True or False Stories – Week 7

Week 7

Review Exercise: True or False Stories

>> Purpose of the exercise

– A True story is not necessarily a good story.

– Good stories have to be worked and re-worked.

– True life stories do not offer neat and relevant endings.

– Life is unpredictable
Stories that are unpredictable are what we enjoy to watch.
Stories that are predictable are boring because we can anticipate it.

In a story, we can and must control the events and sequences so that it gives the appearance of being like life.

Characterization: Defining the character

Every story starts with a character, it can be a human or an animal.
Animals Characters: Finding nemo, Chicken Little, Garfield, etc

The character is… the heart, the soul, and nervous system.

It is through your characters that the viewers experience emotions.

< WITHOUT A CHARACTER, THERE IS NO ACTION.>
Your engaged in the movie because of the character.

<WITHOUT ACTION, YOU HAVE NO CONFLICT.>

<WITHOUT CONFLICT, YOU HAVE NO STORY.>

<WITHOUT A STORY YOU WILL NOT HAVE A SCREEN PLAY.>

Developing Characters

WHEN DEVELOPING A CHARACTER, ASK YOURSELF:

– Who is your character?
– What does he want?
– What is his quest?
– What drives him to the resolution of the story?
Meaning, what motivates him? What are we doing about it?

1. ESTABLIS YOUR MAIN CHARACTER

Characters should have a 3 Dimensional Structure. (3 Important parts to building your character)

a) Physiology – His looks.
b) Sociology – More of her/his background. Determine his/her background.
c) Psychology – how he/she thinks, what he/she believes in. ( Important)

a) Physiology
– Sex (Gender)
– Age
– Height, weight
– Colour of hair, eyes, skin
– Posture
– Appearance
– Defects, abnormalities, deformities, birth marks, diseases.
– Hereditary

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, favorite subjects, poorest 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 Affiliations
– Amusements: hobbies, books, newspaper, 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, phobias
– Personality: extrovert, introvert
– Abilities: language, talents
– Qualities: Imagination, judgment, taste, poise
– I.Q
– E.Q
– 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:

a) Interior
b) Exterior

>> Interior

The interior life takes place from birth until the moment your story begins.

It is a process that forms character. (When you start formulating your character from birth, you see your character build in body and form)

– How old is he when the story begins?
– 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

The exterior life takes place the moment your story begins to it’s conclusion.

It is a process that reveals character.

– Who are they and what dot hey do?
– Are they sad or happy with their life?
– Do they wish their life were different? Another job, another wife?

>> YOU MUST CREATE YOUR CHARACTERS IN RELATION TO OTHER PEOPLE OR THINGS.

ALL DRAMATIV CHARACTERS INTERACT IN 3 WAYS:

1. They EXPERIENCE CONFLICT in achieving their dramatic need.
(eg, need money – rob the 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.
(eg. He overcame his fear of  being caught by pulling off the robbery successfully.)

HOW DO YOU INVENT CHARACTERS?
-TRY TURNING THEM 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.

A Common street rat…
… who loves to eat and cook only fine food.

Next week

Storytelling techniques Quiz #1

Review