Tom Zarillo
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CHAR PROFILE PART 2
I learned that the key to success in character profiles is simplicity – making it as easy as possible, and a handy snapshot for inspiration for the screenplay elements.
Tony (Protag)
We are drawn to Tony by his confliction and his good heart. He rapidly goes from “having it all” to the underdog when his outer shell of success is crumbled.
Traits – smart, funny, driven, conflicted
Subtext – is still hiding the insecure little kid inside him
Flaw – he keeps looking for a father figure
Values – work ethic, constantly keep moving, kind & caring
Irony – he must eventually chose what is more important to him
Tony is the right char for this role because he has the good heart, although hidden, to make the right choice.
Uncle Francis (Antag)
We are drawn to Uncle Francis by the way he give an aura of a loving uncle and family man.
Traits – polished, family focused, brutal & decisive
Subtext – his view of family means everyone does what is right for him
Flaw – he is brutal and has no issues in ordering people killed
Values – loyalty above all else (loyalty to him), his word is the way
Irony – he will have to decide what is more important to him
Uncle Francis is the right char for this role because he embodies a father figure to Tony but wrapped in a brutal shell of an evil man
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Character Profiles Part 1
Protagonist Type – Runner
Antagonist Type – Villain
Genre – Drama
Protagonist (Tony)
Role in Story – Runner. Tony is running from his past and running smack dab right into it when he needs to return home for a funeral.
Age/Description – Male, 30s, Very polished and confident on the outside, but has a shy and nervous side that leaks out
Internal Journey – From hiding and being haunted by his past and his family to confronting it and accepting it as part of what has molded him into what he is today
External Journey – From being the “next big thing” to doing what makes him happy regardless of how it impacts his career success
Motivation – Corporate success
Wound – Losing his father at an early age, decision he made in the past
Mission/Agenda – To somehow save BOTH his friend Michael from paying for their past decision and his mentor/boss Skip from going to jail
Secret – Tony and Michael killed a man
What makes them special? – Tony is a caring, but flawed person
Antagonist (Uncle Francis)
Role in Story – Villain. Francis is Tony’s Uncle and runs the the family’s corrupt business.
Age/Description – Male, 60s, Arrogant, head of the family since his brother (Tony’s Dad) was killed
Internal Journey – No real journey
External Journey – From being “the Don” to ending up in jail
Motivation – Corporate success
Wound – Not having Tony be one of his minions
Mission/Agenda – To protect himself and to make Tony come into the family fold
Secret – Francis helped get rid of a young boy who say Tony and Michael kill a man
What makes them special? – Although he is a brutal tyrant, family is the most important things to him
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Lesson 1: The Transformational Journey
What I learned from doing this assignment is…
That audience must CARE DEEPLY about the protagonist’s transformational journey.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Tony is an ultra-successful business executive who returns home after 15 years to visit his dying best friend, and confront the fatal decision they made together before he left home.
Internal Journey:
From hiding from his family and past to accepting it as part of what made him what he is
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>External Journey:
From the “next big thing” to “just doing what makes him really happy”
Old Ways:
1. Measures happiness by “#s on his paycheck”
2. Afraid of people in his new life finding out about his family
3. Needs a father figure to replace his own
4. Would do anything to protect his “corporate family”
New Ways:
1. Measures happiness by “living”
2. Not afraid to confront his family and live with it
3. Accepts he is his “own person” and doesn’t need a father figure to drive him
4. Does what it is right, not what is right for the corporation he works for
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Hello. I’m Tom. It is so nice to meet all of you. I live on the east coast of the US. I put my screenwriting ambitions on the backburner for quite awhile and hope to use this course to re-energize that.
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I agree with the terms of the class.