Lesson 5 Assignments

[Bent Hanlen]

Lead Character Name: Santa Claus

1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role? He isn’t the Santa we as children imagine. He is filled with self doubt and leads his elves into the danger known as Krampus.

2. What makes this character one of the most
interesting characters in the movie? The previous Santa who was wounded wants his job back and this Santa knows he has to prove his worth. He’s struggling with making himself clear to a demanding General below him in the rankings.

3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie? he fails in protecting his elves from Krampus. Singlehandedly he knows he will be blamed for ruining christmas ..

4. How is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor? He is reluctant to take the General’s suggestions on how to improve the North Pole. He is full of weakness and reluctance. He’s not the ideal mold to be Santa.

5. What is this character’s emotional range? He is filled with fear and wanting to get things done right. Self deprecating.

6. What subtext can the actor play? There is obvious doubt in his actions.

7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has? He and the General butt heads. The General wants expansion and this Santa is against it. He stands his ground but is slowly disintegrating.

8. How is this character’s unique voice presented? He tries to be a bold Santa

9. What makes this character special and unique? He isn’t the reflection of an ideal Santa who is reassuring.

Lead Character Name: The General

1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role? He is everything that the North Pole is not. He is a believer in upgrading the continent. He wants progress.

2. What makes this character one of the most
interesting characters in the movie? He doesn’t care about the kids. He sees presents as a mere job. He is military and wants to turn North Pole into a recognized continent.

3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie? he secretly sells more oil to the other countries. He writes a contract behind Santa’s back.

4. How is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor? His first scene is working on Santa to open up for oil drilling to other countries.

5. What is this character’s emotional range? Angry to condescending.

6. What subtext can the actor play? facial expressions showing lack of care. or knowledge that they got one over Santa.

7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has? He butts heads with the previous Santa who lost his arm to Krampus. And he was the best Santa.

8. How is this character’s unique voice presented? He exerts his authority over the elves.

9. What makes this character special and unique? he is anti North Pole. He is not a good person.

[Diane Keranen]

ACTOR ATTRACTOR Model for CHARACTER 1

Lead Character Name: Matt (Stewart’s son)
1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role? This role takes a recently returned combat soldier through the challenges that make him consider taking his own life rather than providing an over-simplified happy ending for him.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in the movie? His want to return to his family and be a good husband, father, and son is blocked by combat-trauma making these relationships nearly impossible.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie? He seeks out his estranged father who is also a combat veteran. He tries to leave the war behind as his wife wants him to do. He denies the perspective of his father which puts a chance at reunification at risk. He chooses to end his life.
4. How is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor? We learn that his first goal is to go see his father, but instead he becomes intoxicated to the point of passing out and his hometown buddies take him to his father’s cabin so Matt wakes up there. Not at all how he wanted this to go.
5. What is this character’s emotional range? Hope to despair. Desperate to futile. Anxious to hopeless.
6. What subtext can the actor play? The conflict between doing what is expected of him by social norms but harmful to him personally and doing what is helpful to him personally but criticized by others (social norms).
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has? The relationship with his father. The relationship with his wife.
8. How is this character’s unique voice presented? His wants most what he is most uncertain of how to attain.
9. What makes this character special and unique? He desperately wants to make life stable at home but knows he much choose between opposing paths (true vs fake) to make that happen.

ACTOR ATTRACTOR Model for CHARACTER 2

Lead Character Name: Stewart (Matt’s father)
1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role? The role is timely for an older actor. Stewart is a Vietnam veteran who has struggled with life back home and managed to find a way to survive. Now that survival is put to the test.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in the movie? He understands the dichotomy between hero/honor/patriotism and soldier/veteran/survivor and the way social norms want a hero but the combat affected veteran sees the idea of war differently.

3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie? He first denies he can help his son. He changes his mind when his wife convinces him to try. He ends up being the only one who can save his son’s life.
4. How is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor? He’s a strong and steady character living a very careful, socially marginalized life of survival when his wife (he loves her very much) convinces him to hear Matt out and try to help him. They now have combat trauma in common and they understand each other better.
5. What is this character’s emotional range? Distant to engaged. Patient to enraged.
6. What subtext can the actor play? He loves his family deeply but sees the best way to protect them from himself is to keep them at a distance.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has? The relationship with his son. The relationship with his wife.
8. How is this character’s unique voice presented? He’s smart about what it takes to survive in society with combat trauma.
9. What makes this character special and unique? He holds worldview that is contrary to what social norms would say is acceptable.