Lesson 2

[Pauline Gray]

Subject line: Pauline Gray’s Three Circles of Characters

What I learned from this assignment was how much the connected circle and the environment circle serve to help build the world of the show.

Mr. Robot:

A: Main Characters Circle

Elliot

Mr. Robot

Tyrell Wellick

Angela

B: Connected Circle

Therapist

Ollie

Gideon

Darlene – Hacker

Shayla — drug dealer

C: Environment Circle

Mr. X

Men in Black suits/ Lawyers

F Society Hackers

Various Drug Users/ Shayla’s drug dealing boyfriend

• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by  Pauline Gray.

[Pauline Gray]

Pauline Gray — My Project BLAXIT — Three Circles of Characters:

What I learned from this assignment is that I need to dig deeper into creating a more solid world of characters.

A: Main Characters Circle:

ALISON WEAVER:

Triple Threat — Beautiful, Successful, and Intelligent. It’s too bad Alison can’t pick men like she picks stocks.

ROXY JONES:

Litigious international lawyer & Certified Man Collector.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>CHINARA UDEH:

Nigerian oil money trust fund baby who thinks that money should be spent at the rate it gushes up from the Earth.

FAIZAH AHMAD:

Devout Muslim fashion designer, determined to find love and live life on her own terms, one deconstructed hijab at a time.

B: Connected Circle

Pierre Salnave — Alison’s mysterious French lover

Ifeanyi Udeh– Chinara’s Dad and Alison’s illicit lover.

The best friends’ various other love interests.

C: Environment Circle:

The couples that Alison interviews in her research.

[Karen Christine Angermayer]

Karen Christine Angermayer´s Three Circles of Characters:

Sweet Little Lies

What I learned doing this assignment (especially in Assignment 2) is to really find out who´s journey it is.

A. Main Characters Circle: Madline, Jane, Celeste, Rebecca

B. Connected Circle: Nate, Bonnie, Perry, Rebecca´s husband, the kids

C. Environment Circle: teachers at school, other parents, the police, Tom (barkeeper at the port)

[Kristina Zill]

KZ’s Three Circles of Characters in THE 100

What I learned doing this assignment is how to delineate characters by their importance.

A. MAIN CHARACTERS CIRCLE

ON EARTH

Clarke Griffin – level headed daughter of Dr. Griffin and her father, an engineer who was “floated” (out into space) after he discovered that The Ark was doomed and wanted to tell the residents about it. Clarke was locked up — guilty by association.

Finn Collins – risk taker and Clarke’s love interest

Bellamy Blake – Wants to keep the adults from coming to Earth, and wants to take control of the teens.

Chancellor – son of Thelonious. Competition with Bellamy.

ON THE ARK

Dr. Abby Griffin – Clarke’s mother. Principled member of the crew who wants to make sure humans merit surviving.

Marcus Kane – Second in command. Wants to take Thelonious’s place. Wants to make sure humans survive, even if it means purging the population on The Ark. Dictatorial, wants to kill anyone who disagrees with him.

B. CONNECTED CIRCLE

ON EARTH

Octavia Blake – hottie rebel, impetuous sister of Bellamy

Jasper Jordan – goofy stoner, involved with Octavia

Monty Green – Asian teen, knows about edible plants

ON THE ARK

Thelonious Jaha – Chancellor, enforcer of laws, tries to be firm, yet just

Raven Reyes – engineer, risk taker

C. ENVIRONMENT CIRCLE

• Crew and residents of The Ark
• Teenagers on Earth
• Mountain Men
• Cannibals
• Animals on Earth

[Karen Christine Angermayer]

Karen Christine Angermayer:

My project The Amazing Garden of Bellamy Potts

What I learned doing this assignment is – as I said in Assignment 1 – to clearly find out who´s journey it is.

At this point I am not sure, yet, if it is Elena´s or Frances´ journey.

A. Main Characters Circle:

Elena – real estate agent in her 30´s, of British-Spanish origin, workaholic, engaged with the son of one of the biggest construction companies in Tenerife/Canary Islands.

Frances – widow in her 70´s, used to geht any information she wants, plays a golf round not to get some fresh air but foremost information (though she´s a great player), former relationship to the (now dead) head of one of the 2 leading families on the island, their illegitimate child wasn´t born.

Sue Ellen – friend of Frances, they know each other since childhood, takes care of her bedridden husband (several strokes), admires Frances for her courage, is the only person Frances trusts, has a great voice, but never dared to step on the big stages.

Sir Paul – former commander of the Royal Navy, now enjoying the Sea and great Spanish wines and tapas. Had an affair with Frances when they were younger. Still some fire between them.

Bernardo – Italian gentlemen in his late 60´s, two times divorced, master in flirting and cooking pasta of all kinds, avoids talking about his former life in Sicily and NY. Connections to the Mafia?

B. Connected Circle:

Enrique – Elena´s spouse, charming and career-focused like her, though more relaxed

Luis – young gardener in the residential Sunset Beach, doing whale watching- and other tours for tourists (has many jobs, is a life-artist, as we call it over here), doesn´t care about money but about meaning, knows everything about the Sea, adores Elena.

Carlos and Ricarda, officers of the Local Police (he in his 50´s, she in her 30´s)

Other neighbors/residents of Sunset Beach (international)

C. Environment Circle:

Elena´s co-workers and boss at the real estate agency

Elena´s parents, living in Sevilla

Construction company of Enrique and his father

Staff at the little bar NAUTICO at the marina

Local authorities

Greenkeepers at the golf course

Tourists

Inhabitants of the island

[Cat Miggs]

Cat Miggs Three Circles of Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is by organizing characters into groups off the main character, especially working on it on my story, gives me more clarity on the relationships.

Assignment 1: Walking Dead

1. Main Characters: Rick, Lori, Shane and Glen

2. Connected Circle: Dale, Andrea, Dixon, Moralas, Merle and T-Dog

3. Environment Circle: Walkers, Base Camp Survivors

Assignment 2: My Show: The Tree Whisperer

1. Main Characters: (I’m still working them all out, but this is what I got so far)

Susan, a forest ranger who can talk to trees and is on a journey to love ( there is more to her, I’m still brainstorming on her)

Wilma the Tree, a rainbow eucalyptus tree, the only one of it’s kind in the forest.

Mystery Forest Ranger, is a spirit who mission is to attach himself to Susan’s real soulmate.

2. Connected Circle: the Circle of Trees, Forest Ranger Team: Chris, Shauna, Chuck, Donna

3. Environment Circle: park tourist, the locals, the Tree that go off the Circle of Trees

[Jan Fantl]

What I learned doing this assignment is to analyze and sort characters in the series Supergirl ep 2

Three Circles of Characters

Main: Kara/ Assistant – Kara/ heroine

Alex Denver’s – sister/ DEO

Winn – buddy

James – guardian/ romance ?

Connecting: Hank Henshaw DEO / ?

Kat Grant

EL Loura/Mother/ judge/ hologram

Aunt/ general Astra

Environment: Bad guy from jailship/ helgramit

Bad guys from jailship

Doctors and soldiers DEO

Journalists at CatCo

• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by  Jan Fantl.

[Jan Fantl]

2. Three Circles of Character in THIRST – my serie

Lead characters

Oliver Wind, is far away in Afghanistan serving as a military police officer, granted to fly home to Germany to see his mother and help her with the funeral of his father, only to find out that both parents have passed on arrival. In a suspicious way.

Marie Wind, bartender in a rough red neck bar, during daytime self educating herself as a photographer of landscape, turns out to be Olivers cousin, will become his sidekick to find out about his parents liquidation.

Dr. Stefanie Müller, a PTSD specialized therapist, where Oliver, ordered by his commanding officer, shows up and slowly leads Oliver from opening about the blood and death he sees on a daily base to his digest of dishonest operations he has been ordered to and finally why he left hometown so early.

Petra Ketzer, leader of homicide squat in Cottbus, is opposing Oliver’s suspicion of foul play in his parents death as murder and dislikes him for tricking her superiors that she has to start investigation.

Connecting / Returning
Dr. Paul, the notary not only to open the will of Oliver’s mum but giving hints and guiding Oliver to what all happened with the will the last days before his fathers passing and the one day before his mother died. He is part of the cities inner circle yet not of the ongoing conspiracies

Hans Wind, uncle of Oliver and Marie’s father. self declared leader of the Wind tribe, part of the cities honorees circle

Johann -Feuer, CEO of the water mill conglomerate

Clarice Feuer, his highly talented daughter, member of the c-lvel management of the water mill

Steve Ligt, buddy soldier in the US Army, Drone pilot screening Europe and Germany by Satellite

Pavel Horky, buddy soldier in the CZ army

Generalmajor Luft, Commanding officer in the HQ of military police in Germany

Officer de liaison – between ministers of defense and government

Siggi, Journeyman and fathers wingman in Shipyard

Environment /One liners

Mortican

Buddy soldiers in the military police in Germany;

Relatives & Distant relatives in hometown

Buddies & soldiers on post in Afghanistan

Enemies in the field / Afghanistan IS

Red necks and right wingers

Servants in public authorities in hometown

Neighbors to shipyard

Lower and higher Water authority

Water mill engineers close to borders CZ/PL

Chemical workers

Border patrol

[Kristina Zill]

KZ’s Three Circles of Characters for my project: MURDER MY DARLINGS

What I learned doing this assignment… is how to start categorizing characters in order of importance.

MAIN CHARACTERS TRIANGLE

Oliver (28) – smitten with Tony, wakes up in his apartment with partial amnesia, trying to fill in the blanks. Possibly a Broadway costume designer, out of work due to the pandemic.

Tony (30) – Nolan’s lover, rebellious, impish, devilish, charismatic

Nolan Harris (60) – bestselling author of supernatural thrillers, imperious, jealous, insecure

CONNECTED CIRCLE

Michelle – trans Superintendent of the building, who used to be involved with Nolan when she was a he. Her role model is TV’s nosy neighbor Mrs. Kravitz.

Indigo – Tarot reader, pseudo-therapist, given to blunt, hurtful pronouncements

Detective Uhm – a dim-witted Columbo, good looking, always draws the wrong conclusions

André – Actor who starred in a film adaptation of a Nolan Harris novel, sassy, judgmental, self-preserving at all costs

Raymond – the dead man who was involved with Tony. In the first scene of the show, he meets the same gruesome death that seems to befall all of Tony’s flirtations. Finding Raymond’s killer is the driver of the first season.

ENVIRONMENT CIRCLE

Food delivery guy

People on the street

Patrons and workers at the coffee shop where Nolan likes to sit and write and people-watch

Hospital personnel, patients and visitors

[Bobby Sacher]

Bobby’s Character Circles: What I learned doing this assignment is… how essential each character is in MR. ROBOT, as they affect Elliot’s character.

CHARACTER CIRCLES

MR ROBOT

MAIN CHARACTER CIRCLE

ELLIOTT – Protagonist; paranoid, brilliant cyber-security tech

ANGELA – Elliott’s only real friend; possible love interest

MR. ROBOT – unhinged provocateur; offering Elliott revenge, but is he good or bad?

TYRELL WELLICK – CTO at E(vil) Corpo – a bizarre, evil version of Elliott – the “big bad”

CONNECTED CIRCLE

KRISTA – Elliott’s therapist

SHAYLA – Elliott’s drug-dealer

GIDEON – head of Cyber-security company; Elliot’s boss

OLLIE – Angela’s boyfriend, cheating on her

DARLENE – one of Mr. Robot’s crew

ENVIRONMENT CIRCLE

ELLIOTT’S CO-WORKERS at cyber-security firm

MR. ROBOT’S TEAM of revolutionaries

EVIL CORP’S LAWYERS

EVIL CORP’S MUSCLE

NYC CITIZENS

MY CHARACTER CIRCLES

AMP

MAIN CHARACTER CIRCLE

FRANK GRAFT – Protagonist; bitter, self-hating detective, trying to “play out the string” and retire (OR, desperate to prove he still “has what it takes”)

AMP – Streetwise, smart-ass Robot-Detective, forced to partner with Frank – first truly sentient AI Robot

AILENE – AMP’s “Robitics Liaison” – basically AMP’s therapist, monitoring his adjustment/ progress as a detective; Ailene sympathizes with robots more than humans – they judge her based on her brain capacity, not her race and gender.

DANI – Frank’s teenage daughter, eternally disappointed by her father, blames him for divorce. Frank’s only thing worth living for.

CONNECTED CHARACTER CIRCLE

FRANK’S THERAPIST

FRANK’S EX-WIFE

CHIEF/DEPARTMENT HEAD (Jane Lynch-type)

BRADY GATNY – Rival detective

CORONER

FRANK’S FATHER/ONLY FRIEND – retired detective

ENVIRONMENT CIRCLE

DETECTIVES

COMPUTER TECHS AT CORPORATION (Clean Slate, Inc?)

CRIMINALS

SECRETARIES, OFFICE WORKERS AT PRECINCT

STREET LIFE – WITNESSES, VICTIMS, ACCOMPLICES

PROSECUTORS, JUDGES, DEFENSE ATTORNEYS

[Neil Werenskjold]

What I learned doing this assignment is how to consider characters by the three levels of importance.

Circle of Characters for Scandal

Main Characters: Olive and Steve Pope, News Reporter Abby Wheldan

Connected Circle: DA Dave, Cyrus Beene, Harrison Wright, Quinn, President of USA, Judge, Stacy

Environment Circle: Madome, Tec Guy, Gate Guard, extra’s in court room, Stacy President’s wife, Mr and Ms Keating

My screenplay three circles of characters for Military Family Blues is:

Main Character Circle:

BILL WOLF works on Base as a program manager, Technical Sargent in the Air Force Reserves Civil Engineering Squadron, crafty, production minded, and is a finisher, he finishes what he or someone started, come hell or high water, or if necessary, by bending the rules sometimes.

MARY WOLF runs her own home daycare for preschool children, gifted at working and teaching children to read, fosters curiosity in children to want to learn and teach each other.

SAMATHA (SAM) BROWNING unemployed, life hardened Staff Sargent in the Air Force Reserves Civil Engineering Squadron, prides herself for doing a good job, follows the rules but will cross a line once in a while.

TOM BROWNING Fireman for the city, will charge into burning buildings if someone needs too, follows the rules, gets tempted once in a while, and honestly tries to do what’s right all the time.

Connected Circle: SSgt DENNIS (BOBO) BOHUNGAR, Sgt HARTMAN, and SSgt MARIO ROJAS.
Environmental Circle: FIRST SARGENT OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING SQUADRON, COMMANDER OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING SQUADRON, HOSPITAL INFORMATION LADY, HOSPITAL NURSE, EXTRAS in Civil engineering Squadron, and Hospital.

[Michael Lipoma]

What I learned doing this assignment is that several of my initial assumptions about the show’s characters were wrong. Doing this analysis has brought a whole new level to the characters, their (often bad) choices, and how they drive plot.

ASSIGNMENT 1:

Watch the next episode of your Example Show to see how the characters fit into these three circles:

THE MORNING SHOW (TMS)

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>A. Main Characters Circle:

Alex Levy: long-time anchor of TMS

Bradley Jackson: new co-anchor of TMS

Cory Ellison: President of the News Division

Charlie Black (Chip): EP of TMS

B. Connected Circle:

Hannah Shoenfeld: Producer

Mitch Kessler: disgraced/fired host of TMS

Daniel Henderson: weekend anchor(?) and suitor for TMS anchor chair

C. Environment Circle:

Greg: Floor Manager

Sarah Gravele: Alex’s agent

Yanko Flores: weatherman, suitor for anchor

Claire Conway: PA

Fred: President of the network

Lizzie: Alex’s daughter

Jason Craig: Alex’s husband

Makeup Person

Various producers, crew

Ashley: one of Mitch’s sexual misconduct victims

SCHITT’S CREEK

A. Main Characters Circle:

David Rose

Johnny Rose

Alexis Rose

Moira Rose

B. Connected Circle:

Roland Schitt: Mayor

Twyla Sands: Restaurant Owner

Stevie Budd: Hotel Manager

Jocelyn Schitt: Mayor’s Wife

Patrick Brewer: David’s love interest/husband

Ted Mullens: local vet, Alexis’ love interest

C. Environment Circle:

Mutt Schitt: Roland and Jocelyn’s son

Ray Butane: Real estate agent, local entrepreneur

Ronnie Lee: City Council Member

Bob Currie: Council Member, Auto Repair Shop Owner

ASSIGNMENT 2:

1. Create the three circles of characters for your show.

2. Give us a one sentence description of each of the Main Characters.

LOVE SPRINGS

A. Main Characters Circle:

Nora Glass: disgraced Big Pharma exec/ex-con who moves to Love Springs to start her life over.

Mindy Margolis: Nora’s lifelong friend. Can find a sparkle in a mud puddle. Loyal. Grew up in the town and loves it.

Bobby Kyle: Mayor. Always looking for an angle to get the town on the map. OR Always looking for an angle to get the town acquired/sold/absorbed by another town/dissolved altogether.

Jack Oadlinker: Nora’s closest friend from work, who still believes she’s innocent. They’re in touch, but keep it secret—the company doesn’t allow anyone to be in contact w/Nora, so he uses a burner phone.

B. Connected Circle:

Terry Apple: Nora’s Ex Husband. He’s the dick who left her and swindled what was left of her money while she was in prison.

Brent Waters: Nora’s Former Parma Boss, who engineered Nora’s demise so he could sell the company and make hundreds of millions.

Dennis “Nickel” Nicholls: local good guy but stealth drug dealer. Nobody ever expects the town’s nicest and most decent person to be the main source of anything sketchy.

Amanda Lutz: Police Chief

Nancy Lin: Restaurant Owner. She runs a dying restaurant in a dying town. She varies the cuisine according to the last movie she watched to try and attract business.

C. Environment Circle:

William C. Hart: FDA Auditor with the associated stick up his ass.

Walt Alvarez: Gas Station Owner/mechanic

Marcus Demeter: cook at Margie’s restaurant

[Chanda Haynes]

What I learned doing this assignment is that characters can be highlighted during an episode, but that doesn’t necessarily make them a main character. They’re just used to push the story in that particular episode.

Empire’s Three Circles of Characters:

A. Main Character Circle:

Lucious Lyon – CEO/Founder of Empire Records

Cookie Lyon – Co-Founder of Empire Records, ex-wife of Lucious

Andre Lyon – Oldest son of Cookie and Lucious, CFO of Empire Records

Jamal Lyon – Second son of Cookie and Lucious, Empire Records artist

Hakeem Lyon – Youngest son of Cookie and Lucious, Empire Records artist

B. Connected Circle:

Rhonda Lyon – wife of Andre

Bunky – Lucious’s assistant/flunkie, cousin to Cookie and the children

Anika – Lucious’s girlfriend, director of A&R at Empire

Tiana – Empire recording artist, off/on girlfriend of Hakeem

Becky – Lucious’s executive assistant at Empire

Vernon – Lucious’s right hand man, the “fixer” for the team

C: Environmental Circle:

Competing Record label executives, producers, other musicians/artists, fleeting love interests of Jamal, prisoners, attorneys, police/detectives, extended family, doctors, pastor, Empire Board of Directors, judges, TV/radio personalities, fans, social media followers

[Chanda Haynes]

Like the Joneses: Three Circles of Characters

A. Main Characters:

Tony Jones – Calm, cool, a bit detached. Smart, reliable..your go to guy in a pinch.

Willie Jones – Traditional, no nonsense, more loving less nurturing. Family first kinda guy.

Henry Jones – Free spirited, visionary, charismatic..not to be trusted around your woman or your money.

Pete Roberts – Book smart and street smart, a by any means necessary type of dude. Money over everything.

B. Connected Circle:

Elaine Roberts – wife of Willie, step-mother of Tony, aunt/mother figure to Henry

Tracey Jones-Matthews – stepdaughter of Willie, attorney for the family business

Steve Matthews – Willie’s son in law, Tracey’s husband, head of Operations at Jones Farmacy

Heather Jones – twin sister of Henry, raised by Willie and Elaine

Cynthia Jones – daughter of Willie, sister to Tony, head of Marketing at Jones Farmacy

Sabrina Matthews – daughter of Tracey and Steve

Ray Watters Elaine’s son from a previous marriage

Trina Watters – Ray’s wife

Steph Matthews – Tracey and Steve’s teenage son

Naomi Jones – ex-wife of Willie, mother of Tony and Cynthia, Pete Roberts’ business partner

C. Environmental Circle:

Extended family members, Cannabis Commission, competing businesses, Attorneys, growers, producers, dispensary owners, additional staff, Board of Directors, school students and staff, media, social media followers, customers, street dealers, lab workers, investors, Roberts family