Good man! Phew 
Character biographies Page 3
Re: using the producers wallet - I think you'll struggle to get a commission to write the script without character outlines.
Errr.........
A script written usually is the way to go! And if asked for character outlines they are just a sentence or two in my experience. Although I have never been asked for character outlines come to think of it.
OK, I'm not at the level of being given anyone's wallet (except maybe when being asked to carry all their bags to the car) but...
Surely the only character bios that are any use are about what the character does, now, when we see them. Anything else is irrelevant. Characters, functionally, are defined by what they do. (Character is action and vice versa.) Not facts about their past. And the facts are only interesting if they illuminate what characters could or would do now.
So given that, we all have character bios for our characters (and for even for characters we know from the telly). They may not be written down, and they may not have details of every GCSE subject they sat, but they are in our heads - otherwise we couldn't decide how our characters would react in a given scene.
Personally I can't really "see" a character until I put them in a scene (even a silly one). I have usually jotted down some notes about how I think they will be and I make a note anything interesting I learn along the way. So kind of a half way house between bios and non-bios.
Yes, character bios are only useful in showing how the character behaves in the show I reckon. I like to put in jokes in the form of dialogue for that character too. Normally 6-8 lines in total.
I went into a commissioning meeting yesterday and the producer said just give me a quick pencil sketch of the main character, Marc. But given the sensitive political climate at the moment I declined.
Should we start looking forward to Marc P's "Life of the Prophet"? Or is the cost of lifelong police protection a problem for the production budget? 
Quote: Mr Writer Like In The Song @ 14th January 2015, 5:30 PM GMTRe: using the producers wallet - I think you'll struggle to get a commission to write the script without character outlines.
A completely different thing.
Of course you need character outlines - and when you get to casting, you alter them to flatter the vain actor you're after, if you've got any sense.
But the original question was about character biogs - things you write before you start that contain past events that don't actually feature in the script.
They are much beloved of "How to" books and "Write an Oscar Winning Screenplay in a Day" type software.
As such they are just ways of giving false encouragement to people who probably can't write, allowing them to think they are embarked on the process of writing.
Things like that are half the reason newbies take 3 years to write their first screenplay, when you need to be doing about that many a year.
Thats bollocks Lazzard, you can only write one first screenplay! Come on man, pay attention to what you are saying! 
Thank God you're here, MarcP.
Another rookie error....
Quote: Lazzard @ 15th January 2015, 9:39 AM GMTThings like that are half the reason newbies take 3 years to write their first screenplay, when you need to be doing about that many a year.
Surely the processes of the film industry prevents us doing anything like that number? Even three years is a stretch?
He's talking about writing a script, Paul. Ninety minutes. Four weeks work. If it takes you three years to nearly finish a script I would suggest other avenues of creative endeavour!!
Might take three years to get one made or longer, or not, but writing a first draft of a spec script takes as short a time, or as long a time, as you need. But if three years on a spec script, it's not good, unless it is something put away, come back to, put away again etc.
Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 15th January 2015, 1:36 PM GMTSurely the processes of the film industry prevents us doing anything like that number? Even three years is a stretch?
I didn't say make - God, if only!
It can take decades to get a film made.
But in terms of writing as a vocation rather than a hobby, three big projects a year is a pretty reasonable target.
For example, if you get a commission you might get about 3 months for first draft, including delivering an outline stage first (but you often don't), a bit less for a rewrite and a lot less for notes.
So as a working screenwriter you need to be able to get stuff written at a fairly decent pace.
Also, as a spec writer you need to face the fact that you only start getting any good after about the 3rd screenplay. The sooner you can get those out of the way the better.
And then there's the fact that the first question anyone ever asks after reading your screenplay is "What else have you got?".
So volume of work is important.
Spending years on that first, First Draft is not time well spent.
EDIT:
Just seen that MarcP has covered a lot of this - but it never hurts to hear things twice.
Yeah but you are always a lot politer Lazzard, whereas I like to take the opportunity usually to make cheap gags as well, so people ignore my pearls of pure wisdom!