Discovered My Characters in My Script are meh

Hey

So I've written about 80% of a sitcom pilot, and I'm happy with the plot, the premise, how the characters' stories interweave, I even think it's funny too. However, I read it and the characters just aren't jumping out at me. I don't think I've created any great comedy characters...they're just 'okay'. I think for a sitcom to be any good/successful it needs relatively unique and interesting characters. Think of every long running sitcom and the one thing they have in common is the audience loves their characters, which is why they keep coming back to watch. Think of every sitcom which was cancelled after 1 series and they'll also have the same thing in common...the audience didn't feel much towards their characters.

I'm personally glad I've recognised this now rather than being told it by a producer I e-mail it to. So my next step is to fix this, has any body got any advice on how to write great comedy characters? How do you guys do it?

Quote: Pineapplesky @ July 18 2013, 6:11 PM BST

Hey

So I've written about 80% of a sitcom pilot, and I'm happy with the plot, the premise, how the characters' stories interweave, I even think it's funny too. However, I read it and the characters just aren't jumping out at me. I don't think I've created any great comedy characters...they're just 'okay'. I think for a sitcom to be any good/successful it needs relatively unique and interesting characters. Think of every long running sitcom and the one thing they have in common is the audience loves their characters, which is why they keep coming back to watch. Think of every sitcom which was cancelled after 1 series and they'll also have the same thing in common...the audience didn't feel much towards their characters.

I'm personally glad I've recognised this now rather than being told it by a producer I e-mail it to. So my next step is to fix this, has any body got any advice on how to write great comedy characters? How do you guys do it?

View original

I would recommend two things:

Read "How to Write Comedy Characters" by Paul Milhern (available on the Kindle)

The best character creation process I have found is the one created by John Vorhaus. Each character should have the following:

Exaggeration: "worst boss in the world" (Brent) "stupidest servant in London" (Baldrick).

Flaw What's wrong with them?

Humanity Why do we forgive them for their flaw?

Gross Comic Perspective How do they see the world, and how is that funny?

Want What do they want more than anything else?

Objective viewpoint How do we see them, and how is that different to how they see themselves?

Need What do they really need? (the answer to this is usually "to like themselves and be accepted by others")

Work that out and you will be well on your way. Good luck.

Hi Pineapplesky,

One piece of advice I like (you are probably doing this already), is to picture a specific actor playing each of your characters.

This should help you to flesh out your characters and help give them a distinctive 'voice' and set of 'mannerisms'.

Of course you will not get your 'dream' cast in reality, but it does allow you to imagine anyone you want at all - you can have Will Smith playing opposite Sarah Millican if you wish.

The other benefit in using this trick is that it helps keep a character consistent throughout the writing, making the job of the unknown actor who does actually get cast a little easier.

playfull

you can have Will Smith playing opposite Sarah Millican if you wish.

Have you been reading my notes?

Thanks for the advice folks, I'll try everything suggested and report back.

Also, don't abandon what you've got. I've certainly had scripts that have had rubbish characters in and been able to swap in interesting ones.

Quote: Pineapplesky @ July 18 2013, 6:11 PM BST

Think of every long running sitcom and the one thing they have in common is the audience loves their characters, which is why they keep coming back to watch.

View original

Or more precisely, the audience loves the comedy derived from those characters. Normally, that's from where a sitcom's humour comes, so there is a disparity here, in that you think the characters aren't strong enough, but you still like to think the script is funny. Either the characters are fine, or more likely, the sitcom could be a lot funnier IMO.

I haven't read it, so maybe it really is paradoxically funny despite the characters; otherwise, might it not be best to just start again, now that you've identified an area of your writing you want to improve?

I think we live in an age where everything seems possible if you do a course or get the right writing partner. I'm a bit sceptical of this-many good writers have published their Juvenalia and though not as good as their later work, they still had something. Good writers aren't about to team up with the crap writers of the world.
Are we being conned here?

Quote: Jennie @ July 18 2013, 6:21 PM BST

The best character creation process I have found is the one created by John Vorhaus.

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You liked the book then?

Quote: Jennie @ July 18 2013, 6:21 PM BST

The best character creation process I have found is the one created by John Vorhaus, whose book was recommended to me by the all knowing, ever wise Marc P

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Better?

Actually, I first came to know about this system in the 'Sitcom Mission' book. I think the 'Objective Viewpoint' bit is Declan and Simon's, rather than Vorhaus.

But I am loving the comic toolbox. Only about half way through, as trying to get to grips with each section individually. You know me, no point doing something by halves when you can get all intense and over the top about it.

Quote: Jennie @ July 19 2013, 11:18 AM BST

Better?

Actually, I first came to know about this system in the 'Sitcom Mission' book. I think the 'Objective Viewpoint' bit is Declan and Simon's, rather than Vorhaus.

But I am loving the comic toolbox. Only about half way through, as trying to get to grips with each section individually. You know me, no point doing something by halves when you can get all intense and over the top about it.

View original

Yes that's the one!

Or more precisely, the audience loves the comedy derived from those characters. Normally, that's from where a sitcom's humour comes, so there is a disparity here, in that you think the characters aren't strong enough, but you still like to think the script is funny. Either the characters are fine, or more likely, the sitcom could be a lot funnier IMO.

I haven't read it, so maybe it really is paradoxically funny despite the characters; otherwise, might it not be best to just start again, now that you've identified an area of your writing you want to improve?

With my script, I believe I have written it situation-driven, so the characters are put in funny situations, but I believe if they were stronger and had more of their own distinctive voice, the situations could be adapted to make them even funnier.

For example, half the things we find hilarious about Fawlty Towers wouldn't be hilarious if Basil Fawlty wasn't such a well defined character. I know it sounds obvious but If your typical 'Stephen Mangan' straight sitcom character was in that role, I don't think the audience would enjoy seeing him get frustrated with hotel guests because I don't think Stephen Mangan's ever played a fantastic lead character in a comedy. I'm not saying he couldn't, but the kind of characters he plays in 'Never Better', 'Free Agents' and 'Episodes' just don't make me want to watch again.

I thought he was brilliant in Green Wing.

Pineapple sky, why don't you post a bit up in critique? It's really helpful to get other people's views, and you may get some great input into your characters etc.

Quote: Pineapplesky @ July 19 2013, 12:21 PM BST

For example, half the things we find hilarious about Fawlty Towers wouldn't be hilarious if Basil Fawlty wasn't such a well defined character.

View original

Very often, the things that happen to Basil Fawlty are funny because they are a result of his character. For example, one aspect of this is that he is incredibly mean, so in one episode, instead of paying the chef to stay on, he tries to prepare a Waldorf salad himself, with hilarious consequences. In another episode, his meanness again provides the laughs when he employs Mr. O'Reilly to do the building work. Other aspects of his character include being stuffily patriotic, prudish, and obsessed with social climbing; and we see laughs generated by all of these. So Basil's character is written into the plot, not something which could have been added on later. I would have thought a better example than Fawlty Towers would have been Not Going Out, when any funny man could have delivered the gags. I don't like that sort of show though. Do you? If so, then there's no problem.

Perhaps we are at cross-purposes, and what you mean by 'character' is not what I'm talking about?

No, I agree that the character is indeed written into the plot, my plot isn't set in stone, there's certain parts I can adapt and change to fit my characters.

That's my point, Fawlty Towers is different to Not Going Out because Basil is a great comedy character, whereas Lee...isn't.

Basically the situation is, essentially it's a first draft, and I just want my characters to have more distinctive voices and personalities. The Jon Vorhaus technique mentioned earlier really helped and has given me more of an idea of how I want the finished pilot to be like.