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Creating and Developing Characters For Screenplays

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Here are some approaches to character development.

1. Biography back story.

Visualize the life of each character, including temperament, and place in society (the society of your story)2. Detective strategy

Detectives take present day evidence and apply it to recreate past events. What quirks does a character have? Let’s say this character is a piano player who absolutely must use the same old fraying piano bench of unusual height (as Glenn Gould did). Why is this so? That elderly woman insists on wearing the latest in fashion, always — what led to this? Quickly visualize where they came from, where they are at present, and what compels them to lead their present lifestyle. Why would a mild mannered guy with a good job suddenly get enraged upon smelling boiled turnip? Why does that business mogul always carry a yoyo with him?

3. Personality Archetype approach,
Carl Jung’s archetypes have influenced generations of writers. What kind of character archetypes are in your story? Are they dragons or guardians at the gate (such as the father in “Father of the Bride)? Are they tricksters or shape-shifters? Are they mentors?

4. Freudian analysis approach
What childhood experiences does a given character have? Did mother smacking him when touched himself traumatize him and make him become fixated on phallic symbols? Is that why the real estate mogul always wants to build towers? Is Ms. Snidely the elementary schoolteacher taking out her hostility and resentment of her father on the little boys in her class?

5. Life patterns approach
Every person has a pattern in their life. Most people continue variations of the same patterns that began when they were children. Example: At the age of two, Rebecca’s mother handed her over to her aunt to raise her. After that Rebecca would have a pattern of getting close to people then suddenly dissociating from them. As an adult this pattern continued. She’d get a job, and establish herself there, then suddenly quit. Same with relationships.Understand Your Character

-- Who, What, Where, When and How
There are myriad approaches to developing characters. The main focus is understanding the character and how he or she fits into the story and affects it.