I've tried blogging, and answering posts on message boards, and setting up profiles on 43things.com and Facebook, all in character.
Hasn't really helped much. The most important/interesting information still seems to appear organically during scriptwriting.
Quote: Marc P @ November 6 2008, 9:45 AM GMTI have absolutely no idea. I'm like you with the exercises stuff.
From what I've read, some 'professional' writers (of which I'm not one - well I am... sort of... in a fashion... long story) engage in character exercises and some prefer to just get on with writing the script letting their characters unfold as they go. I guess we both fall into the latter bunch then.
Whatever suits, I guess.
Isn't like acting? Some immerse themselves in the role, imagining how the character eats and drinks, and inhabit the role fully until they've finished filming. Others just turn up and read the lines off the page. It's horses for courses.
Marc's idea is a good one - I like the idea of writing letters from the individual characters, putting yourself in their mindset. However, I think this only gives you the inner-thoughts of the character, and the rest will come to life when you start writing interactions with other characters.
Try imagining them having a roundtable discussion on a subject in the news. How would they feel about President Obama, etc?
Personally I like to put them all in a similar situation and see what the result would be. I don't write it down, I just visualise it.
For example, in writing a first draft a few weeks back I asked myself what would happen to each character if they were involved in a mugging. In my mind each character reacted differently and naturally to the situation (which was nice).
It was a simple exercise (and a scene I wouldn't ever bother to include) but it helped sharpen who the characters are. If they don't respond individually or I have to over think what would happen it usually means returning to the drawing board...
Another idea is to get a bunch of actors and hire them for the day. Cast them according to the general idea of the characters you have in mind. Then take them on a day out - perhaps on the Orient Express, dressed in costume and get them to improvise certain scenes you have in mind. The dinner party for example - if for one of your episodes you were going to do a murdery mystery party. If you keep your notebook handy whilst they eat and drink and loosen up and a dictaphone - you would be amazed at the amount of material you can amass.
Quote: Marc P @ November 17 2008, 2:46 PM GMTAnother idea is to get a bunch of actors and hire them for the day. Cast them according to the general idea of the characters you have in mind. Then take them on a day out - perhaps on the Orient Express, dressed in costume and get them to improvise certain scenes you have in mind. The dinner party for example - if for one of your episodes you were going to do a murdery mystery party. If you keep your notebook handy whilst they eat and drink and loosen up and a dictaphone - you would be amazed at the amount of material you can amass.
Funny f**ker, eh?
Well it doesn't have to be The Orient Express, that was just an example. You could have the same kind of atmosphere with a week end on Burgh Island.
One question I always ask of my characters is "Who do you think about when you're having a wank?" It's the first question I ask when I meet people in real life too. I didn't last long as a door-to-door salesman.
When I'm sometimes stuck I approach this from the reverse end: I begin brainstorming episode plot ideas. The plots will suggest the type of people I need to make those plots happen.
Once I have very basic (5-6 word description) character outlines I begin looking at relationships. What makes this person love AND hate each of the other main characters. Under what circumstance do they ally or fight?
Then I put them into triangles by placing three characters in a 'room'. Which two will gang up on the odd-one-out? What circumstance would shift that alliance.
Backstory - writers can get completely lost in that without progressing a project in any real sense plus it can be a round-peg scenario as you try to force the character into a backstory. I let backstory suggest itself as the character develops during brainstorming and into draft stages. In many shows, there are often backstory inaccuracies or inconsistencies (Red Dwarf is a classic for that) but this is sometimes because the character has outgrown the preplanned backstory. In my mind, better to leave blanks and fill them in as the character grows, rather than face 'innacuracy question geeks' at conventions.
http://www.enneagraminstitute.com - nine personality types, their conflicts, and healthy and unhealty mind states. May be of help for some. But like the Lynx effect - use with caution.
I got recommended this book by Amazon - The Eight Characters of Comedy: A Guide to Sitcom Acting and Writing. It's from the US, I think. But it could Still be interesting?
I make notes on each character, then like to get to the stage where they start talking in my head.
I realise I may be alone in this.
Quote: Jude @ December 8 2008, 8:47 AM GMTI make notes on each character, then like to get to the stage where they start talking in my head.
I realise I may be alone in this.
Obviously not because they're in your head.
Actually I imagine conversations al the time.
Quote: David Chapman @ December 8 2008, 9:12 AM GMTActually I imagine conversations all the time.
I can well imagine. Being as socially challenged as me.
Quote: Leevil @ December 7 2008, 12:09 PM GMTI got recommended this book by Amazon - The Eight Characters of Comedy: A Guide to Sitcom Acting and Writing. It's from the US, I think. But it could Still be interesting?
Leevil I have this book. It has good bits and bad bits. The book is predominantly aimed at actors first and writers second. The good thing is that you get to see how the actor is supposed to approach the role and the lines given, I found this helped for me to see this from a writers pespective and there are lots of instances where you have an actor approach/ writer approach crossover.
The down side is that I thought the section on each character type went on far too long. Once we have an introduction of the character type and a few examples I was done. I do not need the book to then go on for page after page of further examples.
Overall - If you are looking for a book to give info on the character types then it is pretty good if not a little long winded. As said above the actor/writer crossover perspective is insightful. However it is aimed at a US market and specifically follows the US sitcom pattern of doing things. If you can take the good from it then it is not a bad addition to a writers library.
Def.