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Dramatic Writing - Character Notes/Characterization

Terms in this set (16)

Principle 1: Characters Are Not Real People
- we get to experience a human life opened up to us for (emotional connection).
- With real people, it takes (years to get to know somebody).
Principle 2: Characterization and True Character are the Essentials of Character Design

What is Characterization?
- the sum of all we know about a character from the outside
Principle 2: Characterization and True Character are the Essentials of Character Design

What is True Character?
-they are not visible at first glance

- "Who is this character at heart, despite the impression we get from the outside? "
True character can only be expressed through ____________________
- a choice in a dilemma.
Principle 3: The Key to True Character is Desire
Ask yourself these questions about a character:
1. What does this character want? How soon?
2. Is the character aware of what he or she wants?
3. Is there a discrepancy between what the character thinks he or she wants and reality?
Principle 4: Too Much Self Knowledge is a Bad Idea
- characters who are too self-aware, who know themselves completely, don't seem authentic
- action defines a character more than words.
Principle 5: "Character Dimension" = Contradiction
- a contradiction can be the result of dissonance between characterization and true character

EX: (little old lady = ruthless killer)
Principle 6: Complexity Includes Villains, Bad Guys, and Evil Doers
- "bad guys" should be complex characters as well, they tend to be boring
What is a pretty important principle for creating "evil" characters? Provide an example
- the character shouldn't see themselves as a bad person, but someone making the right choices in a tough situation.
Ex: Anakin Skywalker
Dramatic vs Literary Characters: What are Round Characters?
- they change or grow through a story.
-They're complex, and they have an "arc,"
Dramatic vs Literary Characters: What are Flat Characters?
- characters who don't tend to change
- two-dimensional in that they are relatively uncomplicated
Give an example of Dramatically Complex Characters and who are they?
- your protagonist, hero, main character

Ex: Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Moana, Spongebob, Shrek
What is the purpose of Secondary (or "Supporting") Characters?
- to highlight the dimensions of the main character.
- exist in order "to make clear and believable, through action and reaction, the complexity of the central role"
What are Tertiary (or "Bit") Characters?
Provide an example
flat, but still interesting and serve a purpose in the story.
C-3PO and R2-D2 in Star Wars are bit characters.
What are stock characters?
clichés, they are sometimes used as humor in the form of a parody or a satire
What are Comic Characters?
a character that is motivated by some manic purpose, focus, the character is unaware that this quality makes him or her appear ridiculous.

Ex: Elle Woods (Legally Blonde),
THIS SET IS OFTEN IN FOLDERS WITH...