
Insecure/swallowed with guilt
Narcissistic- It’s all about me, myself & I
Testing: Mr. #1 would not take my call due to extreme self interest, demands I communicate solely through his wife.
Person 2 Core Traits
Visionary entrepreneur
Self indulgent –overeater
Manic/depressive
Forceful, demanding, bull dozes over people
Testing: Mrs. #2 was taking a nap and could not be disturbed
Person 3 Core Traits
Manipulative/deceptive
Lazy/entitled
Charming/creative
Spendthrift
Mr. #3 hinted he needed to borrow money.
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Elle Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is extremes makes characters/people more interesting – even if frustrating. I also realized that I have a lot of judgmental people around me.
Person 1
Intelligent
Creative
Insecure
Loving
Post testing: I never realized how insecure this person was until I did this profile and spoke with them.
Person 2
Loving
Caring
Supportive
Snide /judgmental
Post testing: I never realized how judgmental this person was, verging on arrogant
Person 3
Angry
Suspect
Sees the worst in people
Loving
Post testing: I never realized how negative this person was.
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James Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is that one trait can serve as a “gateway” to truly knowing a character. This dominant trait triggers actions and dialogue which then give rise to other traits that could serve the story in a meaningful manner.
Person 1:
-Liar
-Athletic
-Opinionated
-Curious
I haven’t seen this person in years, but I remember him as though it were yesterday mainly because we grew up in the same neighborhood and went to school together. This person would lie to impress others and never expressed humility. His athletic prowess usually made him believe he was better than others, yet when called out on a possible lie he would never concede it. He would also lie to investigate something, which put his curious trait in action.
Person 2:
-Adventurer
-Stingy
-Polite
-Withholder
I believe this person to be overall good, yet I would clash with him because he would withhold his true intentions; withholding in a polite manner as to convey that there was nothing wrong to what he was doing. Maybe his adventurer trait fueled his desire to try extreme sports when others were not too keen on participating.
Person 3:
-Criminal-minded
-Obnoxious
-Talkative
-Pushy
If appearance is anything, I obviously did not like this person. I haven’t interacted with person in years, yet I remember him vividly. In a strange way my way of being polite (my subtext) came forth while interacting with this person, mainly to get away and not participate in questionable activities. Rumors from the past indicate this person served time, which doesn’t surprise me and proves the chosen traits accurate.
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Ann Profiles People
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is
Person 1(S) : intuitively smart, caring, generous, secretive
I tested Person 1. This is what I found: her secretive trait was very annoying, made her untrustworthy, even when she solved a problem in a caring way I still was suspicious. I might not like this person as much as I thought.
Person 2(L): religious, honest, responsible, unforgiving
I tested Person 2. This is what I found: her religion makes her honest but it didn’t make her a “forgive and forget” person, it almost makes her carry a grudge, but she did take the blame for something that was her fault.
Person 3 (M): forceful, demanding, fake, funny
I tested Person 3. This is what I found: a bully with a sense of humor and maybe even that sense of humor is fake, making snap judgments and decisions to make sure she is in control, and you would want her on your side in a fight.
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CREATIVE MASTERY 2 – DAY 3 – MICHAEL GRECO Profiles People [EXTREME PEOPLE]
What I’ve learned that is improving my writing is finding and heightening the extremes of behavior and expression in characters organically pricks up attention, jacks up interest in the script and situation depicted. ‘Fortune Favors The Bold’ as the cliché promises – issues of debate and dissent are more readily explicated by the most extreme people among us.
ASSIGNMENT
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1. Select three EXTREME people in your life. At least one of them should
be someone you really like. At least one of them should be someone you
don’t like.
PAT D – Dislike
GREG R – Really Like
PAUL S – Really Like
2. As I did above, think about the experiences you’ve had with each person
and make a list of their CORE traits. You’re not looking to know every
single thing about them. You want to get to the heart of who they are —
and with extreme people, that is easier to do.
PAT D – Stereotypical Irish storyteller and leprechaun energy, a lawyer who loves to fight to the hilt and convince the Judge to impose punishment sanctions (monetary fines) against his litigation opponents. Once late ‘90s I visited his office for a documents inspection / production, incident to which he regaled me with a 30-minute paean to his new wife, a patrician sommelier from an affluent family who could allegedly distinguish by smell / aroma some 6,000 distinct wines. I came into a case more recently where PAT D is on the warpath – extremely strident and extremely lyrical and sanctimonious in mobilizing opprobrium against my client. I looked up court records for his locale – he and patrician sommelier wife had divorced early ‘00s. As I fight him [not our party opponent – HIM, the opponent’s lawyer PAT D] he continues to sing and ululate to the judge the pitfalls and ravages perpetrated by my client, alluring the judge, and files another motion for sanctions. PAT D brings to mind Voltaire / M. Arouet “One who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” Even the proposed Orders he sends me I must aggressively evaluate and correct, fight over and pitch to the Judge. There is a strong probability we will end up in Appellate Court, and possibly in the State Supreme Court, in this case. And that I will have another case with PAT D, in a decade or two (hoping it’s not more frequent that that).
GREG R – Affable jovial entrepreneur type, adulates men who are wealthy and politically powerful, preferably both. Polite and affected, over-flatters people, makes an elaborate show of puffing up the people around him. Works the schmooze aggressively, tries to make everyone feel great, and really appreciate him.
PAUL S – Lively and irrepressible, jovial and sadistic. Loves to verbally abuse friends and girlfriends in the name of sarcasm. Willing to say the things that other people only think – which irresistibly draws people to him. Always comfortable in his skin and quick on his feet – excepting when his older brother Mark, a brute who regularly beat him when they were growing up, gets into the picture.
3. Name the people Person 1, Person 2, and Person 3, and list their 4 core
traits.
PAT D – THEATRICAL; SANCTIMONIOUS; SELF-IMPORTANT; SAVAGE
GREG R – AFFABLE; SELF-CENTERED; ASS-KISSER; SCHMOOZING/GLAD-HANDING.
PAUL S – DRAMATIC; JOVIAL; SARCASTIC; JEALOUS
4. Interact with them, knowing their traits, and see if they respond in a
way that is consistent with those traits.
PAT D –
PAT AND FIONA ARE CAMPING IN THE NORTHWOODS. FIONA’S TEENAGE SON DEREK IS AN HOUR LATE COMING BACK FROM RAFTING.
PAT
Derek should at least let us know-
FIONA
There’s no cell phone reception up here-
PAT
A responsible, considerate person would not get himself in a position where he is late for dinner-
FIONA
He’s 15.
PAT
What does that mean? My Natalie is twelve, she knows better than to be late for dinner, no matter where she is
FIONA (muttering)
That’s because you beat it into her
PAT
What?
FIONA
Huh?
PAT
What- WHAT did you say just now – about my daughter
FIONA
It’s not worth fighting about
PAT
Anything worth saying is worth fighting about. The way you raise Derek-
FIONA
WHAT?
PAT
No – you’re right. Not worth fighting over
FIONA
No – finish that sentence. What were you saying about my raising – my rearing Derek. About my parenting
PAT
That’s what I mean – it will serve no purpose. It won’t produce Derek and it won’t let us eat any sooner.
The subject is closed-
FIONA
So YOU say. I want to know what, I want to know how you were going to bash my parenting-
PAT
There’s no BASHING. What’s bred in the bone will out of the flesh. You can see the differences in our parenting by the differences between our kids-
FIONA
Don’t compare your kid to mine. Derek couldn’t have drowned, could he?
PAT
There’s no comparison. That’s my point.
FIONA
Derek could be drowned. He could be lost in the woods.
[Pause. PAT snorts.]
I want to be lost in the woods.
PAT D TRAITS
Self-important
Theatrical
Savage
GREG R
GREG AND HIS 15-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HEATHER SIT AT A NICE RESTAURANT TALKING.
GREG
So, what do Nelson’s parents do?
HEATHER
Dad, that’s so boring. Why can’t you ask about him-
GREG
I want to know what his people are like. Are they people we would want to spend time with-
HEATHER
YOU are not spending time with them. I am spending time with him-
GREG
Is it – do you think it’s serious?
HEATHER
I don’t know, Dad-
GREG
Hmmmm… Wouldn’t you want to see if you like his family? I mean, before you spend a lot of time with him?
HEATHER
I only want to know if I like spending time with him-
GREG
So – you wouldn’t care if his dad drove a Ford Fiesta. You love the Mercedes-
HEATHER
No, YOU love the Mercedes. I’ve always only heard how great the Mercedes is.
GREG
AND it is!
HEATHER
Mercedes is the only car brand I would know.
GREG
That’s all you NEED to know. What else would you want to know about cars?
HEATHER
Maybe people who drive cheaper cars are happier about other things-
GREG
I’ve known people who’ve lost money, and had to live with their parents – as adults. No one’s happy when THAT happens.
HEATHER
Who are these people-
GREG
People- people I’ve known. I’ve known all types. Remember when we worked at the soup kitchen on Thanksgiving? Wasn’t that worth it?
HEATHER
Maybe some of those people are Nelson’s family-
GREG
NO way!
HEATHER
What if they are? Still good people, right? We know ALL types of people-
GREG
I didn’t work this hard to provide you your education just for you to hang out in soup kitchens. You can help people without living their lives. You don’t have to be a snob to have high standards. Have money. To live well. Trust me, when you get out in the world, you will not want to spend all your time with poor people.
TRAITS –
Affable
Schmoozer/Glad-Hander
Self-Centered
Pontificating
PAUL S
PAUL AND IRMA DISCUSS WHETHER THEY WILL MOVE TO A DIFFERENT CITY.
IRMA
We need to shake up our lives. We’re just stagnating here. We see plays movies and concerts. Our lives never change.
PAUL
What needs to change? Plays movies and concerts. We have everything we need here!
IRMA
We could do all those things in New York City. I could do dresses for the Bergdorf women, for the Vogue editors-
PAUL
Right, Anna Winter would not THINK of going to a fish bowl without getting you to make her a new dress.
IRMA
If we were in New York, that might be the case-
PAUL
Because you make a couple sequined dresses for a local cabaret floozy you’re now Karl Lagerfeld?
IRMA
Greta’s not a ‘local cabaret floozy,’ Holy Fuck you’re an ass.
PAUL
That’s why you love me-
IRMA
We’ll never know what life we’d have in another place unless we live it-
PAUL
Irma, that’s a fantasy, that’s what travel junkies, wanderers and malcontents say. Everything is good. Things are great here. We love this apartment.
IRMA
Our lives will not change until we die-
PAUL
Our lives haven’t changed in the last 30 years. Why should they change in the next 30?
IRMA
We don’t have another 30 years. My goals, my ideas aren’t important?
PAUL
Why do we have to push your goals and ideas now? Why does anything have to change?
IRMA
Because there are two of us in this? Because this is what I want?
PAUL
WE – I – I never had to worry about what you wanted before. Don’t you think it’s late in the day to bring all this up now? How are we supposed to change?
IRMA
How do we live if we don’t change?
PAUL
That’s the silliest – what the Hell do you think is in New York that we can’t find here, anyhow?
Jovial
Dramatic
Sarcastic
Contented
5. Post the results of your testing and how their traits stayed the same
or changed.
The core traits stayed the same – sometimes they appeared subtly. At times they adapted tactics to suit the immediacy of the argument or issue at hand.
8. Once you’ve completed steps 1 – 7, go back to your current script and
find ways to elevate the quality of your lead characters with what you’ve
learned during this assignment. Most likely, you’ll discover new and more
interesting traits for some of those characters and those will translate
into more interesting actions and dialogue.
Rollie can be more sarcastic, or at least sardonic.
Iris can be more ambitious, vicious and acquisitive.
Argon can be more controlling, vengeful when crossed or challenged.
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Tom Profiles People
What I’ve learned how to improve my writing. It isn’t easy identifying a person’s traits but it’s essential to write characters who appear genuine.
John – Possible traits:
– Suspicious – wants to know details because he fears someone’s taking advantage
– Rescuer – likes to step in and solve problems for those he likes– Vengeful – will stop being with anyone who he believes isn’t a decent person
– Sensitive – quizzes anyone who seems patronizing
Scott – Possible traits:
– Stubborn – insists the rules are followed
– Suspicious – wants to be sure someone’s not breaking the rules
– Annoying – asks too many questions instead of being friendly
– Curious – looks into things that might get him in trouble if found out
Ed – Possible traits:
– Excitable – thinks it’s exciting is to work with celebrities
– Worrier – believes if anything can possibly go wrong, it always will
– Skeptical – When he hears something unusual, he asks lots of pointed questions.
– Scared – fears someone will ask something he doesn’t know and he’ll look bad
-
Tom Profiles People
What I’ve learned how to improve my writing.
It isn’t easy identifying a person’s traits but it’s essential to write characters who appear genuine.
John – Possible traits:
– Suspicious – wants to know details because he fears someone’s taking advantage
– Rescuer – likes to step in and solve problems for those he likes– Vengeful – will stop being with anyone who he believes isn’t a decent person
– Sensitive – quizzes anyone who seems patronizing
Scott – Possible traits:
– Stubborn – insists the rules are followed
– Suspicious – wants to be sure someone’s not breaking the rules
– Annoying – asks too many questions instead of being friendly
– Curious – looks into things that might get him in trouble if found out
– Ed – Possible traits:
– Excitable – thinks it’s exciting is to work with celebrities
– Worrier – believes if anything can possibly go wrong, it always will
– Skeptical – When he hears something unusual, he asks lots of pointed questions.
– Scared – fears someone will ask something he doesn’t know and he’ll look bad.
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