When I first started I was writing with more characters. These days, I try and stick to 4 characters with one secondary character per episode (if needed).
Sometimes you realise that two characters' personalities overlap and can be condensed into one character.
Have as many main characters as you really need but no more. Steptoe and Son needs two main characters but it would be all the worse having a third regular.
Even gang shows with large casts don't have all that many regular main characters. In Dad's Army about 8 or 9 of them are really only in and out supporting roles (lifted a bit by great casting, performances and writing). The Simpsons only has four main characters, but a cast of hundreds.
Quote: Sebastian Orange-News @ August 13 2009, 7:10 PM BSTI am now triyng to write stuff with thre characters amx as I reckon it will give my stuff a bit of an edge in terms of getting it made (it wil just bethe shit writng that will let it down), but I did write something with ten lead characters and although all the feedback was to cut the cahracters down it was a really suefl* excercise in character writing to try and make all ten of them ttoally different from one another. Also one of them was a mute which helped me quite a bit.
I hope your writing is clearer there. I can't understand your first line.
I think about 6 is the maximum for regulars. It's difficult trying to remember too many charcters without contradicting them later.
* suefl?
Echo Chappers here, Sebastian. You need to reread your posts before pressing Post.
Don't interpret the smiley face as me making a joke, rather as a friendly natured request.
waht
Six is a good number and don't have guest characters in your pilot.
I'm working on something that has no characters in it.
I'm finding the exchanges difficult.
Seriously, I tend to go for five max.
Two main, one semi-main and two stoodges.
Or sometimes the three main character aproach with the odd guests.
I think there needs to be a balance within the characters too; two men, one token woman (fiesty, annoyed by the men) and one token ethnic (clever, nice, their race never referred to ).
Quote: Marc P @ August 14 2009, 2:55 PM BSTdon't have guest characters in your pilot.
Never did Fawlty Towers any harm!
But seriously, they used to have quite a few 'guest' guest characters. Not sure about the original pilot, mind you.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 14 2009, 5:03 PM BSTI think there needs to be a balance within the characters too; two men, one token woman (fiesty, annoyed by the men) and one token ethnic (clever, nice, their race never referred to ).
