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Day 4 Assignment
Reply to post your assignments.
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22 Replies
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Bob’s Character Profiles
What I learned during this assignment was there are many alternate ways to tell the story.
Logline: When a married couple undergoing training to recognize each other in future lives die prematurely, the reincarnated husband must convince his reincarnated wife she is his soulmate before she marries her fiancé in less than a week.
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Character Name: Martin Cole/Jeff Ash
Role: Lead Male Character (Past & Reincarnated)
Core Character Traits
– Persistent leading to obsession
– Strong self-esteem/ego
– Romantic
– Determined
Character Subtext Logline: Martin/Jeff is a closet romantic who believes in soulmates despite his outward skepticism.
His Mission: To ensure he connects with his soulmate in all his lives.
Flaw: Martin/Jeff is overly sure of himself even if he may be wrong.
Want: To be married to his soulmate. Need: Release soulmate so she is free to choose him.
Elevated Character
Move persistent to obsessive. Jeff shows up at her workplace, restaurants, outside Ken’s apartment. This causes Rebecca to take some action against Jeff (perhaps a restraining order) providing another major obstacle Jeff will have to overcome.
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Character Name: Amanda Cole/Rebecca Diamond (Past & Reincarnate)
Role: Lead female character.
Core Character Traits
– Strong
– Hopeful romantic
– Thoughtful
– Devoted
Character Subtext Logline: Amanda was happily married to her soulmate. Rebecca is hopeful she is marrying her soulmate but may be settling for a man with enough power and wealth to “tolerate” a strong, successful woman. She is not sure this is love.
Her Mission: To happily marry.
Flaw: Settling for good enough.
Want: Amanda/Rebecca wants to be happily married to her soulmate. Need: To find true love and not just marry.
Elevated Character
Move from hopeful romantic to really hopeful romantic. She is intrigued by Jeff’s presence and allows herself to see Jeff a few times. Jeff brings her flowers and fragrances she may be familiar with, music they enjoyed together and other methods trying to reconnect her memories. This allows Rebecca to “fall in love” with Jeff but she ultimately remains faithful to her fiancé. Jeff eventually sets her free to marry her fiancé because he believes it is best for her. This may require an expansion of the time before the wedding.
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Character Name: Dr. William Volger
Role: Psychiatrist who trains couples to meet in future incarnations.
Core Character Traits
– Intelligent
– Polite
– A bit unethical
– Eccentric
Character subtext logline: Volger is a stodgy professor type dedicated to his career and the prestige it may one day bring him.
His Mission: To be the most eminent practitioner of far-eastern procedures regarding reincarnation and past and future lives.
Something he doesn’t want others to know about himself: He will sacrifice his clients’ privacy if it benefits his research.
Something unique: He always wears a bowtie.
Elevated Character
Have Volger’s need for prestige goes to an extreme. Once he realizes Jeff is a reincarnated Martin, he conspires with Rebecca’s fiancé to get his work published while preventing Jeff from breaking up the wedding.
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Character name: Gwen Stewart
Role: Rebecca’s maid of honor and best friend.
Core Character Traits:
– Protective (to the point of being over-protective)
– Independent
– Good listener
– Realistic
Flaw: Projecting her inner feelings on others which leads to (often) wrong assumptions about their motivations.
Character Subtext Logline: Gwen is a strong woman who believes she intimidates most men and will therefore never have a proper relationship.
Her Mission: To see to it that Rebecca marries her fiancé and run interference against Jeff.
Her World View: Most men are pigs and need to be defended against.
Elevated Character
Add jealousy to Gwen’s traits. While Gwen sees most men as worthless, her feelings about Rebecca’s fiancé are different. Gwen would love to be marrying Ken but is loyal to Rebecca. When Rebecca starts questioning Ken about the wedding, Ken comes to Gwen for advice. This allows Gwen and Ken to fall in love while working together to preserve Ken’s and Rebecca’s upcoming wedding. When Rebecca and Jeff ultimately get together, Ken has Gwen. Since neither of these characters are “bad” guys, this may be an appropriate side story. Everyone is looking for that one love.
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—————————-Begin Character Profile———————————-
Character Name: Ken Rivers
Role: Rebecca Diamond’s fiancé.
Core Character Traits
– Needy
– Deals with things indirectly rather than head-on
– Manipulative
– Awkward with women
Character Subtext Logline: Ken is a wealthy entrepreneur who feels he needs to win Rebecca to boost his self-esteem.
Flaw: Seeing almost everyone as out to get something from him.
His Mission: To marry Rebecca.
His World View: Nobody likes him for who he is but people tolerate him because of his wealth.
Want: To win the battle for Rebecca. Need: To develop self-esteem without the need for an external prize.
Elevated Character
Ken goes from manipulative to stopping Jeff at any cost. Ken uses his power and money to have Jeff kidnapped rather than just trying to trick Jeff to drop Rebecca. This would have to fail since Jeff must relinquish Rebecca of his own accord because he loves her more than he needs to possess her. It could make for some scenes in which Ken at least contemplates taking more drastic action.
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Nice work, Bob!
As I considered my feedback, I realized how difficult it is to critique someone else’s characters — no one really knows them like you do.
I also realized that I wasn’t completely sure what a “Character Subtext Logline” was. But I was able to find the “formula” from another Hal class lesson.
__________(name) is a ________ (subtext identity) who _________ (subtext activity).
Based on the above, I think you could add more obvious subtext into a few of your Character Subtext Loglines (if you plan to refer back to them). For example, Rebecca could be stated something like this:Rebecca is Ken’s Secretly Unfulfilled Fiance who has covert meetings with Jeff, in case he is actually her true soulmate.
Your characters are very interesting, especially Dr. Volger. Training couples to find their soulmates in future lives is quite the specialty! Does he have a backstory re: how he got to be the proclaimed expert in that field? And is he connected with his own soulmate?
Anyway, I hope the above food for thought is helpful. Meanwhile, I have gotten behind on my own homework. That Beat Sheet proved to be a real speed bump for me! I’m trying to get back on track.
Best,
Pam
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Pam,
I have been working on a backstory for Dr. Volger involving his soulmate as well as a complementary backstory for Gwen. This will result in some changes in character traits.
The subtext longline method you cited will be very helpful. Thank you.
Best regards,
Bob
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Janeen’s Character Profiles
What I learned doing this assignment is that even though I knew these people, they will probably be more interesting when I’ve infused their roles with the improvements and heightened the expression of their traits and other profile items.
1. Logline: A mall Santa rescues the President’s parents from a rogue FBI agent while their Secret Service agent is in hot pursuit.
2. Character Profiles:
1. Nick <div>
Role: Retired Army Ranger with PTSD turned Mall Santa
Core Character Traits:
1. Soldier – always
2. Kind
3. Selfless
4. Doesn’t trust his senses
Character Subtext Logline: It’s better to die yourself than watch someone else die. That’s not selflessness, it’s survival without guilt.
Optional:
Flaw
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> Want/Need: Wants love/Needs to believe in himself before he’ll feel worthy
Mission/Agenda<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> Character Arc: Goes from Mall Santa and dog sitter to SS agent. From trusting only his dog to determine reality to trusting himself.
World View
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> Life Metaphor/Identity: It’s better to die yourself than watch someone else die. That’s not selflessness, it’s survival without guilt
Secret
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves:What makes this character unique?
Nick’s Improvement: Changed his core trait from “Always a soldier” to “Leader — expects to be obeyed, not questioned”
How might this change the story: He may bark more orders and be surprised, angered or befuddled when Ivy, Holly and Rudy don’t obey.
2. Ivy
1. Role: Secret Service (SS) agent/love interest
2. Core Character Traits:
1. Not detail oriented
2. Lonely
3. Doggedly dutiful
4. Sarcastic
3. Character Subtext Logline: Ivy is not very detail oriented and she knows how bad that makes her at her job.
4. Optional:
1. Flaw
2. Want/Need: Want: To be a respected professional / Need: to be competent
3. Mission/Agenda:
4. Character Arc:
5. World View: If anyone is trying to get to the parents, it’s her job to get them out of the way — by arrest or death, it makes no difference
6. Life Metaphor/Identity:
7. Secret:
8. Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: She’s haphazard in doing research and attending to details.
9. What makes this character unique?
Ivy’s Improvement: Changed Ivy’s core character trait from “Lonely” to “Wary of men”
How might this change the story? She may constantly question Nick’s motives even as she’s falling for him.
3. Dasher
1. Role: Rogue FBI agent
2. Core Character Traits:
1. Pompous
2. Immoral
3. Gullible
4. Selfish
3. Character Subtext Logline: If it gets me respect, I’ll do it no matter who the respect comes from
4. Optional:
1. Flaw:
2. Want/Need: Wants to be respected and powerful / Need: Money for retirement
3. Mission/Agenda: Kidnap for a terrorist group, earn their respect and the admiration of the FBI for such a clever con
4. Character Arc:
5. World View: They owe me after all these years and I haven’t been appreciated enough
6. Life Metaphor/Identity:
7. Secret
8. Something they don’t want to admit about themselves:
9. What makes this character unique? He’s clueless that he’s dealing with people who are smarter than him in the terrorist group and the parents’ party.
Dasher’s Improvement: Changed “Selfish” to “Entitled”
How might this change the story? Dasher may expect compliance with his every order while his men make fun of him and frequently disobey. — Gives a little more keystone cops element to their work.
4. Rudy
1. Role: President’s Father/Retired CIA
2. Core Character Traits:
1. Complainer
2. Moves slow
3. Perceptive
4. Cagey
3. Character Subtext Logline: I’m proud of my son, the President, but I’ve still got my own life to live
4. Optional
1. Flaw:
2. Want/Need: Want: The old excitement of the CIA job / Need: Love and respect of those around him.
3. Mission/Agenda:
4. Character Arc:
5. World View: There are a lot of bad guys out there. You have to be on the lookout all the time.
6. Life Metaphor/Identity:
7. Secret
8. Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Rudy is getting old.
9. What makes this character unique? His grumpy user interface
Rudy’s Improvement: Changed “moves slow” to “Caring”
How might this change the story? He will be more solicitous of Holly’s comfort, more empathetic of Nick’s issues.
5. Holly
1. Role: President’s Mother/Former CIA/Social Butterfly
2. Core Character Traits:
1. Sharp tongued
2. Intelligent
3. Pragmatic
4. Independent
3. Character Subtext Logline: Everyone should find the person that will love them no matter what their past or flaws.
4. Optional
1. Flaw:
2. Want/Need:
3. Mission/Agenda: Find Ivy someone to love and support her in her job even with her flaws
4. Character Arc:
5. World View:
6. Life Metaphor/Identity:
7. Secret: She did CIA wet work early in her career, but left it for wet diapers
8. Something they don’t want to admit about themselves:
9. What makes this character unique? her surprising skills with guns and other weapons.
Holly’s Improvement: Changed “Pragmatic” to “Flighty”
How might this change the story? She may flit from subject to subject, item to item, and add to Nick’s concerns/headaches by changing what she wants or needs constantly.
</div>
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Ian Greenham: Character Profiles
The most significant change during the review was to add in a few scenes to accentuate Sylvia Knifton’s emotional uncertainty after her contretemps with Lauren following Cal’s uninvited intrusion.
1. Logline
A gay private investigator is asked by her boss to track his wife, whom he believes is having an affair with another man, but when the investigator discovers that the wife is also gay, their relationship develops into something quite different from what her boss had envisaged.
2. Character Profiles
Lauren Milford
Role: Private Investigator instructed by her boss, Cal Knifton, to establish his wife’s marital infidelity.
Core Character Traits:
– Dedicated professional
– Well-balanced
– Principled
– Loyal and expects loyalty in return
– Gay
Optional:
– Character Arc: Goes from being the rejected lover to finding a new love.
– World View: Treat others as you’d like to be treated yourself.
Sylvia Knifton
Role: Cal Knifton’s wife; eventually Lauren Milford’s love interest.
Core Character Traits:
– Competent professional
– Sound character
– Unhappy in her marriage
– Out of touch with her gay sexuality
Optional:
– Want/Need: To break out of an unfulfilling marriage with her husband of 15 years.
– Character Arc: Goes from being insecure about her sexuality to fully embracing a new lesbian lover.
Cliff Milford
Role: Lauren Milford’s father, life advisor and confidant.
Core Character Traits:
– Kindly paternal
– Worldly
– Professionally competent
Optional:
– Mission/Agenda: To help his daughter find personal happiness.
– Secret: His wife was gay.
Cal Knifton
Role: Lauren Milford’s boss and Sylvia Knifton’s husband.
Core Character Traits:
– Arrogant
– Chauvinistic
Optional:
– Flaw: Insensitive to his wife’s emotional needs.
– Mission/Agenda; Self-aggrandizement
Rose Crawford
Role: Former bisexual lover of Lauren Milford’s deceased mother and current lover of her father, Cliff Milford.
Core Character Traits:
– Worldly
– Kind
– Bisexual
Optional:
– Mission/Agenda: To be as kindly supportive of others as she can be.
– Secret: Bisexuality.
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Logline: Three abbeynormal individuals create a business that gives the homeless a second chance and in the process they all find love again
Character name: Einstein
Role: Guide/instructor/mentor
Core character traits
-Humility
-Wisdom
-Availability
-Positivity
Character subtext logline: Einstein is a brilliant inventor but
wants to be more like Jesus.
His mission: To change the world for the homeless
Want:To create a business for the homeless. Need: He needs love again
Change: is availability-he has time and takes time for the people around him.
Character:Jenny Hedgewood
Role: Live in cleaning lady
Core character traits:
-Compulsive cleaner
-movie fanatic
-Kind
-Conscientious
-Generous
Character Subtext Logline: Hedgewood is a human cleaning machine
who would like to live a normal life and
fall in love like they do in the movies.
Life metaphor/Identity:Hedgewood has many layers like an onion.
Want:Give up her compulsive ways and lead a normal life.
Character arc: Goes from barely hanging on to falling in love and overcoming her challenges
to become someone who changes the world.
Change: Generous was just waiting for me to add
Character:Dude
Role:Homeless live in
Character traits:
-Survivor
-Courageous
-Impressive
-Energetic
Character subtext logline: Dude wants to overcome his drug addicted parents and
be someone special.
Life metaphor/Identity: Dude is a gift to the world. His young life has been difficult but
he is taking advantage of his second chance.
Want: Live a great story.
Character arc: Homeless and beat up and thinking about jumping off a bridge to creating a new life. Then doing something that few ever do.
Change: Impressive is going to be great to add to this character.
Character:Stan the man
Role: Loyal friend to Einstein.
Character traits:
-Loyal
-funny
-dedicated
-popular
Character arc: friend that trys to break the Einstein depression with day after day
of friend love and it finally pays off
Secret: He has a surprise gift for Einstein thats just short of a miracle
Change: popular and dedicated will give this Stab more believability
Character: Downer Gamelgard
Role: angry neighbor
Character traits:
-pedantic
-miserable
-anxious
-funny
Character arc: The neighbor that’s all nightmare faces reality and comes clean with his lie he has been living. Then finds his smile in Arizona.
Change: funny can be added to every scene with downer.
I loved and learned so much from this assignment The possibilities are endless
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Kathy’s Character Profiles
Title: CHASING CULTURES
Logline: As a dangerous hurricane tracks northward, a rookie NYC detective uncovers a plot to blow up the UN building, financed by stolen antique art sales.
What I learned doing this assignment is I can add more suspense and intrigue by elevating characters.
1. Character Name: Susan
Role: rookie NYC detective
Core Character Traits: determined/stubborn, meticulous, proud, outgoing
Character Subtext Logline: Susan led a closeted life until she was promoted to detective. After the promotion, she decided to come out to the world, marry, and have children.
Her mission: To be a competent professional.
Want: To be respected by her peers.
Need: To be loved as a wife and mother.
Change: I changed Susan’s sex! Decided male detectives were too common. A female detective who is gay and has a wife with kids is unusual. And one who puts her life on the line every day is very unusual.
how it improved the character: made her spunky.
what it might do for your story: get rid of stereotypes of male leadership in the police force, make audiences root for her.
2. Character Name:
Role: The mayor of NYC/hidden villain.
Core Character Traits: mysogenistic ( contempt for women), con man, lies all the time, selfish
Character Subtext Logline: After he discovers that the director of Christies is taking money to change the provenance of paintings, he decides to extort her and get a commission from each sale.
His mission: He wants to amass a war chest for his run for President
Want: He wants money from the director of Christie’s auctions.
Need: To be the President, the most powerful man in the world
Change: I made him more conniving, grasping for money and power any way he can, a constant lier.
how it improved the character: the higher the office, the more conniving he becomes
what it might do for your story: made him a stronger villain
3. Character Name: Jane
Role: Susan’s wife
Core Character Traits: dedicated, loving, positive, resourceful
Character Subtext Logline: Jane is a positive role model, a suburban mother and wife, who spends her days caring for their children.
Her mission: to care for her wife and kids
Want: to be a positive role model
Need: to be loved
Change: I made her braver, talks back to her kidnappers in front of the kids and helps Susan in the warehouse fight.
how it improved the character: Shows her resourcefulness, versatility
what it might do for your story: shows that she is an ally of Susan at work and in the home.
4. Character Name: Marie Gilbert
Role: director of Christies auction house
Core Character Traits: secretive (doesn’t tell Susan about the mayor), caring, desperate, (for money for her mother),
Character Subtext Logline: The director takes money to conceal the provenance of paintings so they can be sold in the auctions but she is forced to give the mayor half of her commission. Since he knows she is taking the money illegally, he can and does blackmail her.
Her mission: To run an auction house, have accurate documentation ( provenance) for the buyers.
Want: To take care of her mother
Need: Needs money for the nursing home.
Change: She secretly tapes the mayor. Since he is blackmailing her, she will have evidence to ruin his political career.
how it improved the character: Made her an equal to the Mayor
what it might do for your story: adds more intrigue.
5. Character Name: Cyrus
Role: head terrorist
Core Character Traits: ruthless, secretive, fanatical, driven
Character Subtext Logline: Cyrus is the master-mind of the operation to take over the UN. He wants the countries to vote to form an Islamic state so plans to take hostages and kill them one by one until they agree. He will finance the guns by selling stolen art.
His mission: To convert the world to Islam
Want: He is a religious fanatic, wants glory after he dies
Need: He needs co-operation from others to sell the stolen art, get the money, buy the guns.
Change: plans to take hostages and kill them one by one until they agree. He will die if necessary to accomplish his goals.
how it improved the character: made him more ruthless
what it might do for your story: increase the stakes, raise the tension
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Logline: A recently deceased girl and her accidental killer team up with an angel to save their respective families from looming disasters.
What I learned doing this assignment: Being more specific with your traits can lead to greater clarity for your character.
Alexandra “Alex” Hughes
Role: Female Protagonist
Core Character Traits: Alcoholic, Dysfunctional, Self-sacrificing
Character Subtext logline: I wish it was me that died in the accident.
Flaw: guilt
Want/Need: has to make things right
Mission/Agenda : Save her sister and Sammie
Character Arc (if any) : from self-protective to helpful
World View : Too painful to love someone
Secret: I killed my fatherSomething they don’t want to admit about themselves: I care
What makes this character unique? Complicated – self-loathing
Elevated: Change Dysfunctional to has difficulty making connections with people. Dysfunctional is too vague and doesn’t add enough detail.
Shea MacKenna
Role: Child actress Alex accidentally kills.
Core Character Traits: Loving, Loyal, Determined
Character Subtext Logline: I won’t abandon my family even in death
Want/Need: to save Sammie from the babysitter
What makes her unique: She is a ghost that can only be seen by Alex and Shea.
Elevate: Change her from determined to a fierce fighter in order to give her a bit more personality and not be so bland.
LOLA
Role: Alex’s roommate and friend
Core Character Traits: Driven to overcome childhood trauma, Smart-Ass, Softie
Character Subtext line: Overachieving will fix me
Flaw: Ignoring her trauma
Want/Need: Escape her past
Elevated; Softie- changed to has a heart of gold but doesn’t want anyone to know.
Her wanting to hide her goodness gives her more depth.
EVIE HUGHES
Role: Alex’s little sister
Core Character traits: Loving Mother, Low self-esteem, weak
Character subtext logline: Cassie is all that matters.
Flaw: Staying with an abusive boyfriend.
Want/Need: Make sure Cassie is taken care of.
Guardian
Role: Shea’s guardian angel.
Core Character Traits: stern, supportive ,stickler for rules
Character subtext line: I will break the rules for you.
Secret: He is an angel that can’t ascend to heaven because he interfered in the life of his only son.
Mission: Desperate to ascend to heaven to be with his family.
Elevate: Change him from stern to comedian ala Kevin Hart. This gives the script more diversity and humor.
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What I learned is I have a clearer understanding of the roles my characters play and how they function after separating them and thinking about what makes them tick.
Required:
Mattie Loomis
Role in the story: Resolve an inherited trauma that happened to an ancestor.
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– Paranoid of meeting same fate as ancestor making her a self defense nut.
– Wants vengeance (out for justice) for an ancestor so she can be at peace.
– Seeks emotional connections
– Risk taker
– Loyal
Character subtext Logline: Mattie can’t be at peace with herself until she gets justice for a raped ancestor (but the rapist and his allies are all long gone.)
Optional:
Flaw: She desperately fears passing on her inherited trauma.
Want/Need She wants to solve a riddle to help ease an age old trauma. She needs to accept herself.
Mission/Agenda – Solve the riddle of a dead ancestor
World View – The world is hard on women and when the chips are down you’re on your own.
Life Metaphor/Identity “If you ever need help, I’m there.”
Secret: Her real reason for seeing Earl, is to kill him and his friends.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Maybe she’s wrong about everything.
What makes this character unique? She’s able to see a past world through the eyes of a bygone ancestor.
Character Name: Jennifer
Required:
Role in the story: Ally of hero.
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– People oriented
– Needy of compliments especially that her advice is helpful.
– Worries that her advice causes more harm than good.
– Suffers psychosomatic illnesses
– Lacks confidence
Character subtext Logline: She feels her self-worth comes from helping others but is not so giving toward herself.
Optional:
Flaw – She takes criticism to heart
Want/Need She wants to be loved and attractive. She needs to stop compromising to get people to like her.
Mission/Agenda: She goes to Mississippi thinking Mattie is in trouble.
World View:
Life Metaphor/Identity: She can solve everyone’s problems but her own.
Secret: She was raped in her teens and that’s why she’s so invested in helping Mattie solve her personal trauma about an ancestor being raped.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: She sometimes sees no value in her work.
What makes this character unique? She’s a counselor, therapist who feels there’s a rational explanation for everything but also believes in reincarnation and people being connected to a higher power.
Earl Simms
Required:
Role in the story: Antagonist.
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– He’s a hands on guy who likes to solve problems physically. He’s not a guy who sits behind a desk.
– He likes to give advice but he never follows anyone’s advice including his own.
– He feels everyone has a price.
– He’s a sociopath who’s charming but if need be, he’d slit your throat.
Character subtext Logline
Earl will be Mattie’s prince charming until she finds where the gold is buried. Then he’ll take it all for himself.
Optional:
Flaw: He’s too overly confident. He’s sure he can physically overpower Mattie and kill her when the time comes.
Want/Need: He wants the gold. He needs to be in a structured environment like prison.
Mission/Agenda: Find the gold.
World View
Life Metaphor/Identity
Secret
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves:
What makes this character unique? He’s kind of a reincarnation of the sociopath who raped Mattie’s ancestor.
CHARLENE:
Required:
Role in the story
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– Coming off cigarettes and going through withdrawal makes her very aggressive and confrontational
– Claustrophobic
– Needs to feel in charge but she never really is. That is, you can suggest things to her but never tell her what to think or do.
– Feels disrespected.
Character subtext Logline:
There is no I in team. Charlene is the “I.”
Optional:
Flaw: Her take charge attitude is a cover-up for her basic insecurity. She just wants to be respected as part of the group.
Want/Need: She wants to help Mattie because she feels she’ll get a reward for it. She needs to be part of something bigger than herself to feel worthy.
Mission/Agenda
World View
Life Metaphor/Identity
Secret
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves:
What makes this character unique?
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Subject: Neil’s Character Profiles
What I learned doing this assignment is how to sharply focus on each of my main characters to ensure they have traits that fit the narrative in the story.
Logline: Four disenfranchised spouses from two unrelated military reserve families on the verge of divorce begin to find solace from the other’s family spouses before the deployment turns deadly.
Character Profiles
Bill, husband to Mary, selfless resourceful, forever learner, opportunist, and over-anxious for promotions because he wants to provide better for his family.
Logline: Over anxious Husband’s learns how he alienated himself from his family.
Mary, wife to Bill, selfless hard worker, a husband that listens to her, tired, highly frustrated, desperately needs alone time with Bill, a family vacation, breastfeeding their baby, and help with chores around the home.
Logline: Mary explodes at her husband at the end of her rope, demanding a divorce.
Samantha (Sam), Wife to Tom, sexually abused by her family growing up, hardworking tomboy, over-anxious to do her part in providing money to the family budget, sharp-shooter, mechanically inclined, skeletons in her closet she is not proud of.
Logline: A broken-hearted wife is falsely accused of a horrendous act by her husband, that does not know she was drugged.
Tom is a selfless, hardworking, loyal family man with a difficult job as a first responder fireman, heart of gold, and stressed by family members and friends that he might have rushed in and married an undeserving woman.
Logline: Caving to fears from his family and friends, the husband separates himself from his wife on false allegations, breaking up his beloved family.
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Day 4 Discover Your Characters
Joan Edwards
What I learned is that the core traits tell you a lot, but the things the characters don’t want you to know about them move the plot along! I hope you will give me feedback on my choices. In return, I’ll be happy to give you my opinions about your characters.
1. Name of Character: Fred Silverton Role: Husband of Alicia Silverman
Core Character Traits
-impulsive
-anxious
-honest
-competitive
Flaw: panics easily
Something Fred doesn’t want to admit about himself: He needs love and acceptance from Alicia.
Character Subtext Logline: Fred’s belief he is going to die makes him anxious and over react to his life situations.
2. Name of Character: Alicia Silverman Role: Wife of Fred Silverman
Core Character Traits
-energetic
-determined
-ambitious
-wants justice
Flaw: poor money-manager
Something Alicia doesn’t want to admit about herself: That she is selfish.
Character Subtext Logline: Alicia hopes to make Fred jealous so he’ll give her the money she needs for her salon. I changed this from Alicia wanting to be popular at all costs to making Fred jealous. I thought that would make the relationship between them have more friction.
3. Name of Character: Virgil Drake Role: Homeless Man Mentor to Fred
Core Character Traits
-proud
-smart
-stubborn
-unsure of himself
Character Subtext Logline: He hopes to get by with staying at Homeless shelter
Character Change: After witnessing Fred serve divorce papers to Alicia, he realizes how stubborn he’s been and vows to change and find a job.
Flaw: stubborn, lacks get up and goSomething Virgil doesn’t want to admit about himself is that can do something about his situation.
4. Name of Character: Dan Jackson Role: Friend who Betrays Fred
Core Character Traits
-attention seeker
-impulsive
-feels unloved
-friendly
Character Subtext Logline: I am hurt. If I have girls all around me, I won’t feel the pain.
Flaw: heavy drinker
Something he doesn’t want to admit about himself is that he is loveable.
Character Subtext Logline: I am hurt. If I have girls all around me, I won’t feel the pain.
I think making it more evident how hurt, Dan is will help put another layer on him.
5. Name of Character: Margery Walton Role: Alicia’s Assistant at Allure Salon
-loyal
-positive-minded
-romantic
-wise beyond years
Character Subtext Logline: Wants to help Alicia’s salon make more money so she can get a raise.
Flaw: habitually late.
Something Margery doesn’t want to admit about herself is that she would like to get married.
At first I had she didn’t want to admit she disagreed with her boss, Alicia. I decided that it would be much harder for Margery to admit she wanted to get married.
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Ian Greenham: Character Story Beats
1. Character Profiles
Lauren Milford
Role: Private Investigator instructed by her boss, Cal, to investigate his wife’s suspected infidelity.
Sylvia Knifton
Profile: Cal Knifton’s wife; eventually Lauren Milford’s love interest.
Cliff Milford
Profile: Lauren Milford’s father, life advisor and confidant.
Cal Knifton
Profile: Lauren Milford’s boss and Sylvia Knifton’s husband.
Rose Crawford
Profile: Former bisexual lover of Lauren deceased mother, and current lover of her father, Cliff.
2. Characters’ Beginning, Middle and End
Lauren Milford
Beginning: Deserted by her gay partner of two years.
Middle: Asked by her boss to track his wife, Sylvia, to confirm her suspected infidelity.
End: Has a loving relationship with Sylvia.
Sylvia Knifton
Beginning: In an unhappy marriage with Cal Knifton.
Middle: Struggles to form a loving bond with Lauren.
End: Finally forms a loving relationship with Lauren.
Cliff Milford
Beginning: Acts as a loving father/advisor to Lauren.
Middle: Encourages Lauren to pursue a relationship with Sylvia.
End: Has his bi-sexual partner, Rose, counsel Sylvia on coming to terms with her sexuality.
Cal Knifton
Beginning: In conflict with his wife Sylvia; instructs Lauren to track her.
Middle: Fires Lauren after Sylvia realizes what’s going on.
End: Unknowingly causes a temporary rift between Lauren and Sylvia.
Rose Crawford
Beginning: Referred to as Lauren’s deceased mother’s lover.
Middle: Heeds Cliff’s call to help.
End: Counsels Sylvia on coming to terms with her sexuality.
3. Character Beats
Lauren Milford
1. Lauren’s partner of 2 years, Cathy, moves out.
2. Lauren tells her father, Cliff, what happened.
3. Lauren’s boss, Cal Knifton, has a senior colleague, Mel, ask Lauren to track his wife, Sylvia, to investigate her suspected infidelity.
4. After 2 weeks, Lauren reports back to Mel that she’s seen nothing suspicious going on.
5. Lauren’s dad, Cliff, tells Lauren that Sylvia is gay, and that Lauren’s mom, now deceased, was also gay.
6. Cal has Mel fire Lauren because Sylvia has realized Lauren’s been following her.
7. Lauren tells her dad she’s been fired.
8. Sylvia comes by Lauren’s apartment to apologize for her being fired.
9. Lauren calls her dad to tell her of Sylvia’s visit. He tells her it was him who informed Sylvia about Lauren being fired.
10. Lauren comes home to find Cathy trying to move back in. Lauren tells her it’s not on.
11. Lauren interviews for a new job.
12. Sylvia calls Lauren to suggest they get together to celebrate Lauren’s new job.
13. Lauren’s dad encourages her to pursue a relationship with Sylvia.
14. Lauren and Sylvia have a pleasant lunch together.
15. Lauren’s dad invites her to a ceremony for the opening of the building he’s been working on.
16. As the architect for the project, Sylvia is at the ceremony. She and Lauren agree to get together for dinner.
17. Lauren’s dad tells her he thinks there have been some breaches of safety standards on his new project. He has sent to plans to Sylvia to investigate.
18. Lauren and Sylvia have a very pleasant dinner together. After not having been with another woman for over 15 years, Sylvia is a little awkward with any physical contact as they say goodnight when Lauren is leaving.
19. Lauren receives a call from the hospital to tell her that her father’s been injured in a construction accident. She goes to the hospital where she encounters Sylvia. Once again, there is a little awkwardness on Sylvia’s part as they go their separate ways after the hospital visit.
20. Lauren tells her dad she really likes Sylvia, but she thinks Sylvia is holding back.
21. Lauren is uncomfortable when she runs into Cal leaving Sylvia’s apartment after Sylvia had invited her over for a drink. Her discomfort sours the mood between her and Sylvia, so there is a distinct distance between them as Lauren leaves early.
22. Sylvia comes to Lauren’s office and there is a passionate reconciliation between them.
23. Lauren is joined by Sylvia and her dad for dinner at Rose’s home.
Sylvia Knifton
1. As Sylvia and her husband, Cal, leave home for work in the morning, there is an argument about her refusing to accompany him to a fund raiser that evening.
2. Sylvia, an architect, calls Cliff Milford to arrange a site visit at the construction project he’s managing.
3. Sylvia calls at Lauren’s apartment to apologize to her for having been fired by her husband over Lauren’s surveillance of Sylvia.
4. Sylvia moves out of the home she’s shared with Cal.
5. Sylvia calls Lauren to congratulate her on her new job, and to suggest they get together to celebrate.
6. Sylvia and Lauren have a pleasant lunch.
7. Sylvia has lunch with an old friend Maddy. They reminisce about old times, and catch up on recent developments.
8. Sylvia and Lauren meet up at the opening of Cliff’s new building. They agree to get together for dinner.
9. Sylvia and Lauren meet for dinner, and go back to Sylvia’s for a nightcap.
10. Sylvia’s boss calls her in to discuss the plans for Cliff’s new project with their construction attorney.
11. Sylvia receives a call from the hospital about Cliff’s accident.
12. Sylvia and Lauren meet at Cliff’s bedside in the hospital. There is a slight awkwardness between them over physical contact as they part afterwards.
13. Sylvia talks to her friend Maddy about her feelings for Lauren.
14. Cal’s unexpected visit to Sylvia’s apartment on the evening she’s invited Lauren over causes an awkwardness between the two women, with Lauren leaving early with a distinct coolness between them.
15. Rose Crawford counsels Sylvia on her mixed feelings about her sexuality.
16. Sylvia calls at Lauren’s office for a passionate reconciliation.
17. Sylvia joins Lauren, Rose and Cliff at Rose’s home for dinner.
Cliff Milford
1. Cliff sympathizes with Lauren after she tells him that Cathy left.
2. Cliff gives Sylvia a tour of the construction site.
3. Cliff tells Lauren that Sylvia is gay, and that Lauren’s mom was also gay.
4. Lauren tells Cliff that she was fired. Cliff tells her he thinks Sylvia is a decent person.
5. Lauren tells Cliff that Sylvia called at her apartment to apologize for her having been fired.
6. Cliff gives Sylvia another tour of the construction project and tells Sylvia that Lauren has a new job.
7. Cliff and Lauren have dinner together.
8. Cliff invites Lauren to the opening ceremony.
9. Cliff tells Lauren he’s concerned about corners having been cut on safety standards on the plans for his new project.
10. Cliff is injured in an accident at his construction site.
11. Cliff is in hospital after the accident. Lauren and Sylvia visit.
12. Cliff counsels Lauren to be patient with Sylvia while she recovers her stability with being gay.
13. Cliff calls Rose Crawford to discuss Lauren and Sylvia.
14. Cliff thanks Rose for her work with Sylvia.
15. Cliff joins Lauren and Sylvia at Rose’s home for dinner.
Cal Knifton
1. Cal has an argument with Sylvia about her refusal to accompany him to a fund raiser.
2. Cal discusses his prenup with his attorney.
3. Cal tells Lauren he has a sensitive new case he’d like her to pick up.
4. Cal briefs Lauren on Sylvia’s usual movements.
5. Cal orders Mel to fire Lauren.
6. Cal is confronted by Sylvia moving out.
7. Cal drops into Sylvia’s apartment without notice to go over some papers in connection with their divorce.
8. Cal encounters Lauren on his way out of Sylvia’s apartment.
9. Cal expresses his concern to Mel that Lauren night have been at Sylvia’s apartment to give her information about his business to help her with the divorce settlement.
Rose Crawford
1. Rose responds to Cliff’s call to visit him at home to discuss a problem.
2. Rose calls Sylvia to try to set up a meeting.
3. Rose calls at Sylvia’s apartment to discuss Lauren’s family history.
4. Rose reports back to Cliff. They go to bed together.
5. Rose hosts a dinner at home for Cliff, Lauren and Sylvia.
4. Improve Parts of the Story
Lauren Milford
I had considered giving Lauren a female friend/confidant, as Sylvia has with Maddy, but (1) since Cathy had just left Lauren, you’d expect there to be a bit of a vacuum there; and (2) since Lauren has such a perfect confidant in her father, adding another confidant would be superfluous, so I dropped that idea.
Sylvia Knifton
After the awkwardness with Lauren following Cal’s visit to her apartment, and Sylvia’s consequent emotional turmoil, I considered having Sylvia call Cheryl, the last woman she’d had an intimate relationship with before marrying Cal, just to remind herself that she could have a successful relationship with another woman. The conversation wouldn’t go well because Cheryl and Sylvia haven’t been in touch since Lauren broke up with her. I’m still considering this.
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Mary Character Profiles
“What I learned doing this assignment is I really needed to clarify the wish and need of my main character a pre-teen Hannah. Originally, I had her longing for a soulmate but I could see her real want is for validation/belonging as an aspiring baker and her need is for self-confidence . Also, in doing this, I’m seeing themes of loyalty coming out in how the characters will interact with each other.
Logline: When 12-year-old Hannah, a wannabe baker, discovers a message in her famous pastry chef ancestor’s recipe book, she’s transported back in time where she must foil a British plot to end the American Revolution that puts her young ancestor’s life in danger.
2. Create a Character Profile for each of your top characters.
Include two required items and at least two optional items.——————Begin Character Profile————————–
Character Name: Hannah Sinclair
Role: Protagonist/ 12 y.o. aspiring baker
Core Character Traits
– Prankster
– Emotionally sensitive – elevated to Anxious
– Intuitive
– Doer- elevated to ImpulsiveCharacter Subtext Logline: Hannah has to hide that she’s from the future while she tries to keep the national and her personal timeline of history intact.
Her mission: To keep the timeline of history intact.
Want: To be validated/belong as a baker. Need: self-confidence/finding her voice.
Life Metaphor/identity – Hannah is like a rabbit – hops around, impatient, hasty, jokester, change and movement, doesn’t like to be boxed in, spontaneous, fast reflexes good coordination, highly observational alert.
——————Begin Character Profile————————–
Character Name: Lydia Newport
Role: leading Character: Buddy/side-kick/12 yo ancestor to protagonist Hannah
Core Character Traits
– Diplomatic
– Loyal
– Helper
– WittyCharacter Subtext Logline: Lydia is suspicious of people outside the tribe but diplomatically hides this.
Her mission/agenda: She wants to be the baking successor to her Aunt Mary NewportFlaw: can be controlling when “too helpful”
——————Begin Character Profile————————–
Character Name: Hugh McDonald
Role: 2ndary Character: 15.y.o. American soldier – aids Hannah/ brotherly influence on the team.
Core Character Traits
– Easily influenced
– Earnest
– Scatterbrained
– LoyalCharacter Subtext Logline: Hugh lost his father’s love by leaving the Tories for the American side. He has an uneasy relationship with father figures.
His mission/agenda: He wants to be on the winning side of history.Paradox: Hugh is loyal to friends even if they are on opposite sides of the war.
——————Begin Character Profile————————–
Character Name: Prissa Pemberton
Role: 2ndary Character 17 y.o. Apprentice of Mary Newport and often a bully towards Hannah and Lydia.
Core Character Traits
– Opportunist
– Vain
– Astute on rules of dating
Want: Prissa wants to be admired by men. She needs to learn how to get along with other women.Paradox: Prissa changes her morals/loyalty based on what suits her at the time, but she also ascribes to aspects of Quakerism.
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Aurora’s Character Profiles
I learned this process was a blast. I can tell it will help me a lot in my story/dialogue that I have taken the time to get to know and map these characters.
Logline: A wealthy international rancher grasping for the reason behind his suddenly catastrophic losses, is kidnapped by board members, who pressure him to admit criminal culpability and commit suicide.
Character #1- ALAN CHAMBERLAIN aka “El Quemado” (the burned one)
Role in the story: Protagonist. A highly successful international businessman with huge ranching operations in Argentina and California.
Core Character Traits: spiritual, caring, generous, naïve, spoiled by ease of his many successes.
Character Subtext Logline: When Alan is beset by calamity and betrayal, he begins to focus solely on himself, until he is jarred out of his selfishness by a stranger’s heroic sacrifice to save him.
Flaw: Success has been just too easy for Alan. He has been spoiled by God’s favor.
Want/Need: To succeed again/ To be understood.
Mission/Agenda: To find out WHY his life of success is falling apart.
Character Arc : Alan returns from worrying solely about himself to concern for others.
World View: God has been Alan’s personal ATM.
Life Metaphor/Identity: Alan has been like Disney comic character Gladstone Gander: always “lucky”.
Secret: When the bottom falls out, Alan secretly fears “God is not real”.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: He is selfish.
What makes this character unique? He was so successful and spoiled, but lost it all, despite it all a fighter.
Character #2: LUCIEN HUGO
Role in the story: Antagonist. Lucien is Alan’s protégé, now the CFO on the board of Alan’s ranching conglomerate.
Core Character Traits: diffident in a passive/aggressive manner, jealous, greedy & proud.
Character Subtext Logline: Lucien schemes to get revenge on his mentor Alan, by killing his children and taking over Alan’s business enterprises.
Flaw: Disloyalty.
Want/Need: Power/ to be top dog.
Mission/Agenda: Hostile & violent take over.
Character Arc: Hostile manipulation by use of cunning questions, escalates into overt violence.
World View: Oedipus complex: After killing all of Alan’s children, Lucien seeks to kill his father figure Alan and manipulate the trust of Barbara, Alan’s wife so he can take over the business.
Life Metaphor/Identity: Judas Iscariot, (Jesus is disappointing so I’ll see if I can make some money here). Or Satan, (I’m as good as God.)
Secret: Trafficking drugs and children.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Lucien is successful only because Alan mentored him.
What makes this character unique? Lucien appears to be just a Catholic seminary drop-out that became a nerdy accountant. However secretly he schemes to kill his mentor and take over the enterprise.
Character #3: HARRY FARGO
Role in the story: Antagonist support, An animal geneticist, head of Alan’s ranching operations, board member.
Core Character Traits: Left brained logical scientist, emotionally naïve, lonely, alcoholic.
Character Subtext Logline: Harry is manipulated into joining attack on his mentor, then abandoning him, but is repulsed by the evil of his disloyalty and returns to rescue Alan.
Flaw: Relapse into alcoholism in time of intense stress.
Want/Need: To live in a rational world/ for others to like him.
Mission/Agenda: Harry is anxious to exonerate himself from criminal liability in the outbreak of (FMD) Foot and Mouth Disease.
Character Arc: Follows others in attacks on Alan, but relents in the betrayal of his AA sponsor and returns to rescue him.
World View: Good old boy with a doctorate degree.
Life Metaphor/Identity: Simon Peter, the temporary betrayer.
Secret: Harry has started drinking again.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: His life is boring.
What makes this character unique? He is a geneticist, troubled by emotionalism and disorder in his universe.
Character #4: MERCEDES RINCON
Role in the story: Antagonist supporter. An Argentine businesswoman, part time charismatic preacher, head of Alan’s charitable operations, including an orphanage in Rosario, Argentina and on Alan’s board.
Core Character Traits: Flamboyant, priggish, mean.
Character Subtext Logline: Manipulated and misled by Lucien, Mercedes accuses Alan of being evil because “bad things don’t happen to good people”. Her misplaced trust leads to her downfall.
Flaw: She is close minded. She puts “God in a Box”.
Want/Need: Attention/ to be right.
Mission/Agenda: Mercedes hammers on Alan that since God is just, and terrible things have happened to Alan, then it logically follows that Alan is unrighteous and has secret sins. She hints if he kills himself, the key man life insurance will pay up.
Character Arc: Mercedes vigorously promotes her theology until she too is hit with a tsunami of evil.
World View: Pre-tribulation rapture, Prosperity Gospel.
Life Metaphor/Identity: “Name it, Claim-it gospel.”
Secret: She has sold young girls “for adoption” to the Monos Family Cartel.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: She is sexually attracted to Lucien and allows herself to be manipulated by it.
What makes this character unique? She is a “holy roller” charismatic pastor/business woman.
Character #5: JOSHUA aka “Wordy”.
Role in the story: Protagonist support. He is a fellow hostage, a disabled vet, a bus driver for New Eden Rescue Mission.
Core Character Traits: Stoic, self sacrificial, attentive of other’s needs, self controlled.
Character Subtext Logline: Whatever life he still has left, he continues to lay down to protect others.
Flaw: He is mute and has become hideously scarred by his protection of others.
Want/Need: To teach by example/ to be loved.
Mission/Agenda: To protect the weak from the powerful.
Character Arc: From inability to communicate, to unspoken communication with Alan.
World View: Love: be the Word.
Life Metaphor/Identity: Christ-like. He is the Shepherd, or gatekeeper to the sheep fold.
Secret: He was grievously wounded by a child whose life he had saved.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Others must watch him closely and listen with the heart to hear him communicate.
What makes this character unique? He is mute, communicates with action. Has a way with sheep and other animals.
Character # 6: Michael, aka “Key”
Role in the story: Protagonist support. Another disabled Rescue mission worker who is an Evangelist and a fellow hostage with Alan.
Core Character Traits: Autistic, savant (loves & memorized vast swaths of the Bible), shy, awkward.
Character Subtext Logline: Michael keeps the conversation real by interjecting weird scriptures at inopportune moments.
Flaw: cross-eyed, trouble gauging distance.
Want/Need: To be left alone/ to pipe up with scripture at odd moments
Mission/Agenda: To keep conversation scripturally correct.
Character Arc: Lonely lad finds a family.
Life Metaphor/Identity: The Word was with God.
Secret: He has the key of David and can pick locks.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: He rocks.
What makes this character unique? Autistic misfit works for the rescue mission as an Evangelist.
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What I learned from this assignment: My character lavender needs some work. I had a hard time getting to the core of that character. This is a great way to really discover what I need to work on with my characters. I have also found the things I love about my characters.
Logline:
When a desperate and controlling woman and her meek husband try for a baby girl to only find out she suffers from infertility. The couple tries for years as their relationship gets test. When finally pregnant the baby is born a boy. The new borns gender is changed shortly after birth while the mother tries to keep the surgery a secret from the child and the world.
1. Character Name: Mia Allen / White
Role: Wife / Mother
Core Character Traits
Desperate
Controlling
Selfish
Bossy
Dishonest
Character Subtext Logline: Mia is a middle aged woman suffering from infertility but wants her baby girl by any means necessary.
Flaw: Mia hates herself because she feels less than a human because she can’t have a baby. She wants her way and doesn’t care who she hurts.
Want: To be a mother to a daughter.
MIssion/ Agenda: To keep Olivia’s surgery a secret. Keep her daughter close.
2. Character Name: Shaun Allen
Role: Husband / Brother / Father
Core Character Traits
Meek
Confused
Laid back
Selfish
Character Subtext Logline: Shaun is a meek husband who wants a family and to be happy.
Flaw: He left Olivia because he didn’t want to deal with Mia.
Want: A relationship with his child.
3. Character Name: Deborah Allen
Role in the story: Leads sister.
Core Character Traits:
Schizophrenic
Oblivious
Bipolar
Innocent
Honest
Character Subtext Traits: Deborah is a disabled senior who lives with her brother.
MIssion / Agenda: To tell Olivia the truth about her surgery.
Identity: An adult with a child’s mind.
What makes this character unique?: Deborah is innocent but her disorder causes her to imagine things that aren’t there. She says whatever she is thinking.
4. Character Name: Olivia White
Role in the story: Daughter
Core Character Traits:
Confused
Insecure
Loyal
Brave
Character Subtext Logline: Olivia is a teenager trying to find herself.
Want: Her mothers love and approval. To be accepted.
Identity: Olivia was born a boy but is now a girl. Has to figure out what gender she wants to pursue.
5. Character Name Lavender
Role in the story: Girl friend to Lead.
Core Character Traits:
Loving
Supportive
Gentle
Loyal
Character Subtext Logline: Lavender is a supporting girlfriend that wants what is best for Olivia.
Wants: Olivia to be happy.
My character Lavender needs work because it was hard for me to get to the core of this character.
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Alice’s Character Profiles
What I learned doing this assignment is
I wish to create CP for every hero, and work on additional traits, and see together
Characters sparkle with new colors, when done so
Everything falls as cardboard box when small group of casted techno-society descends into underground shelter to spend centuries-long winter, to appear at epicenter of destruction of their planet Revozvrander.
2. Character Profilles
Lime
Second Keeper, Quartz’ brother
Core Character Traits
Ironic
Charismatic
Knowledgeable
Sophisticated
Character Subtext Logline: Lime is Second Keeper who often acts as speaker for his brother Quartz.
Character Arc
Parts to be changed: He is to witness end of his planet and casted society
Biggest fear: to be forced to live under abnormal conditions
Completion of Arc: He disconnects program, reinforcing planet’s destruction
Gilding
Lime’s youngest daughter, half-sister of Crystal, and Platinum’s fiancé.
Core Character Traits
Keeps to herself
Clever
Independent
Character Subtext Logline: Gilding is young adult who is in love with Platinum.
What makes this character unique? She loses sanity after she witnesses transformation of dead Diamond into animated monster, but restores right before their end
Carbon
Belongs to Higher Caste, older brother of Gold.
Core Character Traits
Rough
Gloomy
Experienced
Character Subtext Logline
Want/Need: He loves Crystal
Life Metaphor/ Identity: Live dog is better than dead lion
Secrete: He is pretending he is just that simple
Silicium
Guard, newcomer
Core Character Traits
A bit rough
Romanticized
A bit introvert
Trained
Character Subtext Logline: Silicium is additional Guard who acts as catalyst, when Magnet falls in love with him.
Character Arc
Parts to be changed: He finds new love, but loses his sister Diamond
Biggest fear: His love to be dead, or else insensitive
Completion of Arc: He has sex with Magnet
Star
Female, Quartz’s daughter
Core Character Traits
Intelligent
Sexy
Trained
Character Subtext Logline: Star is a hacker, who discovers and cracks link about enclosure of areas for time machine in the Future of Revozvrander.
Mission/Agenda: She is to brig BATTERY holder with info to Stone
Life Metaphor/ Identity: She is Female, division of Higher Caste, woman who keeps number of partners or exchanges them
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Pam’s Character Profiles
What I learned: Figuring out the Character Subtext Logline was one of the trickiest parts of this exercise. It forced me to see a side of my characters that I hadn’t considered before.
– – – – – – – – – – –
TANGLED UP (Rom-Com / Thriller)When a top Hollywood hairstylist witnesses a murder, he’s relocated to rural Vermont and works incognito as a dog groomer to evade the dangerous hitman. In his faux world, he meets his soulmate — but can’t tell her who he really is.
– – – – – – – HENRI BERGER
Role in Story: Protagonist / Celebrity Hairstylist-turned-Dog Groomer
Core Traits: Vain, Materialistic, Witty, Talented, Loyal
Character Subtext Logline: Henri Berger hides his true identity out of fear — and changes where he lives, his name, and his occupation to evade the hitman.
Character Arc: In his faux world, he discovers what matters most to him — and becomes less Materialistic
World View: a good hairstyle is transformational
Elevated Trait: From Vain to Ridiculously Vain. Example: he wears Italian designer loafers to a dog shelter and steps in poop. Dresses to look good, rather than being practical.
– – – – – – – MARC RICHE
Role in Story: Owner of the Beverly Hills Marc Riche Salon
Core Traits: Narcissistic, Manipulative, Materialistic, Insecure
Character Subtext Logline: Marc is an insecure hairstylist who manipulates people around him to inflate and validate his own “superstar” status.
Unique: his only true friend is his parrot, Chico, who always squawks his praises.
Elevated Trait: Manipulative to Homicidal. Will murder someone who eclipses his “star.”
– – – – – – – DETECTIVE KURT STONE
Role in Story: Lead detective / Henri’s Liaison while in police custody
Core Traits: Confident, Old-Fashioned, Sarcastic, Secretive
Character Subtext Logline: Det. Stone keeps key crime info to himself, operates as a loner even though he has a partner
Flaw: He rarely lets people surprise him, believes that he has everyone figured out
Arc: Henri and Det. Ramirez both surprise him and earn his respect
Elevated Trait: From Secretive to Deceptive. Example: For expediency, he fails to mention to Henri that the salon he’s being relocated to in Vermont is in fact, a DOG salon.
– – – – – – – ACADIA PARKS
Role in Story: Love Interest / Dog Shelter Manager / Camden’s Sister
Core Traits: Dog-Lover, Determined, Guarded, Sentimental
Character Subtext Logline: Acadia is a relationship-averse woman who buries herself in the company of dogs to avoid being hurt again.
Character Arc: She slowly puts her trust in Henri
Mission/Agenda: Leave No Dog Behind. She’s committed to finding Forever Homes for all her shelter dogs.
Elevated Trait: From Dog-Lover to Social Recluse. Example: She goes out on dates with dogs, rather than men.
– – – – – – – CAMDEN PARKS
Role in Story: Dog Salon Owner / Henri’s Contact & Confidante / Acadia’s Brother
Core Traits: Conservative, Trustworthy, Protective, Politically-Correct
Character Subtext Logline: Camden is an overly-conservative Dog Groomer who pooh-poohs new ideas to avoid failure.
Arc: With Henri’s encouragement, he takes some stylistic chances in the salon (which brings him success)
Elevated Trait: Protective to Over-Protective when it comes to Henri and his sister, Acadia. Camden will take steps to ensure their relationship doesn’t blossom.
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REWRITE – Day #4 – RAE’S CHARACTER PROFILES
What I got from this assignment was a deeper understanding of my characters and the opportunity to add and detract from their journeys.
LOGLINE: A women risks losing a high powered job when she marries on a first date knowing if her boss finds out she will get fired.
WRITE A ONE PAGE CHARACTER PROFILE ON FIVE CHARACTERS:
JESI JOHNSON:
ROLE – Main female character.
CORE CHARACTER TRAITS:
At thirty-five Jesi lives at home with her father. Self-employed, headstrong, she hates being told what to do. But loves working in construction pounding nails, her skills as good as any man.
Residential real estate is not her passion, and she has one foot out the door.
She expects to win at everything she tackles. Even though it’s a male arena, she is impatient to win at commercial real estate, have instant success in all she tackles.
SOMETHING THEY DON’T WANT TO ADMIT ABOUT THEMSELVES:
Never close to her mother, Jesi does not want children.
At thirty-five she moves in with her father, killed the only love relationship she ever had.
Jesi works side by side with Jackson in his construction company, has no intention of leaving.
A lifetime rift with her mother has destroyed any desire for motherhood. Jesi says she will never have children.
At thirty-five she’s had one boyfriend.
CHARACTER ARC (IF ANY)
After her mother dies Jesi moves in with her father, works part time in his company, Johnson Construction. Simultaneously she sells residential real estate, until her broker cheats her out of a commission. She quits and transitions to Schindler Investments, a commercial real estate company where she can make larger commissions. The broker Jason has one hard rule, he only hires single women. If she gets married she will be fired. The commercial office is ruthless, ninety percent male agents, all of them ruthless, aggressive.
Two months later Jackson dies. Devastated, Jesi has to gear up her sales to pay off the medical debt and IRS liens. She’s also inherited Johnson Construction, faced with selling the business.
Jesi meets the future love of her life, surgeon D. Gerald Gerard, at Jackson’s bedside and they instantly feel the love. Gerard pursues her, but she’ll be fired if broker Jason finds out.
Jason Wu is number one in sales, tells Jesi she will never catch him. Jesi takes him on. After three months at Shindler Investments she makes her first sale, then lists two apartment buildings. Rather than sell Johnson Construction, she employs a foreman, Mario, to run it in case she decides to return. She misses construction.
Finally, she meets up with Gerard, on their first date marries him. They keep it a secret but need to get the license. Jesi jumps head-first into sales, to pay off Jackson’s bills. Keeps putting Gerard off, but really wants to be with him.
Rivalry with Henry mounts as Jesi keeps taking his clients. She gains a private office and is the potential “Rookie of the Year.” Until Jason finds out Jesi is married! Lets it slip he knows Gerard, and he has a seven-year old boy. Hurt, confused, Jesi breaks off with Gerard, calls him a liar.
MISSION/AGENDA
Jesi is hammered with mounting debt, Jackson’s medical, also the IRS. This is all the motivation she needs
CHARACTER SUBTEXT LOGLINE
Jesi talks big but deep down is afraid she can’t compete with or even match the testosterone driven agents in the commercial office.
FLAW
Raised by an unloving mother with a domineering father her role model. Jesi doubts she’ll be a good wife, so why bother getting married. She DOES NOT want kids. She lets this sabotage all of her future relationships.
WANT/NEED
She wants love but doesn’t have time for it. Instead has to pay off her father’s debt. She wants to marry Dr. Gerard Leblanc – but keeps sabotaging herself.
WORLD VIEW
She closes three sales in a row, Jason dangling “Rookie of the year” at her. She forgets commitments, is self-focused – this is not how Jackson raised her.
LIFE METAPHOR/SECRET
After falling for and marrying Gerard maybe Jesi does want kids.
WHAT MAKES THIS CHARACTER UNIQUE
A woman creates her own success while living in a man’s world.
GERARD LEBLANC:
An accomplished surgeon, he helps Jesi transition through her father’s death.
ROLE: After first encounter, Gerard confesses Jesi is the woman he will marry.
CORE CHARACTER TRAITS
Strong, resolute, persistent.
A lover and proud Frenchman.
A loving father to his son.
A man who knows what he wants and goes after it.
He will only put up with so much before he sets boundaries.
CHARACTER SUBTEXT LOGLINE:
Gerard has an undisclosed adopted son that he withholds from Jesi their first date and after they marry, because she made it clear she does not want children.
FLAW
He’s a brain surgeon, runs a medical center, but he still cannot assert himself and tell Jesi the truth for fear of losing her.
WANT/NEED
He wants to tell the world he and Jesi are married.
MISSION/AGENDA
All he wants is to recue Jesi and make a life with her.
CHARACTER ARC (IF ANY)
He asserts himself, forgives Jesi’s debt, introduces her to his son, Jordan.
SECRETS
He hides his adopted son from Jesi, after she insists she does not want kids.
SOMETHING THEY DON’T WANT TO ADMIT
Jesi and Gerard’s love for each other transcends their collective problems.
WHAT MAKES CHARACTER UNIQUE
That a man as principled as Gerard is can lie about something so important.
WORLD VIEW
Though America and all it holds has Gerard’s loyalty, he is a Frenchman at heart.
LIFE METAPHOR/ IDENTITY
A Frenchman at heart, he lives to love.
JASON:
ROLE
A chauvinistic control freak who runs a male driven business.
CORE CHARACTER TRAITS
Cold, self-serving.
CHARACTER SUBTEXT LOGLINE
Male supremacy has worked <ins cite=”mailto:Rae%20Rodgers”>for him </ins>so far, until Jesi Johnson<ins cite=”mailto:Rae%20Rodgers”> g</ins>ets under his skin.
FLAW
His detachment to women.
WANT/NEED
He wants to run a tight shop, excluding woman, but there’s a price to pay for this.
MISSION/AGENDA
To have the most successful male dominated office.
CHARACTER ARC
Finally, he listens to Jesi and relaxes his rules.
SECRETS
He is divorced, has four daughter<ins cite=”mailto:Rae%20Rodgers”>s</ins>, still loves his wife.
SOMETHING THEY DON’T WANT TO ADMIT
Revenge is bittersweet. He has a soft heart after all.
WHAT MAKES HIM UNIQUE
His stubbornness and need to be right – rejecting women when he has four daughters.
WORLD VIEW
Real estate is everything.
LIFE METAPHOR/IDENTY
HE IS his real estate business.
HAROLD:
ROLE: A grumpy old guy, rich in property, but alone and without family.
CORE CHARACTER TRAITS
He sometime speaks before he thinks.
CHARACTER SUBTEXT LOGLINE
He’s<ins cite=”mailto:Rae%20Rodgers”>He has no family,</ins> lost his best friend, <ins cite=”mailto:Rae%20Rodgers”>so </ins>now <ins cite=”mailto:Rae%20Rodgers”>he </ins>wants to help that<ins cite=”mailto:Rae%20Rodgers”>his</ins> best friend’s daughter.
FLAW
He acts before thinking.
WANT/NEED
To be loved – wants family. Jesi is the closest he has.
MISSION/ AGENDA
To help Jesi live her dream.
CHARACTER ARC (IF ANY)
A property rich old guy who can still make a difference in another’s life, namely Jesi’s.
SECRETS THEY DON’T WANT TO ADMIT
He knew he should have stood up to Henry and said no to him.
He has a very soft heart.
He made a mistake by listing with Henry.
WHAT MAKES THEM UNIQUE
He is himself and a force to be reckoned with.
WORLD VIEW
What you sow you reap.
HENRY WOO:
CHARACTER SUBTEXT LOGLINE
Henry is cut-throat in sales, but then often retreats to write Haiku showing the soft side of his character.
FLAW He acts before he thinks it through. He accuses people wrongly, always wants to be number one.
He needs to win, and he doesn’t care who he steps on.
WANT/NEED
To be number one, although he does have a big crush on Jesi, winning comes first.
SECRETS THEY DON’T WANT TO ADMIT
He has a soft heart and cares what people think of him.
WHAT MAKES THEM UNIQUE
He is focused on what he wants, lets nothing get in his way.
MISSION/AGENDA
To make his father wrong and to prove he is number one in this business.
HOMEWORK: I WORKED THROUGH THE SCRIPT AND USED THE STEPS BELOW TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND EACH ONE OF MY CHARACTERS.
· IMPROVE ONE OR MORE ITEMS ON EACH CHARACTER PROFILE. DONE
· PLACE CHANGE AT BOTTOM OF THAT PROFILE
· TELL HOW IT IMPROVED YOUR CHARACTER AND WHAT IT MIGHT DO FOR YOUR STORY.
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JOHNNY CULLEN’S CHARACTER PROFILES
What I learned about doing this project was that by isolating your characters you can really get baseball cards like character traits on each which makes you see how they can compare and contrast with each other.
Logline: An insecure influencer competes with his estranged half-sister to win prize money in a video game tournament to save his crooked step-father from prison.
Character Name: Diarmuid Ryan
Role: Protganist/ Failed Influencer
Core Character Traits
– Loser
– Try hard
– Attention seeking
– Insecure
Character Subtext Logline: Diarmuid is a failed influencer desperate for success.
His mission: desperately trying to win a video game competition to avoid custody of his half-sister.
Want: To be a successful influencer Need: Self-love/Unconditional Love – Sense of worth.
ELEVATION – Changed Try hard to determine as this is our redeeming feature with Diarmuid makes him more likeable.
<hr>
Character Name: Maeve Dunleavy
Role: Diarmuid’s Half-Sister
Core Character Traits
– Introverted
– Quirky
– Aggressive
– Stubborn
Character Subtext Logline: Maeve wants to make sure Richard doesn’t go to jail.
His mission: Doesn’t want her father to go to jail otherwise she may live with her mother and her awful step siblings.
Want: To win the Emerald Fist competition Need: Parental and Sibling Love.
ELEVATION – Change aggressive to affectionate – this as there are moments when Maeve really wants to show love.
<hr>
Character Name: Richard
Role: Diarmuid’s StepFather/Maeve’s Father
Core Character Traits
– Sly
– Self Centred
– Conman
– Delusional
Character Subtext Logline: Richard wants to prove that he is a rich wealthy man by any means necessary.
His mission: To avoid going to jail for fraud by getting Diarmuid to pay it for him.
Want: To avoid prison Need: Unconditional Love/Sense of worth.
ELEVATION – Currently one-dimensional change conman to desperate. We need to feel for him.
<hr>
Character Name: Alice
Role: Diarmuid’s and Maeve’s Mother
Core Character Traits
– Outspoken
– Holistic
– Argumentative
– Narcissistic
Character Subtext Logline: Alice wants to have a settled and happy love with someone who loves her.
His mission: To get Maeve back into her custody
Want: Richard to go to jail and gain custody of Maeve. Need: Unconditional Love.
ELEVATION – Change Narcissistic to Craving love. She desperately needs a man to support her and make her feel whole.
<hr>
Character Name: Kevin
Role: Successful Influencer (Diarmuids role model)
Core Character Traits
– Confident
– False
– Impressionable
– Social
Character Subtext Logline: Kevin wants to maintain his level of being a successful influencer.
His mission: To alienate himself from Diarmuid.
Want: To win Emerald Fist to boost his career. Need: Unconditional Love.
ELEVATION – Change Social to vulnerable – his demeanour is a thin shell that he is desperate to protect.
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Art’s Character Profiles:
What I learned is that I can get a lot of scene ideas and a lot more conflict after I’ve broken down the characters by trait and figuring out what make them tick.
Log line.
A young career woman, paralyzed by recurring nightmares involving another woman from a far-off time who was raped, gets the shock of her life when her DNA ancestry service informs her that a distant cousin with the same face and name as the rapist from her distant-past dream wants to get in touch.
Mattie Loomis
Role in the story: Protagonist, A graphic artist turned detective trying to resolve her recurring nightmares.
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– Paranoid of meeting same fate as ancestor
– Out to solve the mystery of her past so she can be at peace.
– Suffers from depression
– Risk taker
– Loyal
Character subtext Logline: Mattie can’t function until she gets vengeance on the man who raped her in a past life.
World view: Life is a big trap. The only way out is death.
Character arc: She goes from feeling trapped to helping others out of tight circumstances.
Elevated Trait: From out to solve the mystery of her past to out to get vengeance on her ancestor’s rapist.
Character Name: Jennifer
Role in the story: Ally of hero. A graduate student in counseling who takes on clients.
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– People oriented
– Needy of compliments especially that her advice is helpful.
– Worries that her advice causes more harm than good.
– Suffers psychosomatic illnesses
– Lacks confidence
Character subtext Logline: She feels her self-worth comes from helping others but her own feelings of worthlessness make her ill equipped to help others.
Character subtext: Jennifer feels her advice to her friend was not only bad, it will get her killed.
Character arc: She goes from feeling her advice was bad because she had such a rough childhood to realizing the tools she used to overcome her traumas are the best tools for helping others.
Elevated trait: From worrying about her ability to help others to confident that she knows what to do.
Earl Simms
Role in the story: Antagonist.
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– He’s a hands on guy who likes to solve problems physically. He’s not a guy who sits behind a desk.
– Confident.
– He feels everyone has a price.
– He’s a sociopath who acts charming but if need be, he’d slit your throat.
Character subtext Logline
Earl’s Mattie’s prince charming until she finds where the gold is buried. Then he’ll take it all for himself.
Elevated trait: From confident to overly confident. He’s sure he can physically overpower Mattie, his allies and anyone else who gets in his way. He finds himself outmatched.
CHARLENE:
Role in the story: A graphic artist with no talent who thinks she’s a star.
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– Coming off cigarettes, she goes through withdrawals which makes her very aggressive and confrontational.
– Claustrophobic
– Needs to feel in charge.
– Emotional
Character subtext Logline: There is no I in team. Charlene is the “I.” She deserves part of the reward if Mattie finds the gold because she’s such a good friend.
Mission: Follow Mattie to Mississippi to help her out of a jam.
Elevated trait: From emotional to hyper emotional. She has tantrums when she doesn’t get her way, like a five year old.
Character: Robin
Role in the story: Interconnecting character
Core character traits (no more than 5)
– Curious about her ancestors
– Furious about good old southern boys with deep seeded racism
– Paranoid about being singled out for punishment by white society.
– Lifelong volunteer at the food bank. Can’t stand seeing anyone hungry.
Character subtext Logline
Locked into an impoverished lifestyle while living on the plantation where her ancestors were slaves, she yearns to find a way out of poverty.
Character arc: She goes from seeing herself as a victim to a person who leads.
Elevated trait: From paranoid to hyper-paranoid. She knows her place and is very careful to stay in her place until she breaks a rule. Game over. It’s a fight to the finish.
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What I learned: It doesn’t take a lot to elevate a character trait.
1. Logline: When a macho construction worker has to take a job as an administrative assistant, he is forced to work with the woman he catcalled.
2. Nick
Role: Male lead
Core Character Traits: Smart, Sensitive
Character Subtext Logline: Insecure, thought he had it all figured out.
Flaw: Prone to anger due to insecurity
Want/Need: Wants to be his own man
Mission/Agenda: To provide for himself (and his girlfriend)
Character Arc (if any): Doesn’t like change but learns to embrace it
World View: What world?
Life Metaphor/Identity: Life is hard, don’t do too much
Secret: Scared of looking dumb
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Would like to change but too scared to do it.
What makes this character unique? Not a stereotype despite looking like one.
Improvement: Add his trauma of being the son of narcissists
Ella
Role: Female lead
Core Character Traits: Feminist, unafraid, insecure
Character Subtext Logline: Not afraid to go for it but doesn’t want to alienate her parents.
Flaw: Thinks people are lying to her and doesn’t trust her instincts.
Want/Need: Needs to prove she is competent/needs security
Mission/Agenda: to prove to everyone she is competent
Character Arc (if any): From uncertain to secure and more trusting.
World View: This job is but a pit stop to the next big thing
Life Metaphor/Identity: There is nothing she can’t do, maybe.
Secret: Doesn’t want to end up alone
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Doesn’t have any true friends.
What makes this character unique? She’s not just a pretty face and is very tough
Improvement: Work on forgiveness
James
Role: Antagonist
Core Character Traits: Arrogant, insecure
Character Subtext Logline: Is afraid that life passed him by, dying alone, his kids rejecting him.
Flaw: Does not like change
Want/Need: Needs to keep what he has
Mission/Agenda: To show the world he is the boss
Character Arc (if any): From a Don Draper-like dinosaur to somewhat normal
World View: The world is his oyster
Life Metaphor/Identity: He is the alpha male
Secret: Insecure
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Needs help from those around him
What makes this character unique? He isn’t a stereotype
Improvement: Threatened by Nick
Sam
Role: Nick’s father
Core Character Traits: No-nonsense
Character Subtext Logline: Can’t understand why a cup of coffee costs $3 today
Flaw: Sees everything through a narrow lens
Want/Need: Wants his children to do well and needs them to continue to visit
Mission/Agenda: Getting his kids into adulthood.
Character Arc (if any): None
World View: The world is a mess, his isn’t
Life Metaphor/Identity
Secret
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves
What makes this character unique?
Improvement: Be a little more flexible
Angela
Role: Ella’s mother
Core Character Traits: Worried all the time
Character Subtext Logline: Won’t be happy until all her children are married with children.
Flaw: Doesn’t want to move forward
Want/Need: Wants to be a good mom
Mission/Agenda: Get her children married off
Character Arc (if any)
World View
Life Metaphor/Identity
Secret
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves
What makes this character unique?
Improvement: Making concessions for the changing world.
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Rebecca’s Character Profiles, Day 4
What I learned from doing this assignment is to not give up. I really struggled to feel like I was bringing anything new to the table for both this assignment and the beats sheet. At first, I had nothing new but knew that I needed a lot of elevating. Slept on it an hoped for insight. And I actually feel like I had some breakthroughs with one pretty good trait to elevate for each of the 5 characters. I also am still pretty happy with the one beat I was able to elevate in last assignment, it being the opening with a lot more going on off the bat. And I know that these will both be ongoing throughout . Was able to see that and felt better about not having all the answers right now. More discoveries to come. Onward!!! I’m playing with loglines and am liking the subtext logline more and more. I’m going to keep it here for now. It feels more honest.
Logline: Rachel, is a successful artist and musician with one last score to settle. Will she find her long-time estranged Mother before it’s too late?
1) Character Name: Rachel
Role: Artist, Musician, Daughter, Protagonist, Optimist
Core Character Traits
– Party girl
– Self sufficient
– Curious
– Sarcastic
– Resourceful
– Determined
Flaw: OCD Perfectionist. Self Loathing for not being perfect.
Character Arc: from anger to forgiving.
World View: Life is what you make of it.
Life Metaphor/Identity: compassion and justice
Secret:
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Rachel doesn’t want to admit that she still needs approval from her mom.
What makes this character unique?
Rachel is unique as a result of her story that causes her to be her own hero/warrior, survivor resilient resourceful self sufficient from a very young age.
Character Subtext Logline: Rachel, determined to have the life of her dreams, has a score to settle and sets out to find her long-time estranged Mother before it’s too late.
Her mission: To find and confront Beth, her Mom.
Want: To be acknowledged. important. TO HAVE A VOICE.
Need: Acceptance. Love. needed.
*** Instead of going with resourceful, I’m taking triumphant and elevating it in more celebration of Rachel’s courage and overcoming shitty circumstances no matter what. I will change more traits that reflect more of who Rachel is. As in takes action. etc I don’t want her ever to play into victim. She more feels proud of what she’s accomplished in spite of….
2) Character Name: Mom/Beth
Role: Nomad, Mom, Antagonist
Core Character Traits:
– Uptight Narcissistic
– Self sufficient
– Proper
– Insecure
– Jealous
– Handy
– Proud/Idealistic?
Flaw: Judgemental, Pompous, self conscious
Want: Order in her court. To have things as they should be. Pleasant.
Need: To be right. To be the center.
Mission/Agenda:.
Character Arc (if any);
World View:
Life Metaphor/Identity Do as I say not as I do.
Secret: Her deep feelings.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: That she’s wrong.
What makes this character unique? She stands out in a doesn’t play well with others way.
Character Subtext Logline: Beth is a the long-time estranged mother who pretends to be unconscious while her curious daughter makes a surprise visit, that is no surprise after all.
***Instead of adding a bunch more traits, I finally realized it could raise the stakes and empathy for Beth to elevate her Narcissism, ie. Pompous. Superiority complex, Jealousy. Does not play well with others. So when it gets really ugly with the scene that I am putting back in, we can still care for Beth in spite of her despicable behavior. At least understand.
3) Character Name: Paul
Role: Musician, Guitarist, Love interest, Band Mate
Core Character Traits
– True blue
– Service oriented
– focused
– Sarcastic
– Every man’s guy, traditional and old school (still quotes Archie Bunker), so not alway politically correct.
Flaw: People pleaser, too nice ???? think about this more
Want: to be loved
Need: to be needed
Mission/Agenda: To be in relationship with Rachel.
Character Arc (if any)
World View:
Life Metaphor/Identity: Do the right thing.
Secret:
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: pushover
What makes this character unique? not many left
Character Subtext Logline: Paul is evolved, open and to the point. What you see is what you get. His loyalty runs deep. And he has let Rachel know what he wants.
His mission: To get the best out of life and that includes Rachel Want: Love, to be acknowledged. Respect.
Need: to Provide. Love.
***I will elevate Paul being old school (politically incorrect with a heart of gold) for humor and the kind of charm that makes you cringe a little but he’s still so lovable. NEED TO THINK MORE ON THIS
4) Character Name: Aunt Nina
Role: Aunt, Mother, Sister in-law, Family Center
Core Character Traits
– Party girl
– Self sufficient
– Thrifty/Hoarder
– Fun, jovial
– Loud, life of the party
– potty mouth
Flaw: shallow???? think on this
Want/Need: to have fun and live a good life. that’s it.
Mission/Agenda: enjoy what ya got a lot, and cross off the stuff on the list.
Character Arc (if any)
World View: I don’t care.
Life Metaphor/Identity: I love my life.
Secret
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Lonely
What makes this character unique? Her quirky, loud friendly unconscious self.
Character Subtext Logline: Aunt Nina is an “alright… well that’s that…” kind of gal, with a mischievous tone, and an ear splitting, joyous cackle. always willing to go “reluctantly” along with the gag.
****Aunt Nina is pretty colorful already. I have elevated her uniqueness but need to think on some other possibilities.
5) Character Name: Eleanor
Role: Caretaker, Mom’s friend from the past, mystery woman, possibly Beth’s lover??
Core Character Traits
– Caretaker
– Loyal
– Serious
– In charge
– tougher than she looks
– protective/jealous
Flaw
Want: Beth’s companionship
Need: Beth’s companionship
Mission/Agenda: Protect and care for Beth.
Character Arc (if any)
World View: I am here to care for others.
Life Metaphor/Identity: You are what you give
Secret: In love with Beth.
Something they don’t want to admit about themselves: Needy
What makes this character unique? THINK ON THIS
Character Subtext Logline: Eleanor is a life-long loyal pet and caretaker; she is secretly in love with Beth.
**** Have elevated the trait, Jealousy, with Eleanor secretly in love with Beth to raise the stakes. Also to make sense of her rigidness and slow to be kind to Rachel. Adds some resentment, even though she had the responsibility of letting her know where her mom is.
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