October’s Buzz:

HOW TO LURE YOUR CHARACTERS OUT OF HIDING
(Copyright 2007)
by
Kathryn McCullough

As you develop your screenplay, you will inevitably find that there are one or two characters who remain stubbornly elusive no matter how many character biographies you write or how hard you try to “put yourself in the character’s place.” The character biography can be a useful tool. However, the information you get this way consists mainly of dry facts. Think of how you get to know someone new. You could ask them all the questions you ask in a character biography: Where did you go to school? What is your ethnic background? This will give you information, but superficial information. And there is no way of knowing for sure if the answers you are getting are true.

So how do you get to know the real person?

1. Spy on them when they’re alone.

Write a scene in which only the character you are having trouble with is present. How does the character behave when no one is watching? Does the character suddenly act differently? Are there vulnerabilities that the character keeps hidden from the world? Is she uncomfortable with solitude or does it provide the character the only opportunity to “be herself”?

2. Put them in direct conflict.

When people are pushed against a wall, they will often behave instinctively, betraying traits that are kept under wraps when everything is going well. Write a scene in which your character is thwarted or threatened by another character or obstacle. Does he instantly fight back, or does he keep his emotions in check until he finally explodes? What verbal slips does he make in the heat of the moment that betray how he really feels about the situation?

3. Seduce them.

Write a scene in which your character is seduced by something or someone they have tried to resist. This can be a sexual seduction, or it can be another type of thrill: gambling, food, crime, etc. Figuring out what secretly turns your character on can illuminate a hidden aspect that might otherwise never be seen.

4. Cause them pain.

This can be physical or emotional pain. Exposing characters’ vulnerabilities pushes them to act instinctively, and also shatters the façade they show to the world. This is why you often see love scenes in action movies where the romantic leads connect when the woman (usually) treats the man after he has been injured. The injured party lowers his guard, and is therefore able to open up emotionally.

5. Put the character in the worst situation possible.

Write a scene in which the character believes all is lost. This is when the deepest fears and strengths often emerge. One way to test the arc of a character is to write such a scene for the start of the script, and then repeat the exercise for a time later in the story, to see if the character’s actions change due to what he has experienced between the two points.

6. Observe what other characters think.

Write a scene in which the character you are working on is not present. Observe how a friend or family member feels about this person; what does the loved one know about him that he does not show to the world? Ideally, you could write several of these scenes, starting with people who are closest to the character, and then gauging the opinions of those who only know the character professionally, or in some other superficial way. Even strangers often have insight into people they don’t know well, because they are able to see them objectively.

7. If all else fails, get them drunk.

It is a truism that booze lowers inhibitions, but this truism can come in handy if your character simply refuses to let you into her head no matter what you throw at her. Write a scene in which your character gets drunk, and then put her together with any character in your script with whom she has a key relationship. Suddenly, you will find out what your character really thinks of this other person. She may tell him off, or she may declare her love, or she may apologize for a past action she had always claimed was justified. You can also try pairing your inebriated character with someone not important to her, but who provides a willing, sympathetic ear, enabling the character to finally pour out feelings and thoughts that have been bottled up for years. You will be amazed at what comes out with the help of a little alcohol.

While these exercises are intended to be separate from the action of your screenplay, you may find that with a few tweaks some of the scenes actually have a place in the story. The important thing is that you come away feeling that you’ve really gotten to know this person. This deeper understanding will show in the writing, when a formerly flat character comes to three-dimensional life.