I'm writing a screenplay but I have to stop every once in a while because I keep asking myself questions like "Would he really say this? Would he really do this?" "Do I need to add another quirk about her to make her more believable, will that fit with her personality?" I want to know my characters inside and out, but how I do that?  

I actually write a page or so long bio about the characters
- you know, general information and what not.

So simple, and I surprise myself that I didn't think of that.

I write my characters up, say, how you'd write an article about your best friend.  You know what I mean?

If not... here's the best I can describe it.

I do very little in the way of Character bio's... it makes them all so very cliched and makes them come off very carbon-like. Very basic and generic feeling, if you do it that way "BY & LARGE"  

I'm not saying all of your characters are gonna be paper thin... I'm not, just from my personl experience of using Character Bio's they've all seemed very trident and redundant.

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What I do is this...

I pick names with some sort of personality to them first.  For instance, I hope this helps cause I don't have time to waste here... really, given my circumstances as of late.

1- What sounds more like a teengager who's gonna be a screw up and a party guy?

A- CHIP
B- CHANCE
C- CHRIS
D- CHAD

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There is no right or wrong answer, mind you.  However, which one to you feels like someone you'd go drinking with or partying with?  Me, I'd be going out with Chris, myself... not only because I do have a friend named chris.., but Chip and Chance don't seem like the type of guys who'd be out looking for a good time.  

They seem like guys who'd be rolling 20 sided dice in there parents basements and drinking rootbeer thru straws and talking about which videogame female character is better looking.  That or they seem like Park Rangers or something at like a nature center.  << Just my own two cents here.



2- What name to you screams bad guy... ass hole... prick...?

A- Hairy
B- Fred
C- Byron
D- Cline

Again, no right or wrong answer... just the way these names feel and appeal to you.  Would you rather get your ass kicked my Fred & Hairy or BYRON & CLINE?  You know?  I know if I had to get my balls kicked in by someone... it wouldn't be a Hairy by choice or a Fred... however, I'm a very well built guy who works out daily and takes pretty good care of himself and my real name is Cary... so go fuggin' figure, right?  

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Moving on...

After you pick names that appeal to you and the world you are about to create... start on background, keep it in your head... as much as you can.  I tend to write down idea's and then stick only to them... you see?  I don't like to stray from the path if it's on paper... I feel like it's already etched in stone.  

So make sure you have a vivid broad imagination that can hold in more information than you can forget... if possible.  

I remember making up characters for COFFIN CANYON, my zombie western... and was really just looking for names that fit the billing.  I knew what kinds of characters I wanted, I just didn't know what names they'd adopt... What names would scream out, who they are without a description kinda thing... you follow me?


Getting to know your characters is no different than getting to know me or anyone else here on the boards... it's really not.  They can help you... They can be pricks to you... They can give you inspiration and they can make or break your screenplay... they really can.

It's important that you not only take your screenplay serious, but your characters too.  Don't go obsessing of them or nothing.. like talking about them in like mix conversations with women you're trying to impress, cause you'll only look like a giant tulip grinder... I'm sure.

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Anyways, if you need anymore help... I'm always within' ear shot most of the time.  I'm not a pro or anything and none of what I told you probably sank in or was even remotley helpful, but if it was... good luck and I hope to see you turn something out for all of us soon.

Good thoughts~

BALTIS~

Wow, thanks for the input, Balt. It really helped a lot. I don't have a title for this one yet, but the two main characters' names are Isabel, which I think fits almost too well for this character - but I'm having trouble with the guy's name, so that first part helped a lot. Thanks.

okay, what I do that really helps is I make a list of things a chacractor likes, and a list of things the charactor dislikes.  This can range from people to food to sports or movies, anything.  And the I make a list of problems they could get into.  This especially helps if your writing a sitcom becasuse you can then actually use these problems either as a plot or sub plot.  it also helps with movies because it gives you a background charactor.

also, charactors can do things they normally wouldnt do, they just need motivation.  Like if your charactor helps someone he doesnt like, it would have to somehow benefit him.  This is key to making a good charactor.

thats all for now.......

Get inspiration for characters from people you know, who have interesting traits.  

Yea, I do alot of that. I write out bio's and all, but I find the best way to get to know your characters is just to write about them in places not in the movie. I write lots of 1-5 page stories about my characters so I can get to know them. You really get to know them after the first draft, so I find my characters are more developed in rewrites. You get to know a person best by working with them. Same is true in screenwriting.

Years ago, I briefly worked as editor in a short-lived comic book company.  Part of my job was reading proposals from people (translation:  kids).  Under character descriptions, all that was written was the superpowers that the characters had and their weaponry.  Very little was mentioned about the character's personality.

I would tell them that wasn't enough as it didn't go into the character enough.  These writers would disagree and I would ask them this:  "What does your characters do when they're not fighting crime?"

They couldn't answer this.

To make sure your characters are fully developed, write things about them that you don't even plan on using in your script.  What do they like to do on a Sunday afternoon?  How do they feel about their families?  What are they like when they go to the supermarket?  Do they buy the expensive fabric softener or the cheap stuff?

If you write all this little stuff up, it'll affect the character in the story.


Phil