Post Day 3 Assignment Here

[Peter Birdsong]

Peter Birdsong’s Character Profile Part 2

EDIT: I forgot to add what I learned: Overall, I’m learning to tackle this in smaller chucks. Instead of sitting down and thinking, “sheesh, I have to come up with so much stuff!” I’m feeling less overwhelmed. Thinking about the internal irony of a character is eye-opening.

Carly (Protagonist/Antagonist)
Type: Dreamer / Change Agent

“Mom” Name TBD (Antagonist/Protagonist)

Type: Change Agent / Runner

Other possible characters…

Background characters at Carly’s school and Employees at “Mom’s” company.

Genre: DRAMA

CARLY

Roll: She’s a dreamer. Typical self-seeking teen who believes she’s figured out the world and doesn’t need anyone.

Age: 17

Internal Journey: From prideful and crass to humble and gentle.

External Journey: From a weak teen without a clear direction to a strong young lady with a goal.

Motivation: To become famous thereby feeling everyone loves her.

Wound: Father was killed in accident. Mom wasn’t present.

Mission/Agenda: To get back to her own life away from Mom.

Secret: She intends to drop out of school.

What makes her special: Being a cheerleader, she very athletic. She’s a fast study when the subject interests her.

What draws us to this character? She’s the high school dream girl. Her perfect hair and makeup means her appearance is a bit fragile in the elements. She doesn’t belong on a boat, but finds herself there anyway. Hidden beneath is a strong, capable young lady who’s a quick learner. Maybe a trait she inherited from Mom.

Traits: Athletic. Bold. Ambitious.

Subtext: Her persona is practiced. She sees herself as a brand that needs to be maintained and promoted. This leads to hours of careful prep daily. She uses this to hide the real self.

Flaw: Her irresponsibility. She’s lazy.

Values: Truth. Popularity. Beauty.

Irony: Outwardly rejects her mother. Inwardly wishes she had someone she could call a mom.

What makes this the right character for this role? She’s tied to her mother not only in birth but in a shared tragedy — her father’s death. This sets them both on the journey her father had dreamed of taking himself.

MOM

Roll: A business woman who’s desperate to reconnect with her daughter after tragically losing her husband.

Age: Late 40s

Internal Journey: From guilt to forgiving herself

External Journey: From career focused to family focused.

Motivation: Feel a connection with her late husband

Wound: Husband is dead. Daughter’s relationship is destroyed

Mission/Agenda: To deliver her husbands boat to a potential buyer.

Secret: She’s been asked to take over the company.

What makes her special: She’s a problem solver able to analyze situations and learn to change them or adapt.

What draws us to this character? She’s mentally tough. A smart negotiator. She’s underestimated in every initial meeting, and she’s learned to use that to her advantage. Give her thirty minutes and she’ll own the room.

Traits: Guarded. Bold. Focused. Distrusting.

Subtext: She is all business — dress and demeanor. Her guard is always up; which she’s used to protect her long corporate climb.

Flaw: Her job has been her highest value.

Values: Career. Honesty. Her daughter. (Possibly in that order)

Irony:

What makes this the right character for this role? Her husband’s boat is left behind after her death, and it’s her responsibility to either keep it, or sale it. But what does she know about about the open water? Selling is the logical step.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Peter Birdsong.

[Robert Wood]

Robert Wood’s Character Profiles, Part 2

What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s pushing me to explore the depths of character even further than I thought I needed to.

Protagonist: Matt (son) is a “Fighter” who will not only rise to the immediate goal / challenges but will rise to the occasion of dealing with his dad and everything they encounter when their day trip doesn’t go as planned.

Antagonist: Bert (father) is a “Change Agent” who will be a thorn in Matt’s side but ultimately leads Matt to his full potential and to a better understanding of his father.

Other Characters: Minor Roles / Background Characters only: Matt’s sister (VO on phone call only), a boat rental lady, and a rescuer.

Genre: DRAMA

Time: Present (2022)

Location: Kelowna, British Columbia / Okanagan Lake

MATT

Role: Son / protagonist who is feeling put-upon to have to go to his dad’s to take care of things.

Age: 50ish male, in decent shape and working on it. Somewhat tightly wound as story starts.

Internal Journey: He begins agitated / impatient with his dad specifically (and with everything in general) and grows to a place of peace and understanding.

External Journey: Going on one last quest with his dad what they’re searching for (the sea monster) becomes less important than what he finds: a better relationship /understanding of his father.

Motivation: Want: To get to his dad’s and deal with what needs to be done (which we assume is to help move the old man into a home). Need: To reconcile his relationship with his dad.

Wound: Never having the bond with his dad that he wanted / imagined.

Mission / Agenda: To go on a last quest for the sea monster Ogopogo, but in the process finds his purpose: to reconcile himself with his dad.

Secret: His dad’s already dead. Matt’s going to clear out the old family house for sale, but isn’t quite ready to cope with it.

What makes him special: His willingness to humour his dad one last time, even though he’s seemingly cold and impatient with the old man.

What draws us to him? He’s a likeable everyday guy who ends up dealing with a challenging situation – the audience can put themselves in his shoes.

Traits: Decency, humour, impatience, tension.

Subtext: Hides his inability to say goodbye to his dad by manifesting and talking to memories of him.

Flaw: Impatience / sometimes saying something that he’ll quickly regret.

Values: Family (but sees family as imperfect and difficult, and is impatient with it.)

Irony: He values family but has never had one of his own because he’s never achieved peace with his own father.

What makes him right for the role? It’s his story! He takes his dad out for one final day trip in search of the sea monster but finds what he really needs: peace with his father’s memory.

BERT

Role: Father / antagonist who’s a critical conscience-like voice to Matt, reminding him of what he should or shouldn’t be doing.

Age: mid-70s, wiry build but clearly weakened by age.

Internal Journey: His antagonistic criticisms are a cover / shield that will fall away in tandem with Matt’s.

External Journey: Prompting his son to go out one final time on a father-son quest in search of the sea monster brings them closer together.

Motivation: To get his son to feel at peace with their relationship.

Wound: The same / mirror image as Matt’s: not having had the relationship either of them really wanted.

Mission / Agenda: To get Matt to a place of peace about their relationship.

Secret: He’s dead. He’s just a memory that Matt’s conjured up to relive / spend a bit more time “with” his dad.

What makes him special: In the beginning it seems he brings out the worst in his son but by the end he brings out the best.

What draws us to him? He’s a charming, eccentric old guy with a crazy lifelong passion / hobby / obsession: to find the legendary sea monster Ogopogo in Okanagan Lake.

Traits: Obsessive with details and very smart, gentle, a mentor / conscience figure.

Subtext: He’s avoiding the fact he’s dead and just a figment of his son’s imagination / memory.

Flaw: Was never able to be the father he really wanted to be.

Values: Imparting wisdom and curiosity.

Irony: He has to take a backseat and watch Matt make mistakes.

What makes him right for the role? It’s his quirky obsession that leads to the day trip which is then transformative for his son.

[victor Valleau]

Subject line: (Your name’s) Character Profile Part 2 (place in first line)

Vic Valleau, 2 Character profiles, part 2

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

I learned to keep writing, not stop to look at and evaluate what I just wrote. Better is to write fast, then walk away, get it done.

ASSIGNMENT

2. What draws us to this
character? Protagonist “Almost Nice Nancy”

Traits:

NANCY

She is a whirlwind, exciting, fun, unafraid and fully expressed and a powerful and free natural leader, brilliant at manipulating people to cover her innocent? wrongdoings. Her flair for living, constant activity throws people into creating new social situations, expanding everyone’s social horizons. It is always an unforgettable party around her. She blasts ahead, stirs things up. 30, beautiful, powerful

She is a RUNNER: She is plagued by unworthiness, cannot sit still, leaves quickly after sex, avoids feelings. She’s not what she seems as happy carefree, go lucky. Deeply troubled, she does not understand and cannot experience her emotions, even love or anger. Her thoughtless actions harm others but she doesn’t notice. She acts out her anger, rather than talking to a confidant.

He J.T:

DREAMER Antagonist role: Savior complex so chooses wounded women he can rescue. Womanizer but overlooked since he is an important man about town. Change agent; BELIEVES IN TRUE LOVE, but toys with her whenever he can. Like puzzle pieces, each has met their match. Secretly, he wants marriage and family but fears commitment, castration by marriage. He is 40, puts on brakes, talks sense, is loving but too hopeful about her, delusional. He is the golden boy of the town, a catch, runs away from too eager women. She runs, he chases. He’s not cautious, a law judge part time but too lenient.

4. OTHER CHARACTERS: They both have confidants, maybe lovers, brothers mothers.

5. Genre: Rom-com.

Flaw:

She in incapable of social normalcy, is questioned by others, must leave when she fails to fit in. Her style of interaction is hit and run. She’s lightening quick, sucks admiration out of people, then leaves. She’s afraid of depth, of heartbreak, of love.

His flaw is desperation, wanting quick results and impatience.

.

Values:

She values adulation, admiration, control over social situations. She prides herself on being a rebel. She skirts on edges of overwhelming and unacceptable behavior. She is addicted to the thrill of being a rebel.

He Values entertainment too highly. He expects honesty, social standing, wanting a beautiful girlfriend to elevate his standing, work and being punctual, deeply values his long-time friends, His life is boring so he seeks relief from day to day responsibilities.

Irony:

Her weaknesses are seen as strengths by everyone, almost. She scares away romantic interest to all but most foolhardy.

He is planting seeds of destroying his carefully constructed life. He brings “fox into henhouse”

What makes this the right
character for this role?

She: First impression, she’s open, honest, trustworthy, spontaneous which captures her fans. Deeper view, her thoughtless, “bull in a china shop” habits are both vexing and freeing for her and others in her orbit. Her lack of control is seen mistakenly, as fearless and honesty.

He: He’s established, resourceful, desirous of romance, ready, willing and able to leap into marriage, a true believer. His establishment friends and family encourage him.

[Rebecca Jordan]

Rebecca Jordan, Character Profiles Part 2

What I learned from this lesson is that the more the characters are developed, the more the story unfolds itself. And the more material there is to pull from in order to justify the plot points and story telling. Also, gives goals to work toward for each character, creating more conflict and resolution. Feeling pretty grateful right now!!!

1. Type of role for Protagonist: Rachel, Daughter (RUNNER/DREAMER)

2. Type of role for Antagonist: Barb, Mom (PREDATOR/NARCISSIST)

3. Other roles necessary: MINOR ROLES AND BACKGROUND

Rachel as a child, younger Mom, young Japanese Step Father, and supporting roles: young teens (13-20’s) Dr. Ken, 30’s, shrink/psychologist. Carly, (a Mom) 30-40 Stewart (Carol’s Son) (15-16)

4. Genre: DRAMA

5. Main Characters: Rachel and Mom

6. Timeframe: Present (2022) and past (1972-76ish)

7. Location: Midwest, Puerto Rico and maybe somewhere deep South like New Orleans.

1. Rachel – Daughter

Age range and Description: Middle aged (50’s) and Youngster (8-14), Half Caucasian, half Puerto Rican.

Internal Journey: Needs to make amends with her past and have closure with Mother before she dies.

External Journey: Takes a road trip to find her Mother’s whereabouts.

Motivation: Peace of Mind. Curiosity. Justice.

Wound: Unloved by her Mother. Responsible for the kidnapping of her little brother. Has never felt good enough. Abused.

Mission/Agenda: To see and confront her Mother before she’s gone.

Secret: Deep guilt and shame for having been incestuously abused sexually as a child and having committed the same offense believing that it was a show of love.

What makes her special? Extremely self sufficient and resourceful, in spite of not having the support in order to succeed. Quirky, funny, positive – even when the chips are down. Mature, Independent, determined, survivor. Handy. Resilient.

2. Mother (Barb) – Authority Figure

Age range and Description: Younger Barb Mid 20’s-30’s, Older Barb mid 70’s

Internal Journey: Cold. Militant. Narcissistic, Pompous and judgmental, leaving a wake of destruction behind her where ever she goes. Not sure how humbled she becomes, if at all. Regrets. Alone. Perhaps tries to show love but never becomes apologetic.

External Journey: Nomadic. Moves from relationship to relationship and from place to place starting over once she’s done with current set of circumstances. Numerous jobs and career moves. Winds up unconscious literally.

Motivation: Self serving. Escaping the depths of her pain and destruction by abandoning circumstances and changing location.

Wound: Left her son behind, and eventually her daughter, as well. Empty. Alone. Not that likable. Her father died at the age of six. Had a selfish, militant Mother.

Mission/Agenda: To abandon anything or anyone who causes her any discomfort. To lead her life as she sees fit, in spite of who may get hurt along the way. Self serve. Live in peace where nobody gets to know her too well.

Secret: Is filled with self loathing and regrets for past choices. Never stopped loving and hating my Dad. Resents Rachel for looking like her Dad and for getting to do what she never could. Hates Rachel for sabotaging the kidnapping of her son, Rachel’s younger brother.

What makes her special? Able to be charming and pretend that everything is fine. Able to move on and not look back. Highly intelligent. A hidden emotional life that may never be revealed. Handy and resourceful. Resilient. Survivor. Self sufficient.

3. Nurse Eleanor – Mother’s Caretaker

Age range and Description: Present only, mid 70’s, Stocky and Stern, Jewish. She is a nurse in a convalescent home.

Internal Journey: Suspicious. Stern and protective of Mother. Eventually opens up to Rachel and softens.

External Journey: Protects and cares for Mother and tries to turn Rachel away until she can’t deny her access anymore. Eventually becomes understanding and caring of Rachel’s predicament.

Motivation: To care for Mom (Barb) and keep anyone who shows up away from her.

Wound: Perhaps also has estranged children who don’t come to visit her.

Mission/Agenda: To do a good job and obey her patient’s wishes. Follow the rules.

Secret: Possibly in cahoots with Barb who may not really be unconscious.

What makes her special? I don’t know yet. It may be that she can knit and crochet and shares this with Rachel after some time passes. She’s a protector. Quirky. Suspicious.

What draws us to Rachel?

Rachel is a scapegoat and has the burden of adult responsibilities as a young girl. She is constantly criticized by her Mom who isn’t present enough to set an example. Rachel excels in spite of this. She is smart and entertaining and sensitive with a heart of gold and only wants to be loved by everyone and anyone. She is heartbreaking, resilient and overcomes or embraces all that is thrown her way. She is her own hero.

Traits: Kind, generous, risk taker, edgy. OCD, perfectionist.

Subtext: Tough in the face of criticism. Sarcastic. Tries to hide her pain but tends to wear her heart on her sleeve.

Flaw: Innocence, Guilt, Shame, Overly self-sufficient, lacks self worth, rebellious.

Values: Honesty, Justice, Integrity, Pride.

Irony: Rachel is defiant, sneaky and rebellious in order to outsmart authority or get away from her Mom. She believes this is best for her well being. Can be sarcastic when defending herself. Disobedient and independent because she doesn’t trust anyone. Runs away and gets her own apartment at the age of 14.

What makes Rachel the right character for this role?

Rachel, as a child, is overly mature and has endured more than any child her age should have to. She is able to present as someone way beyond her years. She never stops being kind to people she respects, because she longs to be loved and recognized as a good person. As an adult, she has proven herself and found a community in which she belongs. And she has does the hard work to get there. She is successful in her own right but continues to struggle and works through it with tons of self care. She is, as an adult, a little OCD and struggles with perfectionism. She is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

<b style=”background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>

<b style=”background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What draws us to Mom?

Mom is delusional with a sense of grandeur. She presents as opposite of who she is. She believes she’s a great Mom, when in fact she has never mothered either of her children or taken part in their lives. She initially, comes off as beautiful, charming, and poised; however, she is diabolical. Although she is cultured and intelligent, she is pompous and cold without a leg to stand on. She is not well liked; she is the black sheep of the family. She looks down her nose at people who don’t live up to her standards, and yet she doesn’t even live up to her standards. She is a hypocrite. And she is intensely critical of her daughter.

Traits: Pompous, rigid, Impatient, dishonest, charming, cold and detached. Hot headed. Always right.

Subtext: Ingenuous and flippant. Makes light of when things get too heavy. And overreacts to whatever threatens her authority. Stiffens and becomes judgmental when she’s jealous or left out.

Flaw: Has alienated everyone and has never looked back. Entitled. Always right.

Values: Integrity, Rules, Laws, Power, Control, Culture, Education.

Irony: Breaks all the “rules” and is dishonest in order to be right. Believes that holding the title of “Mother” entitles her to be right, in spite of being absent and negligent. She holds her head high as if she were the greatest Mother on earth simply because she gave her daughter skim milk as a kid, thereby making sure she’d have strong bones.

What makes this the right character for this role?

Mom is right for this role because her behavior and her actions make Rachel have to fight hard for what she has to overcome in order to become who she is today. It’s both heartbreaking and hopeful. Mom unknowingly forces Rachel into becoming her own hero through which ironically is the person she can be proud of. If only Mom could get past her own jealousy of not having a life as complete as Rachel’s. Mom is so inept and unable to celebrate her daughter’s successes that it’s gut-wrenching. So much so that we pray for a loving last moment with Rachel, who we cheer for in the end.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Rebecca Jordan.

[Patrick Downey]

Patrick Downey – Character Profiles Part 1

What I learned doing this assignment is that I’m brand new at this and it shows in my writing style or lack of….I’m not really putting myself down here it’s just that I assume most of you have some sort of experience in screenwriting and this is my first go at it. With that being said, I wrote a script about 6 years ago and I think it has real potential. It’s a unique storyline that I haven’t seen at least in a movie but maybe a book somewhere. Well, I noticed after I posted my assignment yesterday that mine didn’t look like the others in the class. Then after reading today’s assignment, I realized I already did most of this but it’s because my script has already been written. However, after all that whining, I am learning so much because I’m a blank canvass with a great set of paint colors already in front of me!!!!!

Protagonists: Cayman Stingnelli (Hero)

Antagonists: Dardanos Alexandrite (Predator)

Supporting characters: Ray Stingnelli, FBI agents, business partners and company employees

Minor roles: Cayman’s mother, Cayman’s teacher

Background characters: Varied from police officers, FBI Director, betting runners, Stingnelli family members and others

Genre: Thriller

Lead character: Cayman

Role: Grandson of the CEO Ray Stingnelli that has lost his mother, is hearing impaired and wants to do the right thing in the end.

Age range: From 8 or 9 years old through his 18^th birthday

Motivation: Revenge his grandfather’s death

Wound: Being hoodwinked into thinking his grandfather was a good man doing good for the community. Working for and with a bunch of criminals.

Mission/Agenda: Set things right in a way that outsmarts the best of them.

Secret: Cayman can read lips and only his inner circle knows this about him.

What makes them special: He can be your worst nightmare if you get on the wrong side of him. He has his mother’s intelligence, grandfather’s business sense and his own superpower!

[Don Thompson]

Don Thompson, Character Profiles, Part 2

1. Type of role for Protagonist: Victim/Dreamer (Billy Budd) and Explorer (Captain Vere)

2. Type of role for Antagonist: Authority (Master of Arms Claggart)

3. Other roles necessary: supporting and background

4. Genre: Action-Drama

5. Main Characters (Billy Budd, Master of Arms Claggart, Captain Vere)

6. Timeframe: 1797

7. Location: HMS Avenger – Royal Navy

1. Billy Budd (Victim/Dreamer)

Age range and Description: 18

Internal Journey: Needs to find the best method of surviving and getting along with others.

External Journey: Needs to adjust to the new circumstances of work on the HMS ‘Avenger’ during
wartime.

Motivation: Harmony with his fellow shipmates.

Wound: Is an illegitimate child who does not know who his parents are/or even his exact age.

Mission/Agenda: Create harmony among the crew.

Secret: He might have homosexual tendencies disguised as gentleness. He has a natural sexuality that exudes from him, arousing attraction from all kinds of people. This natural sensuality and good-naturedness is at the heart of what ends up torturing the conflicted Claggart into hating Billy.

What makes them special? Extremely good-natured – to a fault, you might say.

What draws us to this character: Their charm and good nature.

Traits: Trusting, good-natured, happy.

Subtext: Character expresses subtext through their facial expressions.

Flaw: Stammers when under pressure and cannot speak.

Values: Believes people should get along and tries to facilitate that.

Irony: Has incredible natural athletic capability that allows him to defeat almost any man in a fight.

What makes this the right character for this role? In order to engender the feelings in the audience required for the themes to be expressed most powerfully, this is the correct person for this role.

2. Master of Arms Claggart (Authority)

Age range and Description: 45

Internal Journey: Is escaping some sort of trouble and joined the Navy as a result. It could have been that he is homosexual and was ostracized for this, or that he murdered a homosexual man with whom he had relations. No one is quite sure, but there are rumors.

External Journey: Needs control and authority.

Motivation: Creating a sense of fear in others gives him a sense of control and eases his inner suffering.

Wound: Suffered abuse as a child. Feeling of not fitting in.

Mission/Agenda: Make others suffer so they will be on the same level as him: miserable and suffering. He has evolved into a tragic sadist.

Secret: Detests God and curses him under his breath. Prays to Dark Forces to give him strength.

What makes them special? He is extremely disciplined, driven to channel dark impulses and cruelty
into socially acceptable ways.

What draws us to this character: Our distaste for this character makes him watchable as we cannot understand him and seek to know
what makes him behave the way he does.

Traits: Cruel, cynical, calculating.

Subtext: The character expresses himself through the enjoyment of his cruelty. Underneath, there is pain as he feels hated and unable to escape from the hatred of society.

Flaw: Obsession – he becomes so obsessed with destroying a person that he also destroys himself.

Values: Survival, self-preservation, hatred of perceived weakness in others drive this character.

Irony: His obsessiveness creates a natural opening for his downfall.

What makes this the right character for this role. In contrast to Billy Budd, Claggart is the perfect expression of Billy’s opposite.

[Daniela Bolanos]

Daniela – Character Profile Part 2<font color=”#343434″ face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”>
</font>

<font color=”#343434″ face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”>I learned my characters should include traits that I find easy to write and love, and also make them have some contradictions to make them interesting.</font>

<font color=”#343434″ face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”>Michael</font>

Role in the story: ProtagonistAge range and Description: 30-35Internal Journey: Selfish to caring and lovingExternal Journey: Lonely cowboy to family manMotivation: /To feel safe and in controlWound: Terrible relationship with his familyMission/Agenda: To recover his estateSecret: he feels very lonelyWhat makes them special? His urge to survive, he is accidentally sweet, will stay and fight for what he loves even if it breaks him<font face=”arial, sans-serif” color=”#000000″>What draws us to this character? Impulsive, we don’t know what he will do next.</font>
Traits: impulsive, sweet, funSubtext: deflates hard questions, very much an extrovert, excellent at changing the subjectFlaw: He will drop everything for loveValues: loyalty, Irony: Telling the truth about how he got to the commune is the only way he can demonstrate Violet he loves her, but it will also make her hate him.

<font color=”#343434″ face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”>Violet</font>

Role in the story: Antagonist/Love interestAge range and Description: 30-35Internal Journey: Not caring if she hurts Michael, to falling in love with him.External Journey: Trying to take down Michael, to trying to fix himMotivation: keep her people safeWound: No connection to her blood relativesMission/Agenda: Tog row her community/To feel safe and in controlSecret: she knows who Michael isWhat makes them special? she is a fighter, will do anything for her peopleWhat draws us to this character? she cares
Traits: goal-oriented, calculating, manipulative, lovingSubtext: pretends to be naive and carefree, but it’s a facadeFlaw: cares too much what her people thinkValues: organization, friendship, loyaltyIrony: will fall in love with a man that represents everything she hates

[Daisy Khalifa]

Subject line: Daisy Ridgway Khalifa’s Character Profiles Part 2 (Lesson 3)

What I learned doing this assignment: Without the character’s experience and transformation, your story, as good as it might be, means very little.

MIA PAULEY

What draws us to this character? As LITTLE MIA who meets Charles at age 8, we meet her when her innocence is, for the first time, being eroded from an experience with her family. As adult MIA, she is an imaginative, humorous, open-minded force and must prove that Charles and she met.

Traits: Witty, cynical, beautiful, respects confidences; never tells a secret; cogent; loves to learn; believes in the unfathomable.

Subtext: She is worried she is crazy with her story of the Charles encounter as a child.

Flaw: She sells herself short in life.

Values: She believes in love, kindness, following through, and improving herself

Irony: She appears put together on the outside, and is falling apart on the inside; her family history and low-self esteem haunt her, though few can tell.

What makes her/him the right character for this role? The innocent child whose family life is shattering around her, Mia’s cosmic experiences are so implausible, they seem brought on by trauma; yet she can cope like no one else; her strong mind is equally imaginative; she has faith in the impossible.

CHARLES LAUGHTON

What draws us to this character? He is an astonishing, gifted, little-understood actor; he is a creative force; he is tortured by self-hatred though he is one of the most revered, respected men in Hollywood for his talent. Many unusual things happened to him in his lifetime, and he is someone who is inspired by many aspects, large and small, in nature and the world.

Traits: Self-absorbed; preoccupied; brilliant; sensitive; excitable; famous

Subtext: He works very hard at his craft, and at giving back to actors by teaching, educating; he is accomplished yet sad and worried about daily life; he struggles with his homosexuality

Flaw: Workaholic; health issues; physically ugly; ashamed of himself

Values: Truth in acting; conveying meaning through performance

Irony: Ugly and full of self doubt, Charles is a giant in Hollywood, well-respected and considered one of the great actors. Charles’ work is rooted in all that is imagined and conjured, yet the encounter with Mia is impossible to accept

What makes her/him the right character for this role? His glamorous, heady, intellectually-loaded life in 1940s Hollywood is the right backdrop for someone who must face a supernatural event and deal with it while also juggling all of his projects, and, even more, all of his demons. Charles’ quest to be an authentic actor, and to conquer hard roles for him like Shakespeare’s Lear, make him all at once manic and great. He is powerful man, spiritually and in terms of his presence, whose performances convey this unusual gift. Still, he does not treat those who care about him all that well, especially Elsa Lanchester, his wife and muse and confidante. He must see how important she is to him, and meeting Mia helps him do that.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Daisy Khalifa.

[Dana Abbott]

Dana’s Character Profiles Part 2

What have I learned during this assignment?

Expanding the character profiles from the previous assignment helped me realize I needed to create an additional character. Splitting one character into two streamlined character motivations and created the conflict and the grey area between good and evil.

The more I define and redefine the characters the story moves forward.

GENRE: THRILLER/ACTION

PROTAGONIST: JACK DONOVAN

Role in the story: Protagonist / Hero / Victim. Ex-cop wrongfully convicted of manslaughter seeking redemption after being released from prison.

Age and description: Male. Mid-50’s. Physically strong. Aged.

Internal journey: A man angry at being wrongfully convicted to finding redemption.

External journey: From ex-con to respected and reinstated police officer.

Motivation: Regain his life and develop relationship with daughter.

Wound: Imprisoned. Imprisoned. Lost his family. Publicly hated.

Mission / agenda: Expose the truth and bring down antagonists.

Secret: A daughter from his first marriage is raised by another man.

What makes him special: Retains a sense of justice despite the injustice done to him.

What draws us to this character? He’s been beaten down but not defeated. He refuses to give up his journey to prove his innocence. A strong sense of right and wrong.

Traits: Intelligent. Unrelenting. Vulnerable.

Subtext: Wants to protect his daughter but his search for the truth my jeopardize her.

Flaw: Zealous but naïve. Believes everyone wants to know and will accept the truth.

Values: Truth. Family. Daughter.

Irony: Moral but willing to break the law to find the truth. Wrongly convicted but still believes in justice.

What makes this the right character for this role? Good detective seeking justice with prison survival skills he uses to find the truth.

PROTAGONIST: FRANK VALENTINO

Role in the story: Protagonist / Hero / Victim. Ex-cop wrongfully convicted of manslaughter but has accepted his fate and wants to disappear and forget his past.

Age and description: Male. Mid-50’s. Physically hard.

Internal journey: Defeated and beaten to empowered and vengeful.

External journey: Ex-con released from prison to vindicated.

Motivation: Revenge.

Wound: Wrongly imprisoned.

Mission / agenda: Revenge for everyone involved who send him and Jack to prison.

Secret: Killed inmates in prison to survive.

What makes him special: Strong loyalty to his partner.

What draws us to this character? Realist willing to accept his fate until he’s threatened and . He’s the opposite of his partner

Traits: Violent. Unforgiving. Uncompromising. Blunt.

Subtext: Brutal silence.

Flaw: Fear of the past. Drawing attention to himself.

Values: Loyalty. Friendship.

Irony: Once time honest cop who turns to crime to find the truth. Never used his weapon as a cop but now prone to violence.

What makes this the right character for this role? The years in prison have given him survival skills that he uses to avoid being killed on the outside.

ANTAGONIST: SIMON

Role in the story: Antagonist / Villain / Predator. Assassin assigned to kill Jack and Frank before they expose the truth.

Age range and description: Male. Mid 40’s. Immaculately dressed and groomed. Lean and fit. Smooth and very professional.

Internal journey: Unemotional to apologetic / philosophical about his work.

External journey: Arrives to solve problem but is eventually the one being hunted.

Motivation: Money. Please his client.

Wound: Even he doesn’t know.

Mission / Agenda: To kill Jack and Frank and protect client’s secret.

Secret: Killed the original victim. Framed Jack and Frank for the murder.

What makes him special? Highly intelligent. Detached from morality. Prides himself on his professionalism.

What draws us to this character? Obsessed with the precision of his work and how he plans to accomplish the job.

Traits: Intelligent. Proficient.

Subtext: Polite when threatening others. Uses moral absolutes to defend his immoral acts.

Flaw: Kills people for money.

Values: Money. Loyal to his clients.

Irony: He understands right and wrong, but it doesn’t apply to himself. Unemotional about his assignment until it becomes an issue of pride.

What makes this the right character for this role? He committed original murder and needs to be involved to protect himself from exposure.

ANTAGONIST: BRADFORD MILLS

Role in the story: Antagonist / Authority. Attorney General who prosecuted Jack and Frank. Current governor of the state. On short list for the vice presidency.

Age range and description: Male. Late 40’s. Handsome. Family man with wife and child.

Internal Journey: Strong and confident / nervous and frightened about being exposed as a fraud.

External journey: Candidate for vice president to embroiled in scandal/murder.

Motivation: To become VP nominee.

Wound: Desperate for approval from dead father.

Mission / Agenda: To get the VP nomination.

Secret: Fathered a child with a prostitute.

What makes him special? Projects a public image of strength and integrity. Very charismatic.

What draws us to this character? Suffers from an insecurity that people will discover he’s a fraud.

Traits: Ambitious. Willing to deceive other.

Subtext: Regrets the life he’s lead by expressing secret desires for a different life.

Flaw: Adulterer.

Values: Career. Family.

Irony: Law and order politician involved in the coverup of a murder.

What makes this the right character for this role? Groomed for a political future his whole life by money and family but weak and easily manipulated. The perfect political puppet who does as he’s told.

ANTAGONIST: BRENDA MILLS

Role in the story: Antagonist / Authority. Wife of Bradford Mills. Power behind the throne. Mother.

Age range and description: Female. Late 40’s. Attractive. Blonde. Elegant.

Internal Journey: Strong and confident becoming nervous and frightened for his political future.

External journey: Loving wife of governor to mastermind controlling events.

Motivation: Power. Social status.

Wound: Husband cheats on her.

Mission / Agenda: To protect her husband’s political career.

Secret: Hired the assassin who killed her husband’s illegitimate son.

What makes her special? Her devotion her to husband’s career to the point of killing to protect him.

What draws us to this character? She’s the strength behind her husband, willing to do anything to succeed.

Traits: Ambitious. Ruthless.

Subtext: Hides her true ambitions behind the veneer of the dutiful, non-political wife.

Flaw: Willing to kill for her ambitions

Values: Power.

Irony: Devoted wife and mother / ruthless sociopath.

What makes this the right character for this role? Prototypical political wife. Elegant and refined, but brutally ambitious and controlling of her husband and his career.

[Giles]

Charles Ferrell’s Character Profiles 2

What I learned by doing this assignment is to question the characters about their role in the story.

Genre Action / Drama

Duncan Smalls

Role in the story: Protagonist / Explorer / phd candidate, university teaching assistant

Age and description: 30, socially withdrawn and obsessed with history

Internal Journey: Withdrawn, loaner struggling for acceptance to center of public attention and potential leader.

External Journey: Mediocre history teacher a virtual unknown, to history maker who unearths what has been under everyone’s feet.

Motivation: Initially to quiet the voices, eventually to reveal the hidden tragic history.

Wound: painfully shy, abhors conflict and violence

Mission/Agenda: avenge the victims by revealing the tragedy

Secret: He was the little Asian girl

What makes them special? He is the only one who sees the ghosts and/or visions.

Traits: Organized to a fault, all things must be in place

Subtext: repeats himself

Flaw: Shuts down, disengages when challenged, narrow focus on himself

Values: Facts over beliefs, Integrity

Irony: His view of the world is driven on facts and evidence established over time, he is about to be confronted with the world of belief & the supernatural which cannot be proven.

What makes this the right character for this role? He lives a contained life, one comprised of safe calculated moves. His coming experience in the story forces him to believe, to step out of planned safe moves into risking all for others.

Ghost of the little girl

Role in the story: Antagonist / Change Agent

Age range and Description: 8 to 10, apparition of a small Japanese American girl

Internal Journey: from innocent believer in freedom, to victim of racial hatred

External Journey: American girl to unjustly imprisoned victim of medical experiments

Motivation: Vengeance and Recognition

Wound: She was murdered in the camp along with her family

Mission/Agenda: to get the world to listen

Secret: her and her family’s deaths along with the camp were wiped from all records, their suffering has been kept secret

What makes them special? As a ghost she can appear anywhere, even in the dreams of the living

Traits: elusive, persistent, methodical

Subtext: responds with escalation and anger

Flaw: Blindly driven by her victim status

Values: injustice should have no place to hide

Irony: looks innocent and was killed at a young age but has the experience of humankinds potential for cruelty driven by hatred & fear.

What makes this the right character for this role? She is the only one who possesses the hidden knowledge along with the desire for reveal and cannot be silenced any longer. She is also the previous incarnation of the main character.

The Old Sargent

Role in the story: Reluctant Protagonist

Age range and Description: 70’s, Old smoker, only living former internment camp guard

Internal Journey: Desperately struggling with the suppression of past deeds, finds peace in completing the missing pieces of the puzzle.

External Journey: Prison guard, witness to medical experiments in the secret camp, whistleblower

Motivation: to unburden his soul

Wound: He contributed to the death and cruelty as a foolish young man

Mission/Agenda: to connect the dots and confirm the facts as a witness

Secret: he knows where the secret camp was and how it was erased with the man made lake

What makes them special? The missing link and is murdered by the agent

Traits: harsh, loudly outspoken, quick to dismiss or shut others down

Subtext: his anger and regret towards himself, shows as anger towards others

Flaw: he feels that he has lived a lie, his whole persona is a front

Values: duty

Irony: the fulfillment of his duty long ago, stripped him of his internal ability to feel deserving of honor

What makes this the right character for this role? He is the last living eyewitness and in his twilight years is heavily burdened by it.

The Agent

Role in the story: Antagonist / Villain

Age range and Description: 50’s / pock marked face, missing left earlobe burn scars creeping up out of his shirt.

Internal Journey: mildly dispassionate about the assignment, to hell bent on destruction

External Journey: situational monitor to direct personal violence

Motivation: to win

Wound: He was a POW and is very black and white about the ENEMY

Mission/Agenda: Disinformation

Secret: Is an addict

What makes them special? Access to the truth and the resources to conceal it at all costs

Traits: Direct to the point,

Subtext: Scratches at the burn scarring on his neck and chest

Flaw: He enjoys destruction of things and people’s lives

Values: Mission above all

Irony: He knows his career of destruction and lies has cost him personally, he struggles to justify what he does and the cost

What makes this the right character for this role? Saboteur, The burn scars are a result from a near escape sabotage mission.

Minor Roles:

Girls Father

The University Chancellor

News Broadcaster

Local Police Officers

Librarian

Background characters:

Prison Guards

Prison Physicians

Prisoners

Billy Bob Backhoe

[BG]

BG’s Character Profile Part 2

What I learned doing this assignment: As I fill in character profiles, the story seems to be developing, too.

Character Profile Part 1

REPORTER
Role in the story: Hero / Dreamer. Novice reporter, assigned to a story he becomes emotionally involved in.
Age range and Description: Male, late 20’s, physically fit, medium-build.
Internal Journey: From not caring that it is a WAR that is being planned to wanting to do something to stop a war.
External Journey: From being a dispassionate observer to becoming an active player taking action to stop a war.
Motivation: Pursuing a story.
Wound: He was dumped by the love of his life, dropped out of grad school (mechanical engineering), bummed around Europe, and is aimlessly drifting through life.
Mission/Agenda: To stop a war.
Secret: He’s an undercover reporter who pretends he’s looking for a job as bartender.
What makes them special? He knows how mechanical things work. He can punch above his weight. He becomes very determined.

BILLIONAIRE
Role in the story: Villain / Predator. Billionaire Media Mogul who leads a conspiracy.
Age range and Description: Male, 60’s, big and immaculately groomed.
Internal Journey: No real change.
External Journey: From unreserved support for a war to having second thoughts.
Motivation: To restore the unipolar world.
Wound: He felt he never lived up to his father’s expectations. His mother did not have much time for him.
Mission/Agenda: To start a war.
Secret: He’s the head of a secret Star Chamber.
What makes them special? He has billions and a media empire that can spew propaganda. He’s brilliant at manipulating people and public opinion.

Character Profile Part 2

REPORTER
What draws us to this character? Major underdog — chased by world-class agents and assassins in the completely unfamiliar world of espionage.
Traits: Kind, intelligent, risk-taker, covert.
Subtext: He’s an undercover reporter who pretends he’s looking for a job as bartender.
Flaw: He can become too determined and delay decisions.
Values: Compassion, justice, love.
Irony: He has to break the law to save thousands from death and destruction of a war.
What makes him the right character for this role? He’s a risk-taker willing to stick his neck out for other human-beings. He uses science to punch above his weight.

BILLIONAIRE
What draws us to this character? A man of immense riches on a messianic crusade to stop the world from changing.
Traits: Cruel, brilliant, manipulative, covert.
Subtext: On the surface, he’s a great humanitarian and patron of arts and charities. Secretly, he heads a conspiracy that sows chaos around the world through wars and sanctions that kill, maim and starve.
Flaw: He likes sowing chaos.
Values: Power, manipulating people and public opinion.
Irony: A great humanitarian who causes inhumane death, destruction, and starvation. His media empire calls wars and sanctions “humanitarian interventions.”
What makes him the right character for this role? He’s a brutal warmonger who hides under the veneer of culture, class and philanthropy.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  BG ERENGIL. Reason: Updating as I fill in more
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  BG ERENGIL.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  BG ERENGIL.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  BG ERENGIL.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  BG ERENGIL. Reason: Updating as I fill in more
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  BG ERENGIL. Reason: BOLD tag misbehavin' again;))
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  BG ERENGIL.

[Timothy McDevitt]

TIM’S CHARACTER PROFILES – PART 2

What I learned doing this assignment is how important, and difficult, it can be to create a deep, interesting character.

DUKE (PROTAGONIST)

What draws us to this character?

First, he’s a dog. But he’s also a sympathetic character as a ‘good boy’ who’s been wrongly accused numerous times, eventually leading to punishment that forces him to run away. He’s completely unprepared for life on his own and has to stay one step ahead of the dog catcher, who may return him to his owner…or worse.

Traits: loyal, proud, needy

Subtext: pretends he doesn’t need anyone but craves attention and praise.

Flaw: stubborn; addicted to being called a good boy.

Values: loyalty, truth

Irony: tries to be a loner but befriends Squirrel and risks everything to help him. His self-imposed exile runs counter to his natural desire for companionship.

What makes this the right character for this role?

He’s “man’s best friend” to his core but no longer believes man is his best friend.

EMMA (ANTAGONIST / CHANGE AGENT)

What draws us to this character?

She’s an injured child, struggling with depression and guilt. She might be nasty at times, but we understand why and can forgive her, while rooting for her rehabilitation.

Traits: Stubborn, sarcastic, smart

Subtext: plays the sympathy card to get her way; jokes about uncomfortable topics.

Flaw: doesn’t want help

Values: independence, family, fairness

Irony: She thinks she’s saving Duke but doesn’t realize that she needs him.

What makes this the right character for this role?

Emma is a lot like Duke – damaged, bitter – and these similarities are the source of initial conflict and eventual salvation for both of them.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Timothy McDevitt.

[andrea cabanas]

Andrea Cabañas, Characters’ Profile Part 2

1. With this lesson I learnt more about my antagonist, with whom I didn’t have empathy so far. Now I can even see some scenes between the two and how psychologically she will influence my main character.

2. Fill in Part 2 of the character Profile for your two lead characters.

ZOE

What draws us to this character?

Zoe was raised under a religion where women are submissive and have no voice; she still lives with her mother, who always let her down. When she falls in love with another woman, she feels free but still, but it’s still not easy to fulfil her dreams of being independent; when he discovers her lover is a drug dealer, and she’s caught in a war between cartels, she never wished to be involved.

Traits: emotive, vulnerable, creative, has a good sense of humour <div>

Subtext: she seeks to gain recognition from her mother, to make her believe that she is truly capable of being someone in life. Zoe doesn’t want to end up like her mother, a bitter and unambitious woman. She wants to hear from Katrina that she’s loved.

Flaw: she’s submissive.

Values: Loyalty, honesty, love, and respect (for people and animals of all kinds).

Irony: never used drugs (apart from alcohol) and gets involved with a drug dealer, and in some instances, she may make money out of selling something.

What makes this the right character for this role?

She’s raised under strict religious education and abused by her father and wants to be freed from it. When kidnapped by Pedro and faces a dangerous situation, memories come back from her past, and suddenly, she gets out of her shell and takes brutal action.

KATRINA (antagonist)

What draws us to this character?

Although she’s a cold person and doesn’t show love toward her daughter, Katrina shows feelings that surprise people around her. Although grumpy and always with a bitter face, she transforms when seeing an animal suffering. Although frustrated for not having a career, she surprises Zoe (and herself) by discovering her skills as a writer (or painter).

Traits: suspicious person, a controller, grumpy, creative, loves art. </div><div>

Subtext: hides her happiness for her daughter because she’s jealous of her ‘freedom’

Flaw: doesn’t know to be a happy woman

Values: religion, respect for a male figure, truth

Irony: apart from the violence she suffered from the past, she still thinks about coming back to her ex-husband (or still has contact with him hidden from Zoe).

What makes this the right character for this role?

Katrina hasn’t learnt how to be happy without a male figure at her side. When she sees her daughter willing to be someone and be financially independent, she gets anxious because she doesn’t know how to live by herself—something she will occasionally learn, seeing Zoe becoming successful.

3. Improvements made:

Regarding Zoe (victim) and a supporting character, Georgia Terleckas (!)

Previous one: Zoe had a rigorous education as her parents were devoted to the Christian Assemblies International, where women had to be submissive, have no career, no dreams. Her father was an abuser and used to hit her and her mother for no reason.

She leaves the church; her father kicks her out of the house. She moves to Sydney and lives with an uncle who was banned from the family because he’s gay.

Zoe wants to prove that she’s capable of being someone and having a career, but it doesn’t come easy.

Years later, after the death of her uncle, her prejudiced mother leaves the abusive husband and moves in with Zoe. Still, their relationship becomes a nightmare when she learns Zoe’s in love with another woman, who helps her gain confidence, finds a career and starts her own business. But Zoe dreams are shattered when she discovers her lover is a powerful drug dealer, and now, Zoe’s involved in a war between two drug lords.

NEW NOTES – Because of her strict childhood and women having no voice in this world, it was hard for her to feel comfortable around men (at college? Male dominant area, architecture?) and believe she could be someone in this world as a woman. </div>

– Perhaps that’s why she gets well with gay men, because of their femininity

– SHE NEEDS TO HAVE AN IDOL – Lady Gaga?

– As Lady Gaga, she “Never felt smart enough or good in anything.”

– “Didn’t know what she wanted to do as a career”

– “Never felt good enough in doing anything” but at the end of the movie she accomplishes it, she becomes confident and knows that she can do things being a woman, going against what she was thought (mother still tells her). “Now she knows she WORTHS something.”

NOTE: I forgot to mention that the previous exercise also helped me to build up another character, Zoe’s best friend <i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Georgia.<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>

[Benito Selim]

Benito Selim’s character profile 2

DARRYL CASE

What draws us to this character? A misunderstood underdog. Darryl’s whole life those around him have tippy-toed around his Illness and tend to treat him like he’s disabled. As Darryl learns to use his psychic abilities his confidence makes him tougher and able to find Karen’s and the other’s killer.

Traits: naive, ambitious, and a risk-taker.

Subtext: Despite being afraid of Karen’s apparition, he forces himself to listen to her story despite her not speaking but showing. Hides his fear from others about the serial killer on the loose to prevent more panic.

Flaw: his innocence

Values: Truth and loyalty.

Irony: Despite being told by a fellow psychic he has a gift; he continues to follow his schizophrenic regiment and hides information from the police that can prevent more deaths, despite his adamant attitude to solve Karen’s murder.

What makes him the right character for this role? He has a relatable attitude as anyone his age would be told they are psychic and can talk to the dead. He’s an average college student who was thrown into an abnormal situation but chooses not to run away.

KAREN YOUNG

What draws us to this character? Despite being dead, she has a hypnotizing beauty about her. People want to know who and why she was murdered. She not only gives clues to Darryl about her murder but connects hers to previous murders that have haunted the surrounding community for years.

Traits: mysterious.

Subtext: she has a secret as to why she is helping him more than needed.

Flaw: She’s not as innocent as appears.

Values: connected to someone powerful.

Irony: despite appearing as an innocent victim, Karen has more secrets than leading on. Karen does want to solve her murder via Darryl but has to show him the others who were killed before the killer gets to him.

What makes him the right character for this role? Without her, Darryl would simply think he is sick and crazy. Darryl wouldn’t embrace his gift, nor would he pursue the change.

What I learned doing this assignment is flushing out your characters fully is important so the viewer can follow the story better.

[Janeen Johnson]

Janeen’s Character Profile Part 2

What I learned doing this assignment is that these additional profile pieces round out the characters more and make some of my explanations in Part 1 redundant. That being said, my Profiles are too verbose.

Nick:

What draws us to this character? His sweet relationship to his dog, his respectful list for the woman at the mall he hasn’t met, his sense of duty, his wound as a war hero.

Traits: Skilled in combat, Verbally quick/astute, inventive, shell-shocked

Subtext: Reverts to stoic professionalism when pushed, challenged, or gob-smacked

Flaw: Doesn’t trust himself — Doesn’t think he is valuable anymore because his is broken.

Values: Law and Order, Right, Good over Evil, Hard work to get what you want, Kindness and respect for weaker people and kids.

Irony: Really good guy whose distrust of himself makes other distrust him. Can’t hold a respectable job because of his PTSD and thinks he’s a failure because he couldn’t save everyone. Sure no one will ever love or respect him when he loves and respects those around him, including people he’s never met.

What makes this the right character for this role? He’s ready to heal, to come into his own, to love someone and to be loved. He’s so good he has to be loved, but thinks he’s so worthless he has to sacrifice everything to duty.

Ivy:

What draws us to this character? Ivy is personable, affectionate and kind to the President’s parents, but is hyper vigilant about their safety and ready to die for them if need be.

Traits: Clever, Discerning, Protective, Undervalues herself

Subtext: Doesn’t believe anyone really loves her. They’re only maneuvering for access or (like the parents) amused by manipulating her.

Flaw: Believes her position as a VIP bodyguard is all anyone respects her for and all they see when they look at her.

Values: Duty, Integrity, Responsibility, Caring

Irony: Doesn’t believe anyone means it when they give her respect, lauds or affection. Thinks she’s a buffoon even though she’s the opposite because she’s been duped by access seekers so many times in love, friendship and work.

What makes this the right character for this role? She needs to find someone who values her so she can value herself. She needs a big success.

Nick: Hero

Role in the Story: Hero

Age Range/Description: late 30’s, fairly fit, fairly agile. Looks good in a Santa suit.

Internal Journey: Trusts only his PTSD dog, Grizzly, after an attack in the war, but learns to trust his senses again.

External Journey: Goes from mall Santa to top flight special ops type protector of the President’s parents, earning respect, self-respect and Ivy in the process.

Motivation: Longs to be the man he used to be — the strong (mentally and physically), self-assured, heroic guy he was before his PTSD set in.

Wound: His unit came under fire in the war, lost a number of people including his best buddy who died in his arms.

Mission/Agenda: Knows the president’s parents mall walk in his mall and when he sees them kidnapped, it’s his duty as a true American to rescue them and keep them safe until he can return them to the White House.

Secret: Dreams about a roll in the hay with the Secret Service agent even before he knew who she was.

What makes him special? He’s a broken man, doing the best that he can, but steps up and puts it all on the line when he’s needed. He’s still got it in hand to hand combat, mission planning and execution.

Ivy: Hero

Role in the Story: Ivy accompanies the President’s parents all day, every day and has gotten to know them. She’s like a daughter to them, especially when it comes to keeping their impulses in check. She would lay down her life for them and works her way into Nick’s off the grid adventure while trying to decide if he’s a good guy or a bad guy. Her inside safe contacts allow her to figure out who the real villain is and find a way to capture the bad guys so they can be brought to justice.

Age range and Description: Late 30’s, extremely attractive, physically agile in a fight.

Internal Journey: She’s always felt she wasn’t enough, couldn’t trust men to love her and not use her as a stepping stone to better women, positions in the SS or access to the White House. She feels under appreciated and undervalued as an extremely intelligent and creative protector of VIPs, but her work to find and find out about Nick, rescuing the parents, makes her value felt by HQ.

External Journey: After being shot (in the kevlar vest), finding the parents gone and no one around, she uses the extra trackers she’s had to use to keep track of the childishly recalcitrant parents over the years she’s been their agent to find them, determine their status (safe? with a good/bad guy? pursued by the people who shot her or safe from them?), and get them back to the White House for Christmas Eve. She does it, finding love and her own professional value in the process.

Motivation: To see if anyone appreciates how hard it is to keep the president’s parents safe – they are tricky! – and to appreciate her skill, professionalism, self-sacrifice and value. She’s never felt it before. She’s always felt more like a VIP babysitter.

Wound: Because she’s attractive and has had several recalcitrant VIPs over the years, someone else always got credit for saving them and she got blamed for losing them even though it wasn’t her fault.

Mission/Agenda: She wants to get it right with the President’s parents, by far her most important VIPs to protect so far and her favorite people in the world.

Secret: She’s checked out Santa at the mall before and thinks he’s hot.

What makes her special? Technical skill, good instincts, creativity, ability to size people up and her love for the President’s parents. This is more than a job to her.

[Katherine Bennett-Greer]

Katherine Bennett-Greer’s Character Profile Part 2

Emily, Protagonist (9 years old)

What draws us to this character? She’s reckless – we want to see her wreak havoc.

Traits: Fearless, short-sighted, resourceful, stubborn

Subtext: She always lights up before someone walks through the front door thinking it could be her dad

Flaw: Her displaced anger

Values: Courage and going it alone

Irony: She wants to go it alone, but she longs to have that healed

What makes this the right character for this role? Emily’s the right character for the role because the combination of her resourcefulness and courage, along with her wound of feeling disillusioned about love make her the perfect Protagonist to experience the transformation that the story will bring.

Mitzi, the Antagonist (Adult female)

What draws us to this character? She’s a train wreck of a crime boss. We know she’s going to make us laugh. We also know she’s going to do some bad things and we want to see it.

Traits: Demanding, insecure, clumsy, filthy rich

Subtext: She fishes for compliments, because she wants someone to tell her she’s good enough

Flaw: She’s replaced a lack of feeling good enough and unconditional love in her life with material things

Values: Getting a deal, loyalty, luck

Irony: She loves animals, but she hates people

What makes her the right character for this role? Mitzi’s a clumsy criminal mastermind who’s obsessed with luck and loyalty, a perfect villain for this story.

[Jess Paxton]

What I learned doing this assignment is to trust my characters to correct my misapprehension about who they are. Refining a character is as much an ongoing process as rewriting. It doesn’t need to be perfect the first time.

GENRE: PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

PROTAGONIST: DR. OLIVIA THURMOND

Role: Dreamer / Explorer

Age range and Description: Female, early 30’s, phys ically fit, Ivy League self-discipline.

Internal Journey: From a guarded, disillusioned loner to a fully empowered woman who bravely faces her future.

External Journey: From a timid, formulaic therapist to a detective who faces and defeats a serial killer.

Motivation:

Want: Demonstrate that her hypnotherapy program is superior to conventional analysis.

Need: To overcome her fears of betrayal.

Wound: Her father was physically and emotionally abusive, and her mother shot him.

Mission/Agenda: To help the President recover from his wife’s death and his nightmares, and enable him to retake the reins of government.

Secret: Her former fiancé was cheating on her and she never suspected. He’s now working for the President. Her father was his political mentor.

What makes them special? She’s a brilliant psychiatrist who by nature remains detached and analytical.

What draws us to this character? She’s in a position nobody has ever been in: she has to analyze and treat the President of the United States. It could mean success, or prison, or even death.

Traits: Vulnerable, brilliant, physical, formulaic, guarded.
Subtext: She’s still in love with Will, who was her first lover. She defends herself with psychiatric ploys.
Flaw: Passion.
Values: The Hippocratic Oath, loyalty to the USA.
Irony: The ultimate fish-out-of-water: she’s the President’s therapist. Their sessions are recorded. If he tells her anything that’s classified, she has to keep it a secret. Who is listening? Her ex-lover, the Chief of Staff, who can take down the President and have Olivia chucked into Gitmo. He’s the spitting image of the father she feared so much. Trained by her abusive dad, he’s an expert in psychological manipulation. Meanwhile, she has a job to do: repair a man she finds immoral and unethical so he can continue to do his job.

What makes her the right character for this role? Personal history: the President is the kind of man she falls for, the Chief-of-Staff who hires her is her first love, she’s studied psychological manipulation and can compete with them both on an intellectual level. Having lived with an abusive father, she knows how to walk a psychological tightrope.

FIRST ANTAGONIST: CHIEF OF STAFF WILL DAVIS

Role in the story: Change Agent / Villain. A shrewd political mind and a manipulator.

Age range and Description: Male, late 30’s, outwardly ingenuous, inwardly a machine.

Internal Journey: From respecting Munson to undermining him.

External Journey: From using Olivia to protecting her.

Motivation:

Want: To succeed Munson in the White House.

Need: To protect Munson from Olivia.

Wound: Olivia left him.

Mission/Agenda: To use Olivia’s techniques to induce a confession from Munson and control him.

Secret: He murdered the First Lady.

What makes them special? He was Olivia’s psychology professor at Harvard, and uses his expertise like Vicomte de Valmont to influence people.

What draws us to this character? The power behind the throne. He can look innocent and unassuming while plotting the overthrow of government. Every word he says turns out to be a lie. He knows the President is a serial killer and uses that to plan his own murder: the First Lady, who knows his ambition to replace the President. He even seduced her and then murdered her. Yet he still desires Olivia.

Traits: Sociopath, brilliant, manipulative, ambitious.
Subtext: Like Lord Baelish, he is the ultimate manipulator. He appears to the world as a man who will do anything for the President; but to him Munson is just a stepping stone. Everyone trusts him, although he is the most unscrupulous person in the White House.
Flaw: He has never lost, so he overestimates his chances.
Values: Power, manipulation, secrecy, reputation.
Irony: Even though he toyed with Olivia, he was seduced by her beauty and her passion. He will try to protect her from all threats, while threatening her himself. He pushes Munson to the brink, but it may mean that Munson will destroy the only person Davis has ever rally cared for.

What makes him the right character for this role? He is second only to Munson in ability and ambition, perhaps Munson’s Superior in some ways. He is refined, educated, capable of anything to satisfy his lust. Like Valmont, he can plot in several directions simultaneously.

SECOND ANTAGONIST: PRESIDENT MUNSON

Role in the story: Predator / Authority. A man who has risen to the apex of power and wields it like a rapier.

Age range and Description: Male, early 50’s, handsome, confident, oozes power.

Internal Journey: From accepting his crimes to burying them.

External Journey: From the East Wing to the morgue.

Motivation:

Want: Power over others, “because I could”.

Need: To pay for his crimes.

Wound: Actually adored his wife — and didn’t kill her.

Mission/Agenda: To win re-election.

Secret: He murdered three of his lovers at his wife’s request.

What makes them special? He’s born and bred to power and influence. He has spent a lifetime manipulating people to idolize him.

What draws us to this character? He is the ultimate man: he’s the President, he’s handsome, intimate, compassionate, helpful, sympathetic, charismatic; and it’s all a lie. He’s really a brutal, tyrannical, sex addict who has literally murdered three women he thought might betray him.

Traits: Psychopathic, demanding, charismatic, Machiavellian.
Subtext: He is the ultimate “lady-killer”.
Flaw: He loved his wife.
Values: Power, pleasure, democracy (as long as he wins).
Irony: He’s so used to manipulating people that he cannot see he’s being used himself. He believes he may have murdered his own wife, who threatened to unmask him. The only person he has faith in is Davis, who is secretly manipulating him.

What makes him the right character for this role? He’s perfect. Who else could seduce his analyst? He can put on a practiced face of distress in order to gain her sympathy; but inside his demonic nature actually does tear at him; Davis only supplies the nudge to push him over the edge.

[Steven Nikosey]

Steven Nikosey, Character Profile Part 2

“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”

There are no wrong answers. Not at the inception stage. It is a part of the process of story development and it must happen organically as the character forms and develops in conjunction with plot development.

2. Character Profile for Protagonist, Yannis Georgiou:

What draws us to him?
Sympathy/empathy for what he lost and the suffering he is enduring <div>

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

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Traits:
<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Brilliant, Obsessive, Visionary, Creative

<div><div>

Subtext: Leans
on human philosophy, especially Greek, personal philosophy, Socractic Method,
and mantras when confused or highly challenged, his favorite is KISS, which
he always tells himself, “Keep it Simple Stupid” when stuck or getting in
his own way.

Flaw: Hubris and mildly OCD

Values: Above all else, Yannis values truth,
especially as concerns meaning and purpose

Irony:
He is highly self-absorbed but yet cares deeply about humanity

What makes Yannis the right character for this role? He has the desire and will power to take this story to
the end of the line.

Character Profile for Lead Supporting Character, Daniel Weismann:

What draws us to him?
Primarily his loyalty and support
of his friend </div>

Traits:
Integrity, Honest, Brilliant, and
Compassion

Subtext: Always positive and upbuilding, so speaks
euphemistically and never says anything unkind about anyone…but speaks hard
truths, albeit tactfully, when they must be spoken

Flaw: Kind and generous to a fault

Values: He’s a humanist, human life and its meaning
and value

Irony:
Angry with God for the incredible suffering and has chosen to disavow and reject religion, while still upholding Godly Laws and Standards and is still
searching for God.

What makes Daniel the right character for this role? His
loyalty, honesty, and wisdom, and Daniel thinks of Yannis like his deceased son.

</div></div>

[Lori Lance]

Lori’s Character Profiles Part 1

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

Pastor Thomas

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

Age range and Description: male, mid-sixties, affectionate, down-to-earth, dependable, self-sacrificing

Internal Journey: from hopelessness to hopeful

External Journey: from avoiding Christmas festivities since his wife is gone to taking part in community

Motivation: to be in control and not show his vulnerability

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

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

Secret: he’s harboring unforgiveness, misplaced anger

What makes them special? loved by the community

Miriam

Role in the story: change agent

Age range and Description: female, mid-sixties, classy, strong leader in the community, and long time widow

Internal Journey: pride to humility

External Journey: from trying to force change in others to stepping back

Motivation: helping others brings her joy

Wound: She doesn’t always feel appreciated.

Mission/Agenda: to look out for others

Secret: prideful at times, not good at accepting help from others

What makes them special? She loves to help others.

Deacon John

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

Age range and Description: male, forties

Internal Journey: becoming bolder and claiming his place

External Journey: no real change

Motivation: wants to avoid conflict

Wound: He’s misunderstood.

Mission/Agenda: peacemaker

Secret: anxious

What makes them special? quiet, kind, and easy-going

Minor roles: a little girl in the Christmas play, live nativity, mourning family, impoverished family

Background characters: small town celebrating Christmas

Genre – Drama

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s character profile part 2

what i learned doing this assignment is this ………….. I am learning more about my characters and finding things of interest in them.
CURRENT SANTA
What draws us to this character? he is aged and crumbling inside. We want him to win but he is on the decline.
Traits: becoming confused. He is no longer fit to be Santa. He doesn’t have his leadership qualities anymore.
Subtext: He wants to get through this Christmas delivery and a new Santa will take over. He knows he’d old and weak.
Flaw: He is not as strong and sharp as he used to be.
Values: He is traditional and stands by old school values.
Irony: He refuses to advance the north pole to the next century.
What makes this the right character for this role? he is the santa that everyone knows in stories.

General
What draws us to this character? he wants to progress the north pole into the future and be acknwoledged by
Traits:
Subtext:
Flaw:
Values:
Irony:
What makes this the right character for this role?