Lesson 3

[Kenneth Johnson]

Kenneth Johnson – Character Profile Part 2
I learned to dig deeper and find more of the truth that motivates a character.

Role in the story: Michael Jones is the Protagonist
Age range and Description: Michael is a family man in his 40s. A pleasantly handsome black man who stays fit and is quite full of himself.
Internal Journey: Michael must learn to love himself and care about others
External Journey: Michael must learn to love his father and realize that they are the same person, which allows him to love himself.
Motivation: He must sell a script or lose his house and his marriage
Wound: As a child of divorce, he was raised by his mother to loathe being anything like Lee, his father.
Mission/Agenda: Michael has a guaranteed sale for his script if he can get Lee to tell the story of his all-Black army unit in the Korean War.
Secret: Michael doesn’t like himself
What makes them special? He has a good heart and he is determined to do the right thing.

Michael Jones – Protagonist
What draws us to this character? Michael is a confident and cheerful dreamer who reaches for those dreams but faces failure after failure. Now on the edge of personal and financial ruin he is forced into connecting with his father. We want to see how he handles this new ground where he is not confident or cheerful. We root for him because we know we might find ourselves in that same position.
Traits: He is smart, creative, and tenacious. He is willing to risk everything when he thinks he has a good plan.
Subtext: He is afraid to be vulnerable and completely honest with his Dad
Flaw: His arrogance that hides the fact that he does not believe he is good enough
Values: He believes in keeping the Ten Commandments and he believes that wisdom and reason eventually wins our over ignorance and emotion. He also believes that a creative mind with the right information can solve any problem.
Irony: He doesn’t know how to talk to his father, but Michael has unknowingly put himself in a position where he must get Lee to reveal his darkest and most deeply held secret.
What makes this the right character for this role? A father and son should be able to talk to each other. They should know each other. As a skilled writer, Michael is the perfect person to chronicle a mostly forgotten aspect of American history; the Buffalo Soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment and how they were treated under fire during the Korean War.

Role in the story: Lee Jones is the Antagonist.
Age range and Description: Lee is a Black man is his 70s. He is not healthy, prefers beer over water and only just finally gave up smoking. Has always been a lady’s man and still keeps two steady girlfriends.
Internal Journey: Lee wants to be free of the shame and guilt of surviving the battle when all of his friends died around him.
External Journey: He wants Michael’s respect
Motivation: Lee wants a better relationship with his son before he dies.
Wound: Lee is ashamed of how he survived the massacre of his army unit in the Korean War.
Mission/Agenda: Lee does not want to tell his combat story, but feels compelled to share parts to demonstrate why the story should not be told.
Secret: Lee knows that white army officers retreated their units and abandoned Lee’s all Black unit just prior to the final battle.
What makes them special? Lee appears to be deeply racist, but he is really bitter about how the Army treated him and his friends during the Korean War.

Lee Jones – Antagonist
What draws us to this character? You are drawn to Lee in the same way people are drawn to a horrible car accident. You just want too see how bad it can get. He is quick to make demeaning comments about people of other races. At a restaurant he will pick up a tip from the table if he thinks you left too much and more than 10% is too much. Lee refuses to be a standard curmudgeon, though. He still enjoys the ladies and loves attending parties. He is quite generous to friends and family, but not to his own children (because that woman raised them).
Subtext: He is going to die soon but hides it, and plays up his fierce independence. “I am not an invalid!”
Flaw: He is tormented by the guilt and shame of having survived
Values: He believes in keeping the Ten Commandments and he believes that wisdom and reason eventually wins our over ignorance and emotion. He also believes that a creative mind with the right information can solve any problem.
Irony: He doesn’t know how to talk to his father, but Michael has unknowingly put himself in a position where he must get Lee to reveal his darkest and most deeply held secret.
What makes this the right character for this role? A father and son should be able to talk to each other. They should know each other. As a skilled writer, Michael is the perfect person to chronicle a mostly forgotten aspect of American history; the Buffalo Soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment and how they were treated under fire during the Korean War.

[Jan Lloyd]

Jan Lloyd ASSIGNMENT 3
What I learned doing this assignment: I am learning to scope out my characters better. The questions asked make me rethink the details I have left out in the past.
2. Character Profile for your two lead characters.
Dolphyn
• What draws us to this character? She is a twin and we are always fascinated with twins. She is much like her brother Clay. She and her brother seem to be animal callers as unique creatures find them.
• Traits: She is brilliant especially with computer programing. She is a good person, but she has a tendency for impatience with dolts. She would do anything for her brother and her underdog friends.
• Subtext: It is her very innocence that gets her in trouble for hacking into the FBI website.
• Flaw: She is gullible but not as gullible as her brother. She has a sixth sense that she should listen to more often.
• Values: She is morally right. She is honest, loves school and learning.
• Irony: Her very honesty (and brilliance) is what gets her into trouble with the juvenile authorities.
• What makes this the right character for this role? Dolphyn is innocent and good. She will be compelled to put these qualities to good. She is also very competitive.
Clay
• What draws us to this character? He is a twin and we are always fascinated with twins. He is much like his sister, Dolphyn. He is an animal callers and unique creatures find them.
• Traits: At 12 years of age, he is already a brilliant computer programing. He is a good person, and would do anything for his sister and their underdog friends.
• Subtext: It is his very innocence that gets him in trouble for hacking into the FBI website with his sister, even though she felt like something was off. They didn’t listen to her sixth sense.
• Flaw: He is gullible and a bit too easy going.
• Values: He is morally right, honest, loves school and learning.
• Irony: His very honesty (and brilliance) gets him into trouble with the juvenile authorities.
• What makes this the right character for this role? Clay is innocent and good. He will be compelled to put these qualities to good when bad things happen. Heis also very competitive.

[Ayesha Morris]

Ayesha’s Character Profiles: Part 2

I learned how to dig deeper to flush out traits of my lead characters; and how to layer them to make more complex profiles.
Hilda Simon
Role in the story: Victim. An unassuming 19th century coal worker, a bamboula dancer, trying to make a dollar at a time when money is scarce, and options are limited. She must face greedy authorities in an island port, and lead a fight for justice.
Age range and Description: Female, 18 to early 20s, lean, Caribbean accent.
Internal Journey: From feeling helpless to having the strength to confront the steamship agents, military, and government.
External Journey: From a nameless worker who is a pushover to a respected leader who motivates hundreds to strike for better pay
Motivation: Needs to feed her family
Wound: Mother had to do this work for free at the crack of a whip, lost her life to black lung disease
Mission/Agenda: To get the true value of her pay “dollar for dollar” in Danish silver, not the devalued currency she’s being offered.
Secret: She’s had to do sex work to make ends meet.
What makes them special? She finds strength and rare skill in the bamboula dance, not only does it help her balance the heavy loads of carrying coal, but grounds her in a time of distress.
What draws us to this character? Pushover — Inhabiting the lower echelons as she daily emerges covered in soot, she is an easy target of insult and abuse. Her journey to improve her life station starts with the unpredictable power of a dance… that mesmerizes, mocks, and overcomes high society all at once.
Traits: Persistent, skillful, negotiator, courageous.
Subtext: Hides her fear of Hannibal. Uses politeness to combat questioning of her skills and constant sexism. Deflects attacks and politely counterattacks.
Flaw: Lack of confidence.
Values: Hard work, responsibility, justice, the labor class.
Irony: She has to compromise with those she fights against to get results. She is the least likely person to gain the title of Queen, but the only one to fight to get the people what they want.
What makes her the right character for this role? She’s a quintessential coal worker who knows the dangers of the profession, takes chances to rise above circumstance. She is comfortable interacting with those in power. Can find freedom in the restraint of her work role.
Constable Gellerup
Role in the story: Authority. Obsessed with order, good at his job..
Age range and Description: Male, 40’s, wears his uniform like he defends his country, serves as police, judge, steamship agent all wrapped into one.
Internal Journey: From powerful to powerless.
External Journey: Goes from rich to losing a bunch of money when the strike happens.
Motivation: Greed. Control of labor force to ensure his wealth.
Wound: Father lost money when workers refused to load a particularly toxic type of coal.
Mission/Agenda: To expand wealth while keeping control.
Secret: Was Hilda’s client at a point
What makes them special? Danish transplant who realizes he is drawn to West Indian food and culture
What draws us to this character? Hard nosed yet open to experiencing a new culture. Authority figure who loves law and order but sometimes breaks the rules.
Traits: By the book, tough, intelligent, ambitious.
Subtext: He loves law and order, but skirts the rules for personal gain.
Flaw: He loves controlling people.
Values: Strength, wealth, pride, loyalty
Irony: Even when locking people up, his favorite pastime, he tries to hide his weakness, and overcompensates. He is the only one to have a glimpse behind the mask of the bamboula dance, to know it’s more than a casual form of entertainment.
What makes him the right character for this role? Both refined/structured and stand offish/weak at the same time. He lays down the law but has the ability to connect with regular people, and goes to great lengths to cover this up.
Other characters that might be necessary:
Supporting characters: fellow coal worker Dorothea Scatliffe, best friend;
Minor roles: coal workers Thomas Phillip and Lucretia Quinones; Gellerup’s wife;
Background characters: Hilda’s mother, Gellerup’s father; other coal workers, police, militia, steamship agents

[Jan Ostegard]

Jan O’s Character Profile Part 2

I learned that I never thought about a character being the right person for a role. That really changed my perspective on character work.

Emily:
* Role in the story: Protagonist. She’s had a tough life and is recovering from a mental breakdown. Everyone loves her and wants to support her through her healing journey by celebrating her big birthday.
* Age range and Description: Female. Turning 50. Disheveled. She looks on the outside like she feels on the inside. However, even under the weight of her depression she still has a spark in her eyes.
* Internal Journey: From feeling anxious and depressed to finding confidence, strength and hope.
* External Journey: From being too scared to make any decisions to literally taking control of the situation and fighting for survival.
* Motivation: Her husband and kids. She wants to get better so she can finally enjoy life with them.
* Wound: She lost her parents at an early age and was raised by a violent and narcissistic relative who didn’t want her.
* Mission/Agenda: To get through the weekend without having another breakdown. She’s still unstable and is not comfortable being around people yet.
* Secret: She sees ghosts. Everyone thinks her mental health issues are related to her past, but ever since her parents died she has been able to see and communicate with ghosts. It weighs on her.
* What makes them special? She’s an empath. She truly cares about those around her even after everything that she’s been through in life.
* What draws us to this character? She is an underdog and is currently feeling pretty beat up in life. We want to root for her because all of us have been down and out at some point in life.
* Traits: Empathetic. Emotionally fragile. Hyperaware. Kind.
* Subtext: Deflects anytime she’s questioned on how she’s doing. She knows that everyone else knows that she’s struggling, but she still puts on a brave face.
* Flaw: She can’t trust her own thoughts.
* Values: Love. Friendship. Loyalty.
* Irony: She struggles with self-doubt, but is the first to believe in others’ abilities. She’s the weakest both emotionally and physically, but she’s the only one who is able to stand up to the ghost.
* What makes this the right character for this role? Her past grief and abuse makes her susceptible to ghosts haunting her, however she’s also a survivor so she has the built in tools from growing up in dysfunction.

Ghost:
* Role in the story: Antagonist. A vengeful spirit hellbent on destruction.
* Age range and Description: Ageless but died in his 20s. A dark figure always lurking in the shadows.
* Internal Journey: He’s used to easily scaring people away, but has never met a human who could fight back until now. That enrages him beyond his control.
* External Journey: Comfortable in his “living” space, but is forced to the basement by the guests not willing to leave.
* Motivation: Protecting his space.
* Wound: He’s trapped where he died a very violent death.
* Mission/Agenda: Forcing guests to leave or die.
* Secret: He died as a commander during the Civil War and is still considered a leader among his fellow ghosts haunting the property.
* What makes them special? He can physically hurt humans. So he can scare them by haunting the space or kill them.
* What draws us to this character? He’s always in the shadows so we’re constantly doing a double take to see if he’s real. Like when you try to look past the characters on the screen to see what’s behind him. Our curiosity draws us to him.
* Traits: Ruthless. Manipulative. Volatile. Cruel.
* Subtext: Since he died during the war he is obsessed with his unfinished mission/goal. He confuses (or uses) guests as his adversaries.
* Flaw: He still thinks that he’s in charge so he doesn’t expect anyone to fight back.
* Values: Power over others.
* Irony: He’s basically a narcissist at his core. He ends up trying to haunt Emily who was raised by an abusive narcissist so she knows how to handle him once she stops being afraid of him.
* What makes this the right character for this role? He was the commander of his unit so he still feels like he’s running the place. When he scares people away it feeds into his old human ego. The more people he scares the more powerful he becomes.