Review Exericse: True/False Stories
- A true story is not necessarily a good story.
- Good stories have to be worked & re-worked (a lot of dramatisation)
- True life stories do not offer neat & relevant endings.
- Life is unpredictable — you do not know what will happen next.
- In a story, we CAN & MUST control the events and sequences so that it gives the appearance of being like life.
Characterization: Defining the character
Every story must have a character.
Animated characters have human-like traits that’s why we can “connect” with them.
The character is the heart (emotions), the soul (beliefs), the nervous system.
It is through your characters that the viewers experience emotions.
Without a character, there is no action.
Without action, you have no conflict.
Without conflict, there’s no story.
Developing characters:
- When developing a character, ask yourself:
> Who is your character?
> What does he want?
> What is his quest?
1. Establish your main character.
- Characters should have a 3 Dimensional Structure.
a) Physiology
- Sex
- Age
- Height/Weight
- Colour of hair, eyes & skin
- Posture
- Appearance
- Defects, abnormalities, deformities, birth marks, diseases.
- Heridity
b) Sociology
- Class (Lower, Middle & Upper)
- Occupation: Type of work, hours of work, income, condition of work, attitude towards organization, suitability for work.
- Education: Amount, kind of schools, marks, favourite subjects, aptitudes.
- Home Life: Parents’ living earning power, orphan, parents’ separated/divorced, parents’ habits, parents’ mental development, parents’ vices, neglect, character’s marital status.
- religion
- Race, Nationality
- Place in the community leader among friends, clubs, sports.
- Political Affliations.
- Amusements: Hobbies, books, newspapers, magazines he/she reads.
c) Psychology
- sex life, moral standards
- personal premise, ambition
- Frustrations, chief disappointments
- Temperament: Choleric, easy-going, pessimistic, optimistic.
- Attitude towards life: resigned, militant, defeatist.
- Complexes: Obsessions, inhibitions, superstitions, phobia.
- Personality: Extrovert, introvert
- Abilities: language, talents.
- Qualities: Imagination, judgment, taste, poise.
- IQ/EQ.
- What is the deep and personal secret this character has which he is desperate to protect/hide.
1. Separate the components of his life into 2 basic categories:
- INTERIOR
> Everything we don’t see on screen.
> Takes place from birth until the moment your story begins.
> The process that forms character (when you start formulating your character from birth, you see your character build in body & form.)
- How old is he?
- Where does he live?
- Does he have siblings?
- What kind of childhood did he have?
- What was his relationship to his parents?
- What kind of child was he?
- Is he married, single, widowed, separated or divorced?
- EXTERIOR.
> Everything we see in the film.
> It is a process that reveals character.
- Who are they and what do they do?
- Are they sad or happy with their life?
- Do they wish their life was different? Another job, another wife?
YOU MUST CREATE YOUR CHARACTERS IN RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PEOPLE /THINGS.
all dramatic characters interact in 3 ways:
1. The EXPERIENCE CONFLICT in achieving their dramatic need. [E.G. Need money -- rob a bank/rob a store/rob a person?]
2. They INTERACT with other CHARACTERS. [Either in an antagonistic, friendly or indifferent way.]
3. They INTERACT with THEMSELVES. [E.G. He overcame his fear of being caught by pulling off the robbery successfully.]
- How do you invent characters>
> Try turning them upside down — Turn their world upside down.
A monk who is devoted to his religion …. But is a football fanatic.
A serial killer …… whose obsession is to kill other serial killers.
