Character is story. Story is character.
Here are three character questions I ask to help nail down the underlying needs that drive a character’s transformation.
Tom Vaughan
The Mental Battle of Screenwriting
Screenwriting is difficult. But, once we accept this — that it is difficult — and we abandon the idea that if it is difficult, something must be wrong… well, then we just… go on.
The Midpoint
An event at the midpoint of the movie that reverses what was previously believed to be true, changes the stakes, or otherwise creates a new environment or given circumstances for the protagonist
Tools For Character-Driven Dramatic Questions
Last week, I wrote about plot-focused dramatic questions and how they can make your job much easier.
But not every story wants one...
The Dramatic Question
The dramatic question is one of your best tools for your story structure.
So much so, that two of my three primary goals in the "pre-outline" phase of any project.
The Magic Why
I want to talk about perhaps our greatest weapon in the creative and emotional battle we call screenwriting.
I happen to think it's our greatest weapon in any endeavor...
Four Questions For Any Character Piece
Sometimes you have a character in mind. No situation, no world. You don't even know what the character will do, let alone what they want.
It's just the character.
What exactly do you do with them?
The Big Picture - Four Throughlines
After focusing the last two weeks on Act 1 and Act 2, I want to talk about the big picture.
If you've taken any of my classes, you know I emphasize simplifying the process whenever we can.
How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love Act 2
It is the last Tuesday of July and, therefore, the last entry in our unofficial series on character. Last week we covered character in the opening pages, and now I want to take you to one of my favorite topics... Act 2.
Define The Character Early
We are still on character and dialogue this month, but today it's just character.
And specifically, character in the first ten pages.
We all know how crucial the opening of our screenplay is. We hear it again and again.
How To Make Characters Distinguish Themselves
You've heard the note before, "All the characters sound the same!"
The idea here is that each character should have a different sound to their speech.
I think it's an easy note to make.
Most Important Aspect Of Supporting Characters
We can mistakenly think world-building is solely the domain of sci-fi and fantasy. It is not. It refers to the entire domain of our story, whether that's a far-away planet or the single-location home of an indie-comedy.