Lesson 4

[David Penn]

David’s Character Profiles

What I learned from this assignment is the value of having the right, fully designed characters for the story you’re telling.

A. Name: Charlie Sullivan

B. Role in the Story: Protagonist who plots to steal the Stanley Cup for his dying father

C. Core Traits: immature, loyal, stubborn, fanatical

D. Motivation: Want/Need: To please his dad/To grow up

E. Flaw/Wound: Fanatical fan who prioritizes sports over everything else/never had a serious girlfriend before

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: he truly loves Kate/To make Roski pay for bailing on Philly

G. Internal Dilemma: Should he cash in on the Stanley Cup?

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Personified the ardent fan who puts too much emphasis on sports

***********

A. Name: Victor Smith

B. Role in the Story: Charlie’s roommate, a shady, in debt commodity broker who’s all about image

C. Core Traits: charming, manipulative, low self esteem, image conscious

D. Motivation: Want/Need: To get money/to grow up

E. Flaw/Wound: He’ll do anything to keep his image up/credit’s so bad can’t rent his own apartment

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: His wound is his secret/To take all the money from the Cup and screw over Charlie

G. Internal Dilemma: Should he steal the Cup or let Charlie’s dad have it?

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Victor accentuates Charlie’s flaw- his importance on sports- and challenges Charlie. They have the same arc of growing up.

A: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve? Make Charlie’s wound more pronounced: that he went to sporting events/played video games during prom

B: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively? Heap on the fact that sports ruined Charlie’s role, prevented his growth

[Jacqueline Escolme]

Jacqueline Escolme’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment is that I need to more clearly convey more of my character’s internal dilemmas, through situations as well as dialogue

JENNY

A. Name: Jenny Collins<div>

B. Role in the Story: Downtrodden midlife wife. Jenny fulfils the role because she gave up her career to look after her daughter so her husband could excel in his career. She lost herself to wife’ing and mothering has low self-esteem.

C. Core Traits: Jenny takes action by consensus, asking other people’s opinion and seeking their approval. She used to be very decisive but now she procrastinates and suffers from self-doubt because the message she gets from the world is that she’s invisible. She’s an over-apologetic, people pleaser who always puts others first, often to her own detriment.

D. Motivation: Her want is to go back to work in a editorial job worthy of her skills. Her need is for financial independence.

E. Flaw/Wound: Her flaw is believing that a good woman sacrifices herself for her husband and family. Her wound is that her mother died when she was 22yrs old, leaving her with a desire to over-mother her own daughter.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Her secret is that she knows she’s bright and capable and inside, she’s mad as hell at the way her life has turned out. Hidden agenda = she wants the adventure she missed out on when she got pregnant right before taking her gap year after university.

G. Internal Dilemma: Being her true self, a liberated, free, independent woman, vs being a good wife and mother

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She drives the conflict by fighting for the old life when circumstances are forcing her to change.

Question 1: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve?

Are any parts that are missing? She could drive the conflict moreWhich parts could you improve? 1.Her invisibility – show the internal conflict this creates for her as she knows she’s still got something to do. 2.Her reaction to Alan at JFK – as she starts to stand up for herself he could decide to exert his power to throw a curve ball at her as payback for vomiting over him on the flight out.

Question 2: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively?

Compare the character to the concept. – Make her self-doubt stronger

Is this character exactly what you need to deliver that concept powerfully? Yes

Does this character drive the conflict in some important way? Yes

RICHARD

A. Name: Richard Collins</div><div>

B. Role in the Story: What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role? Antagonist. He‘s the one that used societal conventions to keep Jenny stuck at home so he can succeed at work.

C. Core Traits: Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves. Huge ego that hides wracking self doubt because he’s not as bright as his wife. He takes decisions impulsively and often loses out in business as a result. He expresses himself loudly – has to be the biggest man in the room, literally and figuratively. He bellows, when he talks to people, especially on the phone.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay. He wants financial success so that he can retire to Wales. He needs to be valued and seen as important to feel successful.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them. Flaw – he cannot admit he’s wrong – ever. His trauma is that his father was never interested in him so he’s always looking for validation from the outside world.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge. His secret is that he’s lost lots of money and he’s deeply ashamed at his lack of success even though he presents himself as super successful to the outside world. His hidden agenda is to retire to his mother’s farm in Wales, with Jenny and take it over when his mother passes.

G. Internal Dilemma: Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved. He wants to be a good father and husband but he’s inherently selfish and always puts himself and his social standing first.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story? He drives the conept by being a perfect representation of a “Piscean” male – privileged, white, authoritative and not interested in equality.

Question 1: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve?

Are any parts that are missing? Show he’s impulsive in business decision.Which parts could you improve? Lounge Scene with Jenny – show he can be irrational and accentuate his Piscean characteristics.

Question 2: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively?

Compare the character to the concept.

Is this character exactly what you need to deliver that concept powerfully? Yes

Does this character drive the conflict in some important way? Yes

CHRISSY

A. Name: Chrissy Collins</div><div>

B. Role in the Story: What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role? Jenny’s daughter and the polar opposite of Jenny in terms of self-esteem and courage

C. Core Traits: Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves. She’s highly independent and makes her own decisions without consulting others. She takes action easily and has the fearlessness of a 22yr old with a stable family background. She expresses herself through her vibrant colourful art and is not afraid to speak her mind or challenge her very traditional father.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay. She wants freedom from her home situation and her parents. She needs to be able to express her art without judgement. She needs her mum to be happy.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them. No obvious flaw. Her wound is that her mother tends to micro-manage her but she can’t challenge her on it because she knows it’s due to the grief of losing her own mother.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge. Secret = she’s not really going to volunteer in Uganda she’s going to New York on an art scholarship. Agenda = She’s going to do what it takes to be successful even if it hurts her parents.

G. Internal Dilemma: Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved. She wants her freedom but she doesn’t want to leave her mum stuck at home with her dad.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story? She’s feisty and full of life against Jenny’s resignation to her current fate. She challenges her mum to be better.

Question 1: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve?

Are any parts that are missing? Show her want and need more clearlyWhich parts could you improve? Adjust the scene where she’s packing and the one in the car with Jenny – show she’s torn about her secret and leaving her mum – “will you be okay with him?”

Question 2: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively?

Is this character exactly what you need to deliver that concept powerfully? Yes

Does this character drive the conflict in some important way?Yes

LOU

A. Name: Lou Schaeffer

B. Role in the Story: What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role? Love interest. He’s the opposite of Richard </div><div>

C. Core Traits: Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves. He’s calm and considered, he runs the business with his inspiring mother so he takes decisions with full consideration of everyone involved and is focussed on his staff and colleagues. He’s gentle in nature with a low chuckle that makes him endearing. He’s focussed so heavily on the family business since his father died it’s become his whole life.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay. He wants to make his parents proud and continue the family legacy. He needs a life partner. No man is an island.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them. His flaw is that he can be slow to step up for what he wants. His trauma is that his father passed away and he feels responsible for continuing the family legacy.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge. His secret is that he’d love to take time off for himself and travel. His agenda is to open a store in London to over deliver on the legacy his father wanted to create.

G. Internal Dilemma: Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved. Pouring everything into his business vs having a life and sustaining relationships.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story? He’s the perfect, like-minded match for Jenny.

Question 1: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve?

Are any parts that are missing? Show more of his internal dilemma – lack of ability to sustain a relationship – maybe he’s divorced.Which parts could you improve? His ride back to the hotel with Jenny.

Question 2: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively?

Is this character exactly what you need to deliver that concept powerfully? Yes, he’s delicious and only slightly tortured.

Does this character drive the conflict in some important way? Yes he forces her to think differently about men and face her attraction to him.

</div>

[Pat GALBRAITH Galbraith]

Subject Line: Pat Galbraith’s Name’s Profile

“What I learned doing this assignment is how much work I need to do in character profiles.

1. Create Character Profiles for each of your lead characters by filling in the blanks.

A. Name: Ronnie Hester

B. Role in the Story: Protagonist who must solve the murder and bring the villain to justice.

C. Core Traits: Ambitious, adventurous, loves his mom, dedicated to his friends, misses his father,

quick-tempered.

D. Motivation: He’s in a dead-end job, wants a better job. Need: To find who killed Mr. Greenfield and bring them to justice.

E. Flaw/Wound: quick tempered/Wound: Being fatherless he searches for another.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: He wants to do something great in his life.

G. Internal Dilemma: His mother treats him as a child/Coping with no father figure.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? The lie he believes that all people are good.

A. Name: Rob Broadrick

B. Role in the story: Antagonist

C. Core Traits: Malicious, scheming, underhanded,

D. Motivation: Money; Status,

E. Flaw/ dangerous mind. /Wound: His father was a drunk and never was at home.

F Secret/ Hidden Agenda: Bribing a city official

G. Internal Dilemma: Has failed on his jobs before needs approvals.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He is not a good man and fits with what Ronnie needs to learn.

A. Name: Charlie

B. Role in the Story: Ronnie’s friend and skateboarder

C. Core Traits: dedicated to his friends, independent,

Ambitious, has no family, moves in homes that are vacant. Works as maintenance in a bar.

D. Motivation: Wants to take care of himself; Needs a family to love.

E. Flaw/Wound: untrusting of strangers/wound: He feels forgotten by his family

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: That he lives in vacant houses.

G. Internal Dilemma: That he might be put in a foster home.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Charlie and Ronnie hit it right off and have become tight friends. Makes Charlie feel like he’s a part of something.

A. Name: Jody

B. Role in the Story: Ronnie’s girlfriend; skateboarder

C. Core Traits:

Ambitious, beautiful, planning for college, gets frustrated with Ronnie sometimes.

D. Motivation: Wants Ronnie to have same mind set she does Need: To help Ronnie with his problem.

E. Flaw/Wound: She holds in her feelings. / Wound not that we can see.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: She loves Ronnie.

G. Internal Dilemma: Whether Ronnie loves her or not.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She provides stability for the others.

A: Name: Stan:

B. Role in the story: Skateboarder friend

C. Core traits: Dependent on others, lack of self-esteem, loves food even though he as diabetes,

D: Motivation: Wants to please Ronnie and help him out. Needs to have friends he can depend on.

E. Flaw/Wound; His parents are not home much, and he’s left alone. He searches for love.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: He has a medical problem.

G. Internal Dilemma: He has a problem connecting with people because he’s been alone so much.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Stan needs these friends to help him cope. Helping them makes him feel like he belongs somewhere.

A: Name: Louella

B: Role in the story: Jody’s friend; skateboarder

C. Core traits: Dressing in gothic clothing; kind, helpful

D. Motivation: To get her home and finances. In order after her mother’s death.

E. Flaw/ /Wound: Resented her mother’s profession.

F: Secret/Hidden Agenda: She has psychic tendencies; she has feelings for Ronnie too.

G. Internal Dilemma: Can she handle the tendencies she’s feeling and be like her mother.

2. Answer the questions to improve the Character Profiles.

A: Are there any parts of the
profile that you could improve?
Maybe better internal problems.’
Hidden secrets should be brought out better.
B: Can this character fulfill
their role in the story more effectively

Yes, with some of these questions answered. I can work them into the script.

[Monica Arisman]

Subject: Monica’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment is I had some break-through’s with respect to not only the characters but how they can be presented in the script.

1. Create Character Profiles for each of your lead characters by filling in the blanks for these eight questions.

A. Name: Victoria Williams (RCMP)

B. Role in the Story: Victoria is the Protagonist who has
been searching for her missing sister (Lizzie) for years.

C. Core Traits: Alpha-female, self-reliant, ambitious,
loves her family

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want –
find her sister; Need – overcome her fear that her sister maybe dead.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw – Doesn’t realize that she can be
more effective as a member of a team; Wound – Guilt that her indulgence of
her sister led to her disappearance.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret – just once, she’d like to be
loved for who she is; Hidden Agenda – plans on killing Jack Baker so he
never hurts another woman again.

G. Internal Dilemma: Her
inability to be a woman who is attractive to me because of she doesn’t
know how to be strong and vulnerable at the same time.

H. What makes this character
perfect for their role in this story? Victoria will do whatever it takes
to find out what happened to her sister – love of family has always taken
precedence over love for self.

A: Are there any parts of the
profile that you could improve? She loves her job and feels this
underlying need to help people sometimes to the detriment of herself. She
suspects Jack is manipulating her but can’t really see it for herself.

B: Can this character fulfill
their role in the story more effectively? I think Victoria could be
stronger in some areas of the story. But she is the driving force behind
the concept. She needs more of an arc – so maybe tough, driven,
undercover cop trying to find her sister to being vulnerable enough for a
love interest.

A. Name: Jack Baker

B. Role in the Story: Jack is the Antagonist who has gotten
rich off the avails of trafficking women.

C. Core Traits: Cruel, drug-addict that makes him make
stupid decisions, twisted, loyalty to his mother

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want –
to prove to his mother that he can be trusted to take the business to the
next level; Need – acceptance for who he is.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw – the need
for more and more cocaine which makes him unstable and prone to bad business
decisions; Wound – losing his father at a young age.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret
– he has Lizzie as his sex slave; Hidden Agenda – wants Victoria as his
sex slave because he’s obsessed with her and will have to kill Lizzie.

G. Internal Dilemma: His need
for power and control versus acceptance from his mother.

H. What makes this character
perfect for their role in this story? He’s bat shit crazy and blind to his
mother’s manipulation of the situation.

A: Are there any parts of the
profile that you could improve? As it stands now, Jack is too dependent
upon his mother. He needs to be more twisted and evil. Going rogue on his
mother. He’s afraid of strong women!

B: Can this character fulfill
their role in the story more effectively? Needs to be in Victoria’s face
more and putting her in more danger.

A. Name: Inspector Daniel Ford (Toronto
Police)

B. Role in the Story: Triangle
Character who is Victoria’s superior in the operation/mission.

C. Core Traits: Self-disciplined, persistent, sees the
big picture, a gentleman.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want – wants to make superintendent; Need
– to overcome his fear of abandonment and that he can’t protect a woman!

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw – His feelings
towards Victoria start to get in the way; Wound – Lost the love of his
life to a horrific crime and can’t go through that again.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret
– he was partly to blame for the love of his life’s death; Hidden Agenda –
to find the murderer and deal with him (Twist – it’s Jack!!!)

G. Internal Dilemma: His
inability to let go and find happiness.

H. What makes this character
perfect for their role in this story? He drives Victoria to discover the
truth even if it will hurt. To walk the fine line between trying to
protect her and letting her be the independent woman that she is.

A: Are there any parts of the
profile that you could improve? Daniel feels a bit too comfortable. He
needs to be concerned about Victoria.

B: Can this character fulfill
their role in the story more effectively? I added the past love being
murdered by Jack which should drive Daniel to take more risks.

A. Name: Beatrice Baker

B. Role in the Story: Supporting Character – the brains behind
the human trafficking ring. Jack’s mother.

C. Core Traits: Greedy, optimistic, power hungry, soul-less

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want –
to get as rich as she can. Need – not to make a mistake so they are on the
police radar.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw – her love
for Jack. She doesn’t see what a detriment he is to her want. Wound – Grew
up poor and abused; and, she refuses to ever experience that again.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret
– She killed her husband. Hidden Agenda – This is her last operation. Once
she gets rid of the next batch of girls, Jack’s going to have an accident.

G. Internal Dilemma: She’s lost
her soul and doesn’t realize it until it’s too late.

H. What makes this character
perfect for their role in this story? She’s the woman and driving force
pushing Jack to do crazier and crazier things. Then she’s going to dispose
of him and “ride off into the sunset”.

A: Are there any parts of the
profile that you could improve? I added her killing of a husband to show
that she’s been a criminal a long time and gotten away with it.

B: Can this character fulfill
their role in the story more effectively? She feels she’s going to get
away with this venture too and since this is her last operation, she’s
feels she has nothing to lose.

A. Name: Serena Cash (Toronto Police)

B. Role in the Story: Supporting Character – Victoria’s
childhood friend who also became a cop and has been undercover for years.

C. Core Traits: Flexible, tough, kind, intelligent

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want –
To help Victoria find Lizzie. Need – hopes Robert will take their
relationship to the next level.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw – Jaded and
trusting. She doesn’t see what is right in front of her with Robert. Wound
– Knows what it’s like to be abused.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret
– She was raped and escaped before she could be trafficked. Hidden Agenda –
To kill Jack.

G. Internal Dilemma: Allowing
herself to be vulnerable enough to be loved.

H. What makes this character
perfect for their role in this story? She has the ability to play both
sides of the game.

A: Are there any parts of the
profile that you could improve? Put in a backstory to drive her in this
story.

B: Can this character fulfill
their role in the story more effectively? She plays both sides of the
game and runs interference as Victoria gets closer to the truth.

A. Name: Robert Tetrault, Superintendent (Toronto
Police)

B. Role in the Story: Supporting Character – he’s ultimately in
charge of the mission or so he thinks. But it’s the RCMP that are in
charge of the mission.

C. Core Traits: Greedy, smart, intimidating, adaptive

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want –
to get rich and retire before it all comes to light. Need – not to get
caught that he’s dirty.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw – Serena.
Wound – was shot and nearly died when the love of Daniel’s life was
murdered.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret
– He’s been part of the human trafficking ring for years. Hidden Agenda – To
take one more payment, cover it up and then arrest them all.

G. Internal Dilemma: Playing
both sides of the game is starting to affect his ability to function.
H. What makes this character
perfect for their role in this story? He adds a layer of conflict that
Victoria doesn’t realize she has to overcome until well into the story.

A: Are there any parts of the
profile that you could improve? His hubris has become a concern and people
are noticing.

B: Can this character fulfill
their role in the story more effectively? Victoria comes from outside the
Toronto Police service and senses something is wrong with Robert’s role.

[Frances Emerson]

PRO REWRITE ASSIGNMENT FOUR

FRAN’S CHARACTER PROFILES

WHAT I LEARNED: just keep focus on what you need for them to be for your story to be the best it can be. And because the story is partly from history, I also need to stay focused on those events that made these characters the way they were in their time.

Name: ILIA (Rhea Sylvia) protagonist

Role: princess of Alba Longa, daughter of King Numitor She will be the mother of Romulus and Remus and she will be the matriarch of the Sabines and the mother of the young woman the men fight over and the mother of the first and second kings of Rome

Core Traits: in the beginning she is innocent, trusting, a bit spoiled, feisty, stubborn, tenacious after her uncle hurts her she becomes strong, determined, resolved, vengeful with the ability to kill

Motivation:

Wants: she wants a peaceful life as a princess with her father and brothers at the beginning. She wants revenge on her uncle in the second part of the story

Needs: she needs to be whole again, but until she learns her twins sons are not dead, she can never be. And her uncle has paid for his crimes.

Flaw/Wound: Her uncle raped her, she can never be truly free of that.

Secret/Hidden Agenda: She hides her identity from her uncle after he tries to kill her, sentences her to death, but she lives.

Internal Dilemma: She fell in love with the god Mars, but after her rescue from drowning she finds comfort and love in the arms of a Sabine ruler, Gracchus. She will never forget her first love.

Perfect for Role b/c: It was her destiny, according to the myth, legend to become the mother of the founder of Rome.

Name: Amulius antagonist

Role: he is the brother of King Numitor, the usurper to his brother’s throne

Core Traits: he is pure evil, evil for evil’s sake, almost a sociopath, he is selfish, cruel, ambitious, avarious, he won’t stop until he gets what he wants, narcissistic, he wants what he wants, not for his family or his son but for himself

Motivation:

Wants: he wants to be king/emperor of Alba Longa and he goes to war to get it.

Needs: he needs to pay for his many crimes against his family

Flaw/Wound: he blames the gods for allowing him to be born second. He blames himself for not usurping power earlier.

Secret/Hidden Agenda: His secret he thinks is that he raped his niece to keep her from running away again and trying to become a wife and mother to an heir, a contender to his throne. But his daughter Antho knows the secret and carries that with her always.

Internal Dilemma: He loves his son Celeres as fiercely as he hates. That is is downfall. And yet, he tries to take away from his son because he is a major disappointment to him.

Perfect for Role b/c: Amulius in the story of Romulus and Remus was evil, a usurper to the throne of Alba Longa. He did evil against his family.

Name: Romulus, the son of Mars

Role: He is the first born of the twins. He is the son of Mars and Ilia. He is destined to found Rome without his brother Remus at his side. He will help his mother avenge the death of her brothers and help put his grandfather back on the throne of Alba Longa.

Core Traits: strong, steadfast. Level-headed, strong of heart, resolved. A leader. He has a temper. He seeks justice with his temper, steady, deliberate in thought and deed.

Motivation:

Wants: He wants to live the peaceful life of a shepherd at the beginning. He is a leader and he is assuming he will be the leader of his people one day.

Needs: He needs to know the truth about his birth, who he is and where he came from.

Flaw/Wound: He is a god, perhaps too good for his own good

Secret/Hidden Agenda: None until he learns the truth of his life, and then he wants to avenge his family and what was done to them

Internal Dilemma: He is a god, but he doesn’t know that yet. He believes his father is Amulius.

Perfect for Role b/c: He is the son of the god Mars. He is destined to be the founder of Rome. He is a born leader.

Name: Remus son of Amulius

Role: Twin brother of Romulus, son of Ilia and Amulius

Core Traits: impulsive, brash, mischievous, mischief maker, has a temper. Can be impulsive, passionate. Also a justice seeker

Motivation:

Wants: He finds himself falling in love with a Sabine woman, he wants her

Needs: He also needs to learn the truth about his birth and life, where he came from, who he is

Flaw/Wound: He has his father’s genes in him. He can’t help but be a bit like Amulius in some ways.

Secret/Hidden Agenda: None.

Internal Dilemma: He thinks he’s the son of Faustulus until he learns the truth.

Perfect for Role b/c: He is the twin of Romulus. He tries to be the leader, the king of Rome, but he is not destined to found it. He will be killed in the heat of passion

Name: Gracchus The Sabine king, saver and husband of Ilia (Rhea Sylvia)

Role: He rules the land of the Sabines in wait for the son of his dead brother who will be king when he is grown. He will save Ilia from drowning and he will become her husband and father to her next two children.

Core Traits: a good man, strong, protector, mentor, wise, does not trust Amulius, cunning.

Motivation:

Wants: Wants for his people to flourish and keep the Albans (Amulius) at bay.

Needs: He needs his wife. He knows she is not fully there for him, as much as he would like, but he nevertheless allows it. But he wished it could be more.

Flaw/Wound: He did not have children before then, that his brother is dead.

Secret/Hidden Agenda: He helps Ilia keep her secret from Amulius

Internal Dilemma: He loves but he knows he is not as loved.

Perfect for Role b/c: Ilia needed a savior and she needed to be hidden from Amulius for a time. And also to have a new love. Gracchus is a Sabine and he can hide her well. And he can love her without and strings attached.

Name: Celeres son of Amulius, heir to his throne

Role: He is Amulius’ heir and he will be the one to kill Remus out of jealousy and hate

Core Traits: he’s a brat, spoiled, he gets what he wants, and if not he demands if until it is done. He’s head strong, impulsive. Gets his friends in a heap of trouble, He doesn’t care, he thinks he’s entitled.

Motivation:

Wants: wants Sabina and he’ll do anything to get her

Needs: He needs a good spanking.

Flaw/Wound: He’s his father’s son, almost as evil

Secret/Hidden Agenda: He wants what he wants. He has his own agenda. Sabina first, then the throne, even if he has to take it from his father before his time.

Internal Dilemma: He has not soul.

Perfect for Role b/c: Because he needs to be evil enough to kill his best friend, Remus.

Name: Sabina. The daughter of Ilia and Gracchus

Role: She is the love interest of the next generation

Core Traits: She wants to be a free spirit, loved by everyone, kind, innocent, but she’s as stubborn as a mule sometimes.

Motivation:

Wants: she wants to love, to be a free spirit. She Doesn’t want to be a princess

Needs: Her need is to wake up to the danger that lie all aound her now that she is grown and desired by the young men around here, too desired.

Flaw/Wound: in many ways perfect

Secret/Hidden Agenda: none really

Internal Dilemma: she wants a perfect love and yet to be betrothed to a future king, she doesn’t want that either.

[CJ Knapp]

CJ’s Character Profiles

WIL: A great exercise to make sure I really understand my characters. I found several ways to provide deeper meanings and add depth to the story based on the character profiles.

Create Character Profiles for each of your lead characters by filling in the blanks for these eight questions.

A. Name: Claire Madison

B. Role in the Story: Protagonist

C. Core Traits: Structured, organized, self-doubt, athletic.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Wants to keep everyone safe, needs to forgive herself for the loss of her unit in Afghanistan.

E. Flaw/Wound: Self-doubt that she didn’t make the right decisions. Guilt that she couldn’t save her unit. Afraid to let her family make their own way.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: She does small jobs in US soil for the CIA off the books.

G. Internal Dilemma: She left the service due to her guilt, but she can’t give up the intrigue.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She has special forces training as well as intelligence operative background.

A. Name: President Shields

B. Role in the Story: Supporting role.

C. Core Traits: Egotistical, practical, naïve, charismatic.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Wants to be re-elected needs to do the right thing for the right reasons for the country.

E. Flaw/Wound: Worried about the polls and public opinion

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Wants to be re-elected at any cost.

G. Internal Dilemma: He isn’t a fan of the military, but he lets General Marx tell him what to do. H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He has a long political career but no military training, so he misses Marx’s secret plan.

A. Name: General Marx

B. Role in the Story: Antagonist

C. Core Traits: Driven, frustrated, disciplined, analytical.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Wants the military to get the respect it needs. Needs to move past the loss of his daughter due to bad intel.

E. Flaw/Wound: His wound is his daughter was on a mission, the intel was wrong she was captured, tortured, and killed.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: He’s having an affair with Joan Thomas, and they are planning on taking advantage of the economic chaos they will cause.

G. Internal Dilemma: He wants the military to be in charge, but he thinks politics will always stand in the way unless drastic measure are taken.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He has a strong military history. He understands Claire and has thought of her as his daughter knowing the burden, she carries due to bad intel. But he still wants drastic changes.

A. Name: William Madison

B. Role in the Story: Supporting role – Claire’s husband.

C. Core Traits: Devoted, patriotic, stubborn, passionate

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Wants to help broker world peace, needs to spend time supporting his family.

E. Flaw/Wound: He wants to be known for something at the expense of his family.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: He has special ops training – that’s how he met Claire.

G. Internal Dilemma: He wants to focus on his political agenda, but his family is paying the price.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He has special Ops training and is able to help thwart the attempt on the G7

A. Name: Colonel Thomas

B. Role in the Story: Supporting role for Antagonist.

C. Core Traits: patriot, devoted, naïve, aggressive.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Wants to help Marx revive role of Military needs to see through the web of lies.

E. Flaw/Wound: He has been unhappy with the decline in support of the military.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Creating a situation that Marshall law will bring back the might of the military.

G. Internal Dilemma: He has sworn to protest the government, yet he is plotting its demise.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Marx is using him to do his dirty work and having an affair and planning to run away with his wife.

A. Name: Joan Thomas

B. Role in the Story: Supporting role – Colonel Thomas’ wife and lover of General Marx

C. Core Traits: conniving, shellfish, insecure, controlling.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: She wants power. She needs to not try to control others.

E. Flaw/Wound: she feels her youth fading and looking to hang on to anything.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: She is setting up her husband to take the fall

G. Internal Dilemma: She has no conscious.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She understands the inner workings of politics, the military and financial services.

A. Name: Jonathan Spires

B. Role in the Story: Supporting good guy.

C. Core Traits: Analytical, furtive, soft spot for Claire, intelligent

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Wants to help Claire. Needs to get over his crush on her.

E. Flaw/Wound: Claire is the one that got away.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Has been keeping tabs on her.

G. Internal Dilemma: Devoted to his job he isn’t happy about feeding information to Claire that could get him fired.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? As an analyst for CIA, he can help provide intel and assistance to Claire.

[Susan Rose]

Susan’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment: Each assignment brings greater clarity to the concept and ensures that the characters are pulling their weight in bringing the story together.

A. Name: Ryan Kyle

B. Role in the Story: Protagonist, homicide detective, son
of a deceased serial killer, who is investigating a series of murders
reminiscent of his father’s atrocities.

C. Core Traits: Protector, authoritative, determined, skeptic.

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = Determined to impose justice and prevent
heinous crimes like those of his father. Need = To protect his brother,
Zach, at all costs, usually through tough love.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = Has little to no faith/trust in
mankind. Wound = Killed his father
and disposed of body 18 years ago, losing his youth/naivete and his first
love

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Ryan’s new partner is his first
love, Mary, that abandoned him after losing their parents. Hidden Agenda = He will protect his
brother from himself and his suspected crimes, even if he has to
involuntarily commit his sibling.

G. Internal Dilemma: Knowing first hand that their father
(Jack) is dead, he questions Zach’s sanity and fears his brother is on the
brink of a breakdown, driving a wedge of distrust between the two
brothers.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story?
His life has been dedicated to tracking evil and imposing justice but
cannot allow his brother to succumb to the same fate.

A. Name: Zach Kyle

B. Role in the Story: Protagonist, has a history of PTSD caused
by his father, feels abandoned by his brother when Jack returns for
vengeance.

C. Core Traits: Genius, Inventive, Sarcastic, Paranoid

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = His older brother’s trust
and approval. Need = To confront
their father and beat him at his own deadly game.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = Prone to panic attacks and lacking self-worth.
Wound = Was a pawn, at 12 years of
age, in his father’s killing spree; groomed as a psychopath’s lacky.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = He has rebooted and
updated his father’s “time machine”. He trips through time after his
father in the hopes of convincing Ryan that they have to stop Jack.

G. Internal Dilemma: He is determined to stop Jack but
fears he cannot accomplish his mission without the help of Ryan.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? With
his history of PTSD and a suspect in a murder, he may get locked up before
he can convince Ryan of Jack’s deadly intentions for the brothers.

A. Name: Jack Kyle

B. Role in the Story: Antagonist, has returned from the
dead to exact revenge on his two sons for attempting to kill him 18 years earlier.

C. Core Traits: Diabolical, Brilliant, Remorseless,
Apathetic

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = To punish his sons for
their unsuccessful attempt at murder. Need = To satisfy his bloodlust
through torture and mutilation.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = He is an unfeeling psychopath. Wound
= His sons’ ultimate betrayal, ending his killing spree and leaving him
for dead.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Jack has accessed the
original version of the time machine.
Hidden Agenda = This killing spree is dedicated to Ryan and Zach,
luring them in to his deadly game of vengeance.

G. Internal Dilemma: None that we know of.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story?
He has no empathy, no loyalty, and no regard for ANY life; he lives only
for vengeance and the kill.

[Judith Watson]

Judith’s character profiles:

What I learned doing this lesson is looking at the profiles gives me new ideas for scenes.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>A. Name: Emily Green

1. B. Role in the Story: Protagonist. At first she accepts her sister’s return, but then realizes it was all a ruse and she sees to stop her sister from ruining her life. (What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role?)

2. C. Core Traits: Ambitious; creative; generous; pretentious; (Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves.)

3. D. Motivation: to reunite the family: mom, Rachel, her and Eugene. Need: to realize that families are created through love. (Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay.

4. E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw: she’s naïve. Wound: she was abandoned by her birth mother and as a result, she tries to prove her worth. (Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them.

5. F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret: she knows that Rachel really deserves the art prize when they were young that she stole and won the prize with. (Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge. )

6. G. Internal Dilemma: (Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved.)

7. H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She has hurt her sister, and hides it, so the buildup of revenge that her sister feels could be exasperated when the sister sees her success. (How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story?)

B. Name: Rachel Parsons

8. B. Role in the Story: Antagonist. She pretends conciliation when all along her intentions is to harm. (What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role?)

9. C. Core Traits: judgmental; jealous; idealistic; self-disciplined (Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves.)

10. D. Motivation: to get back at Emily because she believed her mom loved Emily more and Emily stole her artwork as a kid and won 1^st place in a contest. Her need: is to accept things from the past as in the past and forgive. (Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay.

11. E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw: is unforgiving (Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them.

12. F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: she plans to eliminate Emily and take over her life (Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge. )

13. G. Internal Dilemma: (Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved.)

14. H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She has a very strong belief that she is right about everything. (How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story?)

C. Name: Eugene Green

Role: Support for Emily He is her husband and wants the best for her. (What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role?)

1. C. Core Traits: loyal; practical; responsible; paranoid. (Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves.)

2. D. Motivation: to keep Emily safe and protect her.

His need and want are the same: to help Emily see that Rachel is not on the up and up. (Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay.

3. E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw: don’t’ see one. (Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them.

4. F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: he snoops into Rachel’s affairs. (Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge. )

5. G. Internal Dilemma: (Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved.)

6. H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He loves Emily and he is loyal. (How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story?)

• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by  Judith Watson.

[Robert W. Daniel]

[Pro Rewrite] Lesson 4 – Assignment – Robert Daniel – Who Are Your Characters?

What I learned doing his assignment is that there is a need to do some heavy and deep thinking with regards to each character’s profile.

Character Profiles – Matt Walters –
Protagonist

A. Name – Matt Walters
B. Role in the Story: U.
S Navy Seal Team Commander
C. Core Traits: Genius,
hot-headed, fearless and full of anger.
D. Motivation:
Want/Need: Walters wants to get back with his girlfriend who leaves him.
He needs to get some help for his medical problems.
E. Flaw/Wound: Walters
has anger issues and some medical problems that are haunting him. He’s
also blind in one-eye.
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda:
He thinks a beer will heal his medical issues.
G. Internal Dilemma:
Walters has some doubts about the ability of his Red Scorpion Team to
capture the Nuclear Submarine.
H. What makes this
character perfect for their role in this story? Even though Walters is
half blind he’s fearless and his experiences with explosives makes him the
perfect choice for the mission.

Character Profiles Improvements.

A: Are there any parts
of the profile that you could improve? Always! We will add the pieces
gradually as we go along.
B: Can this character
fulfill their role in the story more effectively? Always! Ditto.

Character Profiles – Ace McMann – Navy Seal Team Assistant

A. Name: Ace McMann
B. Role in the Story:
Walters’s sidekick and assistant
C. Core Traits: Loyal,
sincere, fearless and dedicated.
D. Motivation:
Want/Need: Wants to get through the training program. Needs to stick like
glue to Walters so they both live through the submarine assault.
E. Flaw/Wound: He
covered for Walters to often. His love for his family suffered at times
because of his dedication to Walters.
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda:
He cared for Walters like a brother because, he had been through some of
the same problems Walters. Like orphaned, raised by relatives, loosed his
girlfriend.
G. Internal Dilemma: He
had a great family, but he placed his duty first. It bothered him.
H. What makes this
character perfect for their role in this story? McMann is like another set
of eyes and Walters’s shadow.

Character Profiles Improvements.

A: Are there any parts
of the profile that you could improve? Always! Ditto.
B: Can this character
fulfill their role in the story more effectively? Always! Ditto.

Character Profiles – NK Submarine Commander Li Jong Kang – Antagonist

A. Name: Commander Kang
B. Role in the Story:
Commander of the North Korean Nuclear Submarine that breeches the security
of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. (Present Day)
C. Core Traits: Evil, narcissist,
vicious and greedy
D. Motivation:
Want/Need: He wants to gain an agreement to his terrorist demands to gain
bribe money for his accomplices, U. S. Aid for North Korea and a
governmental leader appointment for himself. He needs to get the agreement
and fly home to his Country a hero.
E. Flaw/Wound: His greed
and thoughtless concern for others causes the death of his wife, two sons
and the men on his sub. His dream of power has placed himself into the
same situations as the existing leaders of his own ravaged country.
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda:
Desire to be Premier of North Korea

G. Internal Dilemma:
After years of planning his scheme to take over control of North Korea,
Kang runs head-on into another complicated individual with the opposite
desires that stops him. Walters advises Kang that he is no better that the
existing Leader based on his intentions.
H. What makes this
character perfect for their role in this story? Just his core traits alone
would satisfy the requirements.

Character Profiles Improvements.

A: Are there any parts
of the profile that you could improve? Always!
B: Can this character fulfill
their role in the story more effectively? Always!

Character Profiles – Admiral Charles Williams

A. Name: Admiral Charles Williams

B. Role in the Story: Admiral
Charles Williams is command of the Naval Pac-Fleet in Hawaii.
C. Core Traits: Stern,
intelligent, honorable and fair.
D. Motivation:
Want/Need: Wants to get the job done without a hassle. Needs to get this
damn Nuclear Missile Submarine out and away from Pearl Harbor without
detonating the nuclear missiles and harming any Americans.
E. Flaw/Wound: Williams
has some doubts about ordering the Seal Team to capture a submarine in the
first place. Now he has no other choice.
He thinks he may be to blame for repositioning the gate-keeper
causing all the hassle in the first place.
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda:
Williams keeps secret the fact that Walters is being medicated for PTSD.
It’s discovered when one of the Generals sees Walters taking his
medication at a water fountain at SWCC.
G. Internal Dilemma:
Admiral Williams is tossing and turning as the 72- hour time clock is
getting close to running out and the NK Commander is still in charge of
the nuclear missiles.
H. What makes this
character perfect for their role in this story? Admiral Williams is
experienced, firm and fair with his decisions. He’s capable of listening
to a problem then making a decision for a solution to the problem the
sticking with his decision. Without being wishy-washy.

Character Profiles Improvements.

A: Are there any parts
of the profile that you could improve? Absolutely.
B: Can this character
fulfill their role in the story more effectively? Maybe.

Character Profiles – Sara Mills – Walters Girlfriend

A. Name: Sara
Mills
B. Role in the Story:
Walters’s girlfriend.
C. Core Traits: Smart,
attractive, concerned and sassy
D. Motivation:
Want/Need: Sara wants Walters to get some medical help and get serious
about making a commitment to get married and start a family. Sara needs to
convince Walters to go to the medical center for some help for his bad
dreams and anger problems.
E. Flaw/Wound: Sara has
decided she will waste no more time on Walters and leaves him to visit her
mother in California. Walters leaves her a message and she’s unaware of
all the chaos in Hawaii. She drops everything and heads back to Hawaii.
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda:
Sara leaves Walters to get him to get some help.
G. Internal Dilemma:
Sara loves Walters but she hates everything that is going on in his life.
H. What makes this
character perfect for their role in this story? She loving, concerned and
sassy and Walters a good dose of all of those

Character Profiles Improvements.

A: Are there any parts
of the profile that you could improve? Yes
B: Can this character
fulfill their role in the story more effectively? Yes

Character Profiles – Josh Turner – Orphan Kid

· Name: Josh Turner

· B. Role in the Story: A 6-year-old local orphan kid who’s his own boss, so he says. Walters met the kid hitch-hiking while heading to the airport to see Sara Mills off. Josh was heading to his favorite fishing hole and Walters misses Sara’s flight.

· C. Core Traits: Smart, lovable, caring and adventurous.

· D. Motivation: Want/Need: Josh is a happy go lucky kid that just likes to fish. He needs a father.

· E. Flaw/Wound: Josh doesn’t know that he needs a family until he meets Walters. He just knows he’s his own boss.

· F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Josh really has no agenda, until after the battle in Pearl Harbor is over and Sara Mills gets back in town.

· G. Internal Dilemma: A lovable kid who loves fishing is caught in the middle of battle at the Naval Dry Docks and is saved by Walters who calls a break in the war.

· H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He’s just a lovable 6-year-old kid that grabs your heart.

[Charles Jessen]

What I learned from this assignment: More useful ways of extracting the essence of the character from the marrow of my muse.

“The Road Back” by C. Jessen

CHARACTER PROFILES:

A. NAME(s)

JOSH ADAMS: 26, white, recovering drug addict, parolee, homeless street musician, from Iowa originally.

AL INGRAM: 64, black, recent widower, forcibly retired from his Corporate IT job; his only child deceased 10 years now. From Chicago, with a sister there.

B. ROLE IN THE STORY:

JOSH: Provocateur, surrogate son and side kick, needing to grow and learn.

AL: Wounded sage & mentor needing to heal.

C. CORE TRAITS:

JOSH: Cynical, smart-assed know it all, dreamer ; arrogant; detached/indifferent/aloof; yet conscientious and determined to change,

AL: Cynical, responsible, frugal, conservative, perceptive, pragmatic, but also considerate & compassionate.

D. MOTIVATION WANT/NEED

JOSH: WANT: Appease parole board, make $600, audition in Chicago. NEED: Get away for a few days to gain clarity after the drug overdose of his friends; avoid being alone.

AL: WANT: To get to Chicago in time for Christmas with sister NEED: to escape lonely holiday at home; be somewhere else with others; to heal from his loss and find a path forward.

E. FLAW/WOUND:

JOSH: Chases dopamine thrills … drugs, drinking, rock-star fantasies //shame for the pain he caused; lost Daddy complex: never had a father figure to give him encouragement, compliments, guidance…

AL: Short tempered, intolerant, unsympathetic, bitter // grieving the loss of his wife, his son, and his career after he was forcibly retired. Feeling no life purpose.

F. SECRET//HIDDEN AGENDA:

JOSH: Misdeeds of past, harbors shame, mother took out loans to pay for his rehab twice, but it didn’t take. He went to prison eventually // Restart his career/life, make it big in the music business, thinking it will vindicate his journey with his family, ex-girlfriend, etc. BEFORE he considers reconciling with anyone…. family, girlfriend, etc.

AL: Close to giving up, had considered suicide, drinking too much, little purpose in life // 4^th Act:… changes plans …now dropping Josh off with Josh’s family in his home town.

G. INTERNAL DILEMMA:

JOSH: Keep pursuing music, try to become a big star vs. go back to college or find another career? Bury the past and the debris field vs. confront and reconcile it?

AL: Give up on life vs. find a new purpose somewhere.

H. WHAT MAKES THIS CHARACTER PERFECT FOR THEIR ROLE IN THE STORY?

JOSH: Modern day prodigal son – a product of societal ills and misdirected ambition, but now seeking reform and redemption.

AL: Wounded sage & mentor. Having suffered loss, now giving so that he may receive.

[June f]

Lesson 4 June Fortunato

3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.

It’s always a good exercise to work through the characters to make sure they’re a perfect balance.

Characters in

Katie and Ti or Click

A Name: Katie Rafe

B Role: Anti hero protagonist

C Core traits: 24 years old. Narcissistic, deeply insecure, emotionally driven, manipulative. Unqualified and dumbass. Relentlessly attacks. Attention must be given, or she will target the inattentive with all manner of hell. Foul mouthed.

D. Motivation: Want/Need- to be the supreme commander of all

E. Flaw/wound: she really wants and needs someone to be strong enough to make her stop. She feels unloved.

F. Secret/hidden agenda: To take revenge on her careless parents who used money for love, but had no love.

G. Internal Dilemma: Now that she’s here, she’s lost without her mom. She doesn’t know what to do.

H Why perfect: No other character asks for quite as dramatic a reckoning as Katie.

A. Name: Lyla

B. Role: Mom, a scientist, a status seeker and uses money because she too, does not know how to love.

C. Core traits: Volvo lady- drinks heavily (due to Katie) Will pay off anyone to take care of her problem without actually taking care to change herself.

D. Motivation: Want/need: she wants to make this problem go away.

E. Flaw/wound: she cannot face what she did to create this problem. Her mother was judgmental and vicious in her way.

F.Secret/Hidden agenda: To find a way to escape Katie while pretending to placate her.

G. Internal Dilemma: Anxiety that it won’t work and she’ll get caught. Anxiety that maybe she should stick it out.

H. Perfect for this story? She knows how to work the system, and she, like Katie, pretends to not know.

A. Name: Dale

B. Role: Dad. Owns many expensive car dealerships.

C. Core traits: He’s a coward with his own family.

D. Motivation Want/Need: To keep his sanity, to stay out of the way, to dodge.

E. Flaw/wound: He was in boarding schools most of his life and knows nothing of real love or parenting.

F. Secret/hidden agenda: He, like his wife, plans their escape.

G. Internal Dilemma: He has to give up everything he’s worked for to escape this madness.

H. Perfect for this story? Everyone needs a coward to play nice.

A. Name: Ti

B. Role: Opposition

C. Core traits: seemingly all American nice girl, she’s a grifter and a player. She’s as two sided as they come. Smart as a whip.

D. Motivation Want/need: like Katie, she wants status of the group

E. Flaw/wound: She’s learned about Katie’s type the hard way

F. Secret agenda: to take Katie down and fuck with her head

G. Internal Dilemma- Is Katie worth it?

H. perfect for this story? Who is the mark? Ti looks like the perfect mark for Katie- she’s slick and that’s what will finally take Katie down.

2. Answer the questions to improve the Character Profiles.

• A: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve?

I’m currently developing this story, and will surely investigate this question

• B: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively?

[Tracy Cheney]

Tracy’s Charater Profiles

I learned how my female opponents can reflect aspects of my heroine.

A. Name: MONA MEYERS

B. Role in the Story: everyday heroine,
who’s hired last-minute as a sorority House Director

C. Core Traits: Midwestern independence;
rule follower; doesn’t complain, swear, smoke, or drink; always lived in a
small town; friends are in her church circle.

D. Motivation: Want: searching for love and family bonds

D. Motivation: Need: keep her job!

E. Flaw: believes she’s to be an adored mom to the girls – has image
of Maria and Von Trapp kids in Sound of Music

E. Wound: own mother found her homely and dressed her poorly
F. Secret: not good at anything

F. Hidden Agenda: checking on her divorced husband to see if he’s
dead yet – he got their condo

G. Internal Dilemma: fought for women’s lib/rights in high
school, dismayed by how promiscuous the college girls are as “liberated”
young women

H. What makes this character perfect for her role in this story? She’s
the opposite of the entitled, gorgeous, thin, popular, sexy, overly-dramatic
girls.

A. Name: MISSY

B. Role in the Story: Mona’s opponent; 21-year-old golden girl,
sorority President

C. Core Traits: sexually voracious; smart, but doesn’t
like to study; gets adults to jump to her unreasonable requests by
appearing sweet;

D. Motivation: Want: make her house the top on the row for her senior
year

D. Motivation: Need: prove herself

E. Flaw: has always gotten her way growing up, but not earned
it

E. Wound: her parents prefer her brothers

F. Secret: can’t get a boyfriend

F. Hidden Agenda: hates her major, but dad’s not paying for another
year

G. Internal Dilemma: be adored and popular but doesn’t
enjoy girlie chit-chat

H. What makes this character perfect for her role in this story?
Missy believes she can pull the wool over Mona’s eyes

A. Name: TINSLEY

B. Role in the Story: Mona’s opponent; adult Board member

C. Core Traits: southern charmer, pregnant at 42, thinks
she’s adorable, “it’s not what’s inside, but how you look,” grown up
version of Missy, makes outrageous demands of contractors but won’t pay

D. Motivation: Want: make the house top on the row for her own
vanity

D. Motivation: Need: appear to be the best

E. Flaw: thinks she’s a fabulous interior decorator

E. Wound: a spendthrift, frustrated by husband constraining her
spending

F. Secret: she never graduated college! But having been
inducted into a sorority, always a sister

F. Hidden Agenda: wants to take over the Board and control the
checkbook

G. Internal Dilemma: be adored and popular knowing she
doesn’t have a degree while Mona does – a fraud

H. What makes this character perfect for her role in this story? Tinsley
believes she can bully and control Mona, and have the staff serve her

A. Name: CONCHITA

B. Role in the Story: Mona’s opponent; sorority Head
Housekeeper

C. Core Traits: very social, scheming, loyal to relatives,
good friend of former House Director; ingratiates herself with Board
members by babysitting

D. Motivation: Want: to be the sorority House Director

D. Motivation: Need: be adored by the girls and undermine Mona

E. Flaw: believes it’s okay to take from the privileged, allows
stealing

E. Wound: racism bites

F. Secret: all the staff are related to her – she gave them
their jobs

F. Hidden Agenda: oversees her Hispanic mafia – she’s legal,
and takes a cut of each paycheck since they don’t have bank accounts

G. Internal Dilemma: doesn’t like to do the type of work
immigrants get assigned to do, that she’s as good as the girls she serves
doing menial work

H. What makes this character perfect for her role in this story? She
believes she can dupe Mona who doesn’t know Spanish or functioning in the
city

• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by  Tracy Cheney.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment is the feeling of empowerment I can have when I allow myself to be curious to dig deeper for a possible layer or trait/complexity within my character/relationships. I see this empowerment as a process of allowing myself the freedom to explore and be curious in order to discover, evaluate, and craft conflict/friction/complexity that fuels my story’s world and supports the vision.

My Strengthened Character Profiles:

A. Name: Wayne Reece

B. Role in the Story: Wayne is the protagonist who seeks a musical group for his spotlight to celebrate his gift from God.

C. Core Traits: Dreamer, Manipulative, Proud, Hard-working

D. Motivation: Want = his spotlight on Vegas stage. Need = to open his heart and voice to God’s plan.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = self-centered. Wound = The divorce of his parents due to his father’s alcoholism.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = he’s blessed with gifts from God: giving heart, glorious voice, and manifest visions. Hidden Agenda = he’s leading his musical cover group for his stardom, to prove others that race doesn’t matter, and to “best” the original artists.

G. Internal Dilemma: To manipulate others to showcase himself vs to give himself and his heart to a spiritual community and sing for God.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Wayne is the one blessed/cursed with his gifts, and he uses them in a self-centered way. He needs his journey to find his true service to God (family, community).

A. Name: Aunt Willie

B. Role in the Story: Wayne’s grandmother and spiritual guide; spiritual leader in the Nashville community

C. Core Traits: Forgiving, Controlling, Patient, Compassionate.

D. Motivation: Want = to guide others to be their best and open to God’s gifts. Need = to keep her family safe.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = controlling nature contributes to divorce of Wayne’s parents. Wound = she was unable to help her father with his alcoholism and anger.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = she witnessed a miracle as a girl, but ongoing civil rights issues are challenging her faith; Hidden Agenda = to guide Wayne to achieve God’s calling, and restore her faith in God

G. Internal Dilemma: to be patient with Wayne (and God) for him to fulfill God’s plan vs. her faith in God is strained.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Wayne needs a spiritual guide to help him understand God’s gifts. His parents’ flaws (divorce, alcoholism) make them unreliable in Aunt Willie’s eyes.

A. Name: Donna Barr

B. Role in the Story: Donna is Wayne’s love and wife. Divorced, she has closed herself from love.

C. Core Traits: Practical, hard-working, self-sacrificing, impatient.

D. Motivation: Want = to care for her kids and secure her career. Need = to accept Terry and prove her love for him. To open her heart to Wayne and to God’s power.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = she doesn’t believe in love or higher being. Wound = abused by her first husband, divorced.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = her mom accepted abuse in her marriage, as long as the children were safe; Donna’s husband abused her after he found out she was pregnant with their fifth child, Terry. Hidden Agenda = to raise her family in a beautiful home.

G. Internal Dilemma: she’s closed off her heart (she blames herself for her fate) vs. opening her heart to Wayne, Terry, and God.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She had a painful first marriage – abuse, humiliation, deprecation. But Wayne’s vision of her as his love (God’s vision and plan), and his show of devotion to her and her children, challenges her heart and her connection with a higher power.

[Lori Lance]

Lori Lance’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment is to think in terms of whole characters and how they might interact with each other based on their profiles.

Pastor Thomas

Role in the story: Hero/Runner, a pastor of a small-town church trying to avoid Christmas

Core traits: affectionate, down-to-earth, dependable, self-sacrificing

Motivation: to be in control and not show his vulnerability

Wound: his wife was a gift from God, but she’s been taken away

Secret/Agenda: to avoid Christmas festivities while preparing his sermon, The Hope of Christmas

Internal Journey: from hopelessness to hopeful

What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? A pastor is the last person one would expect to avoid Christmas.

Miriam

Role in the story: change agent

Core Traits: classy, strong leader in the community, and long-time widow

Motivation: helping others brings her joy

Flaw/Wound: She doesn’t always feel appreciated.

Secret/Hidden Agenda: She needs to be needed.

She can be prideful, and she’s not good at accepting help from others.

Internal Journey: pride to humility

What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Miriam is a long-time friend of Thomas and knew his wife. She naturally likes to help people, and Thomas really needs help now.

Deacon John

Role in the story: supporting character, friend, and associate of Thomas

Core Traits: wants to keep the peace and make things right

Motivation: wants to avoid conflict

Wound: He’s misunderstood.

Secret: anxious

Agenda: peacemaker

Internal Journey: becoming bolder and claiming his place

What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? His position in the church allows him to confront Thomas in a way that others can’t.

Deacon John’s character could improve by being a stronger presence throughout the storyline, and being more bold when confronting Thomas.

[David Becker]

David’s character profiles

What I learned from this assignment is that my characters need more work.

1. Create Character Profiles for each of your lead characters by filling in the blanks for these eight questions.

A. Name: Jake Bellamy

B. Role in the Story: Protagonist and male romantic lead

C. Core Traits: kind/caring; athletic; perfectionist; emotionally unavailable/distant

D. Motivation: Want/Need: To be free of guilt; wants to see the mother of the two girls he killed so he can apologise to her

E. Flaw/Wound: His guilt and regret

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: He doesn’t disclose who he is to her and keeps it hidden

G. Internal Dilemma: Does he tell the truth and risk losing the only woman he has ever loved

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He is a male protagonist in a dramatic love story, which is unusual, but he is endearing because he has accepted his mistakes, taken his punishment (both through a long prison and term and cancer) and now seeks make things right. We want him to succeed.

2. Answer the questions to improve the Character Profiles.

A: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve? We need to ensure that the stakes for Jake remain high. The trip to Painted Hills must be life and death for him.

B: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively? He must be a facilitator to bring Jess back to life. In doing so, they both find redemption and love for the first time in their lives.

1. Create Character Profiles for each of your lead characters by filling in the blanks for these eight questions.

A. Name: Jessica Brandochia

B. Role in the Story: Female lead

C. Core Traits: fiery; loving; guarded; fragile

D. Motivation: Want/Need: to be free from grief;

E. Flaw/Wound: The death of her two young girls;

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: She also feels guilty as the girls weren’t wearing seat belts

G. Internal Dilemma: Her dilemma only arrives at the end of Act 3 when she learns the identity of the man she loves.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? We feel her pain; we feel compassion for her; we pull for her as she lifts herself up from her pain and attempts to move on.

2. Answer the questions to improve the Character Profiles.

A: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve? She must still be consumed by grief to a large degree when she meets Jake. This is important for her transformation

B: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively? They both bring about the healing of the other.

1. Create Character Profiles for each of your lead characters by filling in the blanks for these eight questions.

A. Name: TJ (Tatanu Jatsu, meaning “he who speaks with horses”)

B. Role in the Story: Ranch manager and friend of Jess

C. Core Traits: wise; observant; disciplinarian; old fashioned

D. Motivation: Want/Need: his son to take responsibility; be a leader

E. Flaw/Wound: he feels the expectations of his ancestors

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: he knows his son is guilty of theft

G. Internal Dilemma: He knows who Jake is but doesn’t disclose this to Jess

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He acts as narrator; he connects us to the land, the Painted Hills and their significance. He is a wise old owl.

2. Answer the questions to improve the Character Profiles.

A: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve? We need to flesh out his flaws more; the negative traits and they must play a role in the story.</div><div>

B: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively? His presence must be felt in the background throughout the story.

1. Create Character Profiles for each of your lead characters by filling in the blanks for these eight questions.

A. Name: Sheriff Brandy Hotches

B. Role in the Story: Sheriff of Prineville

C. Core Traits: needy; dogged; distrusting; supportive

D. Motivation: Want/Need: he is keen on Jess and always has been

E. Flaw/Wound: Insecure, he wants to be praised and seen as the main man about town

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: driven by a personal agenda, he arrests Jake to get him out of the picture even though he has little evidence

G. Internal Dilemma: He knows he has little to go on, but he can’t stand Jake

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? He is an antagonist for Jake and discloses his identity to Jess

2. Answer the questions to improve the Character Profiles.

A: Are there any parts of the profile that you could improve? He must be pesky and dogged, but nice enough so that Jess can see his good side as she hooked up with him but then realised it was a mistake</div>

B: Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively? To be considered

• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by  David Becker.

[Brian Bays]

Brian’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment is… I love how our character profiles keep getting shorter and shorter. I also love going back and seeing how the characters have changed. I still need to work on the 3-4 traits to fine tune them a little more, but that just may be wordsmithing.

• Title: HEAD GAMES

• Genre: Supernatural Thriller

• Concept: A reclusive, young psychic is forced to team up with a skeptical detective to stop a killer who is targeting psychics, not knowing that the killer is possessed by an evil spirit who needs the psychic heads to escape the Underworld/Afterlife/Purgatory forever.

A. Name: JULIA

B. Role in the Story: What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role?

– Young Psychic recluse with access to the other side, she’s tuned into the killer somehow. How? From her mom!!

C. Core Traits: Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves.

– demure, tough, naive, germaphobe?

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay.

– Wants to lead a normal life/catch the killer, Needs to be loved.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them.

– Flaw: She lets her mom/others dictate her life/tell her what to do.

– Wound: She used her powers when she was young and was ridiculed. It was bad. (Carrie?) Shit went down. That’s how the cops find her?

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge.

– Secret – She’s psychic and knows her mom is dead, but treats her like she’s alive (Sicth Sense?).

– Hidden Agenda – In the end, she plans to trade herself for Bryce whether Sara likes it or not.

G. Internal Dilemma: Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved.

– Keeping her abilities a secret vs. sharing with the world (helping Sara).

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story?

– She does everything for the story. It couldn’t be anyone else. She sees the killer, and she’s needed to stop him.

A. Name: DETECTIVE SARA(H) ANDREWS

B. Role in the Story: What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role?

– Detective investigating the psychic murders and she has a connection with Julia and Simon.

C. Core Traits: Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves.

– crass, no nonsense, unfriendly, empathetic, self deprecating, asexual. Manipulative?

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay.

– Wants to solve the murders and be a good detective, Needs forgiveness, resolution, to forgive herself.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them.

– Flaw – Won’t let anyone in. No friends (except for Pitts?). Manipulative?

– Wound – Her past. She has a dead ex-wife and a son (BRYCE) she doesn’t know. Not her real kid. None of her DNA. She’s ashamed and guilt ridden she gave up Bryce even though she knows it was for the best.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge.

– Secret – She is a little psychic, but she hides it with alcohol.

– Hidden Agenda – No hidden agenda? Keep the psychic powers at bay? Hand Julia over to Simon to save Bryce?

G. Internal Dilemma: Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved.

– Being a cop versus being a mother. No way to do both. Give up Julia to save Bryce?

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story?

– She has the best record on the team for solving cases. They call it women’s intuition which insults her, but she has a bit of a psychic streak herself that she dulls with alcohol and vehemently denies.

A. Name: SIMON

B. Role in the Story: What is the role and how does this character fulfill that role?

– Spirit trying to break out of purgatory.

C. Core Traits: Three or four main characteristics that make up how this character makes decisions, takes action, and expresses themselves.

– ruthless, no conscious, psychotic, angry, deceitful, egotistical

D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = their goal. Need = an internal requirement for them to be okay.

– Wants psychic brain fluid (pineal glands), Needs to get out of Purgatory,

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = the internal part that sabotages them. Wound = The traumatic experience from their past that haunts them.

– Flaw: So full of himself he doesn’t think anyone will cross him.

– Wound: He almost escaped, but Sara killed his previous body. Too much coincidence?

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Something they keep hidden or concealed from others that impacts the story. Hidden Agenda = a covert plan that affects others without their knowledge.

– Secret – He has found a way out of Purgatory and to live again.

– Hidden Agenda: Kill psychics and steal their heads. They find the boy’s head dissected.

G. Internal Dilemma: Two opposite values that are opposed to each other, like being powerful versus being loved.

– No dilemma – he’s just bad.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? How does this character fit the concept, drive the conflict, and/or fulfill a major need in the story?

– Perfect bad guy. From the THRILLER CONVENTIONS: He’s dangerous, devious, and unrelenting. Committed to destroy anyone who gets in their way.

[Jenifer Stockdale]

Jen’s Character Profiles

What I learned dong this assignment: I just remembered I want to get EXTREME with their traits! Since hearing that, I’ve been looking at characters to notice if this is true and it is – and not just extreme, but frequent! In the real world we don’t wear our traits like a t-shirt, but they definitely do on screen.

A. Name: Mariana
B. Role in the Story: Protagonist, young teen who lives in
survivor’s compound but is suspicious of what she is told
C. Core Traits: suspicious, which she wears all over her
face, constantly challenging others, wanting to grow up and spread her
wings, but can’t in closed environment in which she lives, brave (to the point
of reckless), needy (whiny and always seeking assurance to the point that
she “harps” on things) , bossy (tells everyone what to do, including
adults), naïve (knows nothing about the world AT ALL)
D. Motivation: Want/Need: wants friends who she can
control, needs to be accepted by others and reassured that she is the “best”
E. Flaw/Wound: thinks she knows everything/has a deep
seated feeling that there is more for her and it gnaws at her
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: killed a man who tried to rape
her/get others to do her bidding
G. Internal Dilemma: wants to get away from her family and
grow up as a normal teen does, feels guilty about it because she thinks
they need her
H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story?
She has lived in the compound her whole life and has “drank the Kool-Aid” –
as a teenager it is normal for her to want to be independent, but the
nature of their living situation doesn’t allow that, so her actions are EXTREME!

A. Name: Davis
B. Role in the Story: Mariana’s friend, side-kick,
confidant
C. Core Traits: loyal and trustworthy, malleable,
D. Motivation: Want/Need:
E. Flaw/Wound:
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: He “works” for the people at the
Processing Center, keeping an “eye” on Mariana
G. Internal Dilemma: When they actually become friends, he
has a hard time with the loyalty he
feels– should it be to Mariana or the guards?
H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story?
Davis is Mariana’s FOIL – but ultimately becomes her sidekick and helper (without
her she never would have made it because they keep erasing her memory)

A. Name: Felicity
B. Role in the Story: The third in the triangle, access
for Mariana and Davis to the outside world
C. Core Traits: emo (on the outside) fun-loving jokester (on
the inside), adventurous and curious (has been spying on the “cult” for
years)
D. Motivation: Want/Need: to break the story of the cult
and “save” the children/needs validation from her mother (who moves from
place to place and follows cults to bring them down, but can’t seem to
crack this one and puts all her interest in that, ignoring Felicity, at least
as far as she is concerned.
E. Flaw/Wound: jealous
(or everything and everyone/feels neglected by her mother
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: is attracted to Mariana and has been
for years/be the one who can bring down the cult but not to save anyone –
to get kudos from her mother
G. Internal Dilemma: Mariana is so naïve that she doesn’t
know if she make a move on her, or just go with Davis (I am now questioning
if Mariana and Davis should be siblings…)
H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She
is their connection to the outside world – she is an outsider in her
world, doesn’t really fit in, so she is able to connect with them on a
deep level

A. Name: Guard/Warden
B. Role in the Story: The “lesser” antagonists – the ones
who are the face of evil that Mariana sees
C. Core Traits: evil, ruthless, will do anything to
succeed (though they don’t even know what “success” means in this situation),
one guard pretends he is someone else (think Firestarter and gets Mariana
to trust him, as she believes he is someone other than the “warden” -yet
audience knows after a while)
D. Motivation: Want/Need: to do their jobs well, keep the
people contained and “happy” but will hurt others to do that, “just
following orders”
E. Flaw/Wound: willing to hurt children/warden finds out he was
deceived and has been doing wrong for all the wrong reasons
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: none, it’s all out in the open
G. Internal Dilemma: none
H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? These
characters are the antagonists that we see throughout the movie – they are
symbolic of the “big” evil, the hands-on, day-to-day (I want to say oppression,
but that word has a different meaning here…) so maybe “repression” of the
individuals in the compound.

A. Name: The Commissioner
B. Role in the Story: The big “antagonist” – the one who
made the compound and pretends to be “Mother Savior” the one who foresaw
the end of the world and saved the families who are there to carry on the
world
C. Core Traits: loving, will do anything for her family,
ruthless, dictatorial, succinct (to the point of seeming rude)
D. Motivation: Want/Need: the compound to be a
success/needs to save her son
E. Flaw/Wound: moral compass is broken/lost her brother
when she was young to the same condition her son has – is dealing with a
sick/terminal child
F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: created the compound under the
guise of not wasting organs through the death penalty/having a heart at
the ready for her son
G. Internal Dilemma: killing an innocent child who she
loves to save her son
H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story?
She is not just plain evil. She is a character who “does” evil, but if it
was written from her POV, she could easily be the protagonist.

[Sandra Nelles]

Sandra’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment is that there were several parts of the lead characters profiles that needed to be improved. This was a breakthrough lesson for me.

Name: Sloane

Role in the Story: (Protagonist) Sea captain who is lured into smuggling,

Core Traits: Charming, Adventurous, Competitive, Loyal

Motivation: Want/Need: Want: To stay alive and to provide for his family. Need: To confront his insecurities and find validation inside versus from others.

Flaw/Wound: Flaw: Feels he isn’t good enough. Wound: Verbal abuse and neglect from his alcoholic mother.

Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret: Hides his doubts and fears by drinking. Hidden Agenda: Hides his smuggling activities from his family and friends.

Internal Dilemma: His need for truth and honesty versus survival and validation.

What Makes This Character Perfect for This Role in the Story? When Sloane talks, he is scheming. He is smarter than he looks. Sloane can remain calm under pressure, diffuse difficult situations, and smoothly talk his way out of being captured.

Name: Senor Grande

Role in the Story: (Antagonist) Banker and money changer in the story. He lures Sloane into smuggling.

Core Traits: Greedy, Powerful, Friendly, Deceptive

Motivation: Want/Need: Want: To be wealthy and powerful. Need: To have others do his dirty work.

Flaw/Wound: Flaw: Over confident in his financial knowledge and money laundering abilities. Wound: Living in poverty as a child.

Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret: Hiding his illegal activities from his family and others. Hidden Agenda: Pretends he is Sloane’s friend, but sets him up and betrays Sloane several times.

Internal Dilemma: Wealthy versus being a good person.

What Makes This Character Perfect for This Role in the Story? He is in control and defeats anyone who gets in his way.

[Melanie Collup]

Melanie’s Character Profiles

What I learned from this assignment is that one of my main characters does not keep any secrets or have a hidden agenda. I need to explore some possibilities that would still be in keeping with the rest of who he is. Or consider the possibility that giving him a secret or hidden agenda might create an entirely different character and that might be interesting to consider.

A. Name: Amy

B. Role in the
Story: Amy is the protagonist who creates an alter ego of a pole
dancer on the NYC subway trains.

C. Core Traits: Intelligent,
Articulate, Kind, Overly rigid and locked into routine

D. Motivation:
Want/Need: WANT: To rediscover her love of dance. NEED: To overcome
her fear of rejection.

E. Flaw/Wound: FLAW:
She lacks self-confidence in anything outside her routine. WOUND: She was
emotionally devastated by her childhood dance instructor. The experience
destroyed her love of dance and resulted in Amy’s fear of rejection and
unwillingness to “put herself out there” in a meaningful way.

F. Secret/Hidden
Agenda: SECRET: Amy has a secret identity and she hides that fact
from the rest of the world, including those closest to her. HIDDEN AGENDA:
Amy can reignite her love for dancing without dealing with her fear of
rejection because she does it anonymously as the Dancing Queen.

G. Internal Dilemma: Amy
wants Phil’s love, but to get it she must reveal her secret identity which
requires her to face her fear of rejection head-on.

H. What makes this character
perfect for their role in this story? Amy and the Dancing Queen are
opposites when it comes to taking risks and putting herself out there. One
of them loves Phil, Phil loves the other, setting up the need for Amy to
embrace the Dancing Queen as a part of herself in order to get Phil.

A. Name: Phil

B. Role in the
Story: Phil is the object of Amy’s affection but because of his total
lack of self-confidence when it comes to romance, he can’t see that.
Instead he falls for the unobtainable woman, the Dancing Queen.

C. Core Traits: Book
smart, self-deprecating, gun-shy

D. Motivation:
Want/Need: WANT: The love of the Dancing Queen NEED: To recognize his
own worthiness.

E. Flaw/Wound: FLAW:
He is so risk-averse he can’t even climb a step ladder. WOUND: A painful
divorce from an emasculating woman has left him believing he is unlovable
as he is now.

F. Secret/Hidden
Agenda: SECRET: Phil’s pursuit of the Dancing Queen is hidden from
Amy (although this is not intentional on Phil’s part). HIDDEN AGENDA: He
doesn’t have one. He is an open book even though it is sometimes painful
for him.

[Connie Barr]

Connie’s Character Profiles

What I learned from doing this exercise is that interviewing the main characters is essential to making them compelling to potential actors and to the audience.

Love Dance Character Profiles

A. Name: Daisy
Duncan

B. Role
in the Story: Female protagonist who wants to be a winner in life,
dance and love.
C. Core
Traits: Bossy, controlling, insecure, a romantic

D. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Want
= Fall in love, Need = To be adored
& be enough for her soul mate

E. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Flaw
= To be good enough, Wound = Being
cheated on countless times during her marriage to Randall.
F. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Secret
= To be the absolute best at something, Hidden Agenda= To win the contest,
attract “the one” & even be featured in the news!

G. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Internal
Dilemma = Being in control, yet not having to take care of everything and everybody.

H. What
makes this character perfect for their role in this story? <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Daisy is a
complex woman who presents as a strong, capable woman who actually
second-guesses virtually everything she does and seeks validation from
many people.

A. Name: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Buckley
(Buck) Wright

B. Role
in the Story: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Secondary Protagonist/Daisy’s Love Interest

C. Core
Traits: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Kind, funny, supportive, ethical.

D. Motivation:
Want/Need: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Want = Have a great woman in his life again, Need =
Forgiveness for his wife’s death.

E. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Flaw
= Feeling not good enough, Wound = Nearly constant guilt over driving the
car when Annie was killed in the crash.

F. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Secret
= He had a couple more drinks before he and Annie hit the road. Hidden
Agenda: = Start over with someone new and never mention the extra drinks.

G. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Internal
Dilemma = Everyone thinks he’s a really good guy, but he’s actually an irresponsible
scumbag.

H. What
makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Buck is so
severely haunted and plagued by his role in the death of his late wife
that truly wants to start his life over with Daisy but feels he doesn’t
deserve happiness,

A. Name: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Randall
Duncan

B. Role
in the Story: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Antagonist (Daisy’s Ex-husband who is obsessed with
winning her back by hook or by crook)

C. Core
Traits: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Chameleon (inside and out), sneaky, determined, cheater

D. Motivation: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Want
= To have another chance with Daisy. Need = Prove to his daughter that he
is one of the good guys.

E. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Flaw
= Lifelong womanizer. Wound = When their daughter was a teen, she
discovered him with another woman in their home and she’s never forgiven
him. (this is a new revelation to add)<u style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>

F. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Secret=
(Currently have nothing for this) Hidden Agenda: He will get
Buck out of the picture, win Daisy back, and be forgiven by their daughter.

G. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Internal
Dilemma: He was a successful MI6 Operative for decades and yet he has
made zero progress with his agenda to sin Daisy back. He doesn’t get it.

H. What
makes this character perfect for their role in this story? <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Randall was
a spy, so he knows all the tricks and is by nature a crafty dude who is
accustomed to getting what he wants and who he wants.

A. Name<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>: Frank
Munroe

B. Role
in the Story: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Secondary Antagonist

C. Core
Traits: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Jovial, virile, authoritarian, a romantic rascal

D. Motivation:
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Want = To enjoy every day he has left & see his girls happily
partnered with good men. Need = To go out happy and fulfilled.

E<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>. Flaw
= Accustomed to getting what he wants. Wound = He will never get over the
loss of his incredible wife who died too young.

F. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Secret
= He has cancer but hasn’t told his daughters. Hidden Agenda = He plans to
live out his remaining days having as much fun with the ladies and his guy
pals as possible before he goes 6 ft. under.

G. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Internal
Dilemma: He was true blue to his wife when she was alive and feels a
little guilty for carrying on with all the horny ladies in YACC.

H. What
makes this character perfect for their role in this story? <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Frank is a loveable
old rascal who adores his daughters and covertly tries to help and
protect them.

1. Are there any parts that could be improved? Yes, the aspects of Randall’s character that I underlined which will make him more of a negative force.

2. Can this character fulfill their role in the story more effectively? I am pretty happy with the main characters, but I did see that their opening disdain for one another could be ramped up.

[Elisabeth Decesso]

Elisabeth’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment: I need to be kinda scizophrenic – characters revive the story and the story determines the character

Character 1:

Name: Lilianna

Role: She’s the prot, she runs the event business

Core traits: She’s creative, has many ideas, can catch the needs of her business partner quickly, people like her

Want: Satisfy business partners

Need: find inner peace

Flaw: Her thoughts are moving quickly

Wound: She’s scared of fire because her first love died in one

Secret: She still misses her first love

Hidden Agenda: She believes the fire was her fault and tries to paint it over

Internal Dilemma: She tries to continue with her life but the guilt gets ever stronger

Character 2:

Name: Tobias

Role: He initiates the incidents to uncover the truth

Core traits: determined, focused, calm – but also pushing

Want: Finding out who set the fire

Need: getting Lilianna back

Flaw: He is emotionlessly aiming for the answers

Wound: Somebody tried to kill him

Secret: He’s presumed dead

Hidden: to influence the others to make them reveal the truth

Internal dilemma: He soon learns that Lilianna did not set the fire

He sets the story in motion

Character 3:

Name: Kim

Role: best friend of Lilianna, coordinator of events

Core traits: verschlagen, achtsam, durchtrieben (devious, attentive, cunning)

Want: get rid of Lilianna

Need: account for her deeds

Flaw: impatient

Wound: Lilianna is liked more, get rid of her jealousy

Secret: She set the fire

Hidden: ruin Lilianna

Internal dilemma: She cannot kill Lilianna and take her place for she is lacking the friendlyness

She is the cause for Lilianna’s trauma and the evil person to get rid of

Character 4:

Name: Alex

Role: Lilianna’s fiancé and constructor of the business

Core traits: he enjoys being the man, enjoys comforting Lilianna, but loves to have wild sex with Kim

Want: be the one who’s in control

Need: find out he’s Kim’s puppet

Flaw: He looks down on Tobias, is arrogant, but self-inflicted

Wound: feeling inferior

Secret: Wants Kim

Hidden: Plotting against Lilianna

Internal Dilemma: With Lilianna he can be “the man” but is Kim’s slave and enjoys that

He maintains the illusion

[Kimberly Jentzen]

Kimberly Jentzden Character Profiles

What I’m learning is that this exercise helped tremendously and took a while to process, but it actually improves the story because I discovered aspects that make them more fun and interesting.

A. Name: Ella Heart (working name) age 16. Role in the Story: She is the unlikely hero that brings Bully Canary to justice.C. Core Traits: Uptight proper baker attempting to be good, clumsy, very girly, temperamental, has a lot to say, chef, impatient, can’t shoot a gun worth a nickel. D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = to be courageous enough to bring Bully the kid Canary to justice. Need = To know that she is worthy to live, even though her mother died. E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = fearful and has low self-view. Doesn’t feel good enough. Wound = Ella killed her mother in childbirth. Mother was supposed to have a son, not another daughter. She had twins. Ella was the daughter. Father dies in Appomattox. F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret Hidden Agenda = To get her sister to forgive her and be family.G. Internal Dilemma: Forgiving herself for losing her family.H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? No one would believe this 85 lb 16-year old could ever take on Bully Canary. A. <div>

Name: Dusk Heart (Working last name) age 19. Role in the Story: Sister to Ella – Ended up in the orphanage only to run away and join the Civil War effort. C. Core Traits: Sullen, mysterious, wild, quiet, rebel, violent, sharp shooter, warm interior, cool exterior, always underestimated because she’s a girl.D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = escape the nightmares of the war and find freedom. Need = belongingE. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = distrust. Wound = Mother dies in childbirth of her twin siblings and Dusk can’t forgive Ella or Beau. Then they’re split up and sent to different locations to grow up.F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Never really ever killed anyone, just her reputation always proceeds her. She maintained the horses in the war, and helped them when they were injured. After all, girls weren’t allowed to fight.

Hidden Agenda she really wants to have a cattle ranch and be a cow girl.<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>G. Internal Dilemma: Lacks trust. Learning to depend on another. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She’s someone who can train Ella, she’s clever and learned how to survive in a rugged environment with mean soldiers who were dying of dysentery, too. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>A.

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Name: Bully CanaryB. Role in the Story: Antagonist and bandit that is a murderer and robber. Starts as resentful and bitter stagehand. C. Core Traits: selfish, greedy, angry, wants revenge, has a sweet tooth which he’ll do anything to satisfy D. Motivation: Want/Need: Want = to live like a king and have a hotel that caters to high society in the West. Need = to learn you don’t get there by stealing and murdering. E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = takes everything personally and is quick to kill. Wound = Born out of poverty – always hungry. F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = Mother didn’t want him. Hidden Agenda = to be the kingpin of the culinary West. Then it becomes to kidnap Ella and get her to cook for him. G. Internal Dilemma: Will I always be hungry? H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Dangerous villain for any baker or chef.

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