Develop

1. THE MONOLOGUE

Objective: Learn a character’s insights, thoughts, and feelings.

Exercise: Write a monologue (1 page) that accurately portrays your

character. What is he/she feeling at that moment? What is his/her

hopes? His/her fears? What does he/she love? Hate?

Remember: The character is speaking to him/herself.

Hints: Use the character’s speech patterns and vocabulary - their

voice.

2. THE SPEECH

Objective: Use exposition to learn a character’s past experiences.

Exercise: Write a speech (1 page) in which your character describes,

explains, tells, or preaches about a specific event, experience, or

idea. Here are some suggestions:

- Explain his/her FIRST LOVE AFFAIR.

- Recall his/her experience of DISCOVERING A DEAD BODY.

- Describe the BIRTH OF HIS/HER FIRST CHILD.

- Lecture on a situation of INTERNATIONAL MILITARY CONFLICT.

- Preach about the PRACTICAL VALUE OF ATHEISM.

Remember: The character is speaking to someone or even to a group of

people. Decide who your character is addressing. The specifics of

your character’s audience will affect word choice and presentation.

Hints: Use the character’s speech patterns and vocabulary - their

voice.

3. CHARACTER ENVIRONMENT (ROOMMATES)

Objective: Explore the things people surround themselves with that

define character.

Exercise: Describe a bedroom where two people live. They can be

college roommates, siblings, lovers, husband/wife - it's up to you.

You are to describe the room three times in script form (NO DIALOGUE

- TWO PAGES MAXIMUM):

1) The first time the two people live in harmony.

2) The second, there has been a fight between the two roommates.

3) The third, one of the roommates has moved out.

Remember: The tricky part is you are to describe only the room.

There are no people in any of these scenes. Use objects, furniture,

clothes, etc… to differentiate between the two roommates. Don't just

list objects. Write with a sense of discovery. The way in which you

reveal information is important. It affects our understanding as

well as our emotions.

Hints: Subtle, but clear, changes should occur to the room as their

relationship dissolves. We should know from the descriptions who

these people are, what happened, which one started the fight, what

the fight was about and who moved out.

Questions that should be answered: Who are these two people? What

are their ages? What do they look like? How long have they lived

together? What was the argument about? Who started it? How did they

deal with it? Who moved out?

4. CHARACTER BIO: UNABLE TO LOVE

Objective: Dig deep with a character, discovering background

history, personality, psychology, and current goals.

Exercise: Write a character biography (1 page) of a person who is

unable to love. Base this on someone you know. Know everything about

this character: looks, family, religion, childhood, etc. Use the

details of real life - the life you know. Then select from what you

know, and describe the character in dramatic, cinematic terms - that

is, in ways that are of use to a screenwriter.

Remember: Most of all, you must know and articulate the reason why

this character is unable to love. What is holding him/her back? What

does he or she fear will happen if he/she fear will happen if he/she

falls in love? Rejection? Certain disappointment, e.g., was there

once someone he loved that no one can ever live up to?Finally, how

does he imagine himself at moments when he has a chance to love

someone but doesn't? Fragile? Tired? Protective? Noble? Wise?

CHARACTER BIO: MAIN PROTAGONIST

Objective: Dig deep with a character, discovering background

history, personality, psychology, and current goals.

Exercise: Write a detailed description of your main character (1

page only).

Remember: You are describing a dramatic character, so present him/

her to us in a way that is cinematically useful.

Hints: We need to understand their drives, fears, goals, and we’ll

have to be able to picture them and hear them.

SEVEN DAY SCHEDULE: Here, purely as an example, is a seven day

template to follow.

DAY 1 - Describe your main character. Do it as if you were telling

someone about some very interesting people you met, someone that

drives you crazy, someone you think the world of… Imagine being

asked, “Why should I be interested in this person?” Share your

excitement about him/her?

DAY 2 - Do CHARACTER EXERCISES. How is he/she different from you?

What sort of imaginary body does he or she have? Where is the

character's imaginary center?

DAY 3 - Try the body principle with costume, props, or activity.

Literally, be the character. Go shopping - at the mall, in the

grocery store - as your character. Order a sandwich, not as you

would, but as your character would. Maybe you’re lactose intolerant

but you end up with a double cheese burger with grilled onions. Go

to the Museum of Modern Art as your character. What does your

character see or doesn’t see. What did you learn. Take notes after

your session.

DAY 4 - Read the CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE - slowly. You don't have to

answer everything. Some things you'll have an answer for

immediately. Others will seem irrelevant. But be careful you aren't

just avoiding something challenging. What things would you like to

know about your character but can't answer? Let your imagination go.

Take notes on anything that occurs to you, but don't touch your

description.

1. How does your character think of their father? What do they hate

and love about him? What influence - literal or imagined - did the

father have?

2. Their mother? How do they think of her? What do they hate? Love?

What influence - literal or imagined - did the mother have?

3. Brothers, sisters? Who do they like? Why? What do they despise

about their siblings?

4. What type of discipline was your character subjected to at home?

Strict? Lenient?

5. Were they overprotected as a child? Sheltered?

6. Did they feel rejection or affection as a child?

7. What was the economic status of their family?

8. How does your character feel about religion?

9. What about political beliefs?

10. Is your character street-smart, book-smart, intelligent,

intellectual, slow-witted?

11. How do they see themselves: as smart, as intelligent,

uneducated?

12. How does their education and intelligence – or lack thereof -

reflect in their speech pattern, vocabulary, and pronunciations?

13. Did they like school? Teachers? Schoolmates?

14. Were they involved at school? Sports? Clubs? Debate? Were they

unconnected?

15. Did they graduate? High-School? College? Do they have a PHD? A

GED?

16. What does your character do for a living? How do they see their

profession? What do they like about it? Dislike?

17. Did they travel? Where? Why? When?

18. What did they find abroad, and what did they remember?

19. What were your character's deepest disillusions? In life? What

are they now?

20. What were the most deeply impressive political or social,

national or international, events that they experienced?

21. What are your character's manners like? What is their type of

hero? Whom do they hate?

22. Who are their friends? Lovers? 'Type' or 'ideal' partner?

23. What do they want from a partner? What do they think and feel of

sex?

24. What social groups and activities does your character attend?

What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play,

usually?

25. What are their hobbies and interests?

26. What does your character's home look like? Personal taste?

Clothing? Hair? Appearance?

27. How do they relate to their appearance? How do they wear their

clothing? Style? Quality?

28. Who is your character's mate? How do they relate to him or her?

How did they make their choice?

29. What is your character's weaknesses? Hubris? Pride? Controlling?

30. Are they holding on to something in the past? Can he or she

forgive?

31. Does your character have children? How do they feel about their

parental role? About the children? How do the children relate?

32. How does your character react to stress situations? Defensively?

Aggressively? Evasively?

33. Do they drink? Take drugs? What about their health?

34. Does your character feel self-righteous? Revengeful?

Contemptuous?

35. Do they always rationalize errors? How do they accept disasters

and failures?

36. Do they like to suffer? Like to see other people suffering?

37. How is your character's imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried

most of the time? Living in memories?

38. Are they basically negative when facing new things? Suspicious?

Hostile? Scared? Enthusiastic?

39. What do they like to ridicule? What do they find stupid?

40. How is their sense of humor? Do they have one?

41. Is your character aware of who they are? Strengths? Weaknesses?

Idiosyncrasies? Capable of self-irony?

42. What does your character want most? What do they need really

badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to

obtain?

43. Does your character have any secrets? If so, are they holding

them back?

44. How badly do they want to obtain their life objectives? How do

they pursue them?

45. Is your character pragmatic? Think first? Responsible? All

action? A visionary? Passionate? Quixotic?

46. Is your character tall? Short? What about size? Weight? Posture?

How do they feel about their physical body?

47. Do they want to project an image of a younger, older, more

important person? Does they want to be visible or invisible?

48. How are your character's gestures? Vigorous? Weak? Controlled?

Compulsive? Energetic? Sluggish?

49. What about voice? Pitch? Strength? Tempo and rhythm of speech?

Pronunciation? Accent?

50. What are the prevailing facial expressions? Sour? Cheerful?

Dominating?

DAY 5 - Three things. Describe your main character again,

incorporating anything new you've discovered, but don't revise what

you wrote the first time. Start anew. Try different CHARACTER

EXERCISES. Have fun. After you've finished, ask yourself what your

character is after. What does he/she want? What is his/her goal?

What would Make it most difficult for him or her to achieve it?

DAY 6 - Review the CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE. Have any things occurred

to you? Look back at your first descriptions. Is a new person

beginning to emerge? Different from those you first saw? What

interests you most about him/her now? What is his/her strengths?

What do you loathe in him/her? Where is she vulnerable? Remember:

your character must have weaknesses. Describe him/her again,

incorporating the new knowledge gained from the CHARACTER

QUESTIONNAIRE. Once again, start from scratch.

DAY 7 - Review your work. Revise your description (1 PAGE SINGLE

SPACED).

5. CHARACTER INTRODUCTION

Objective: Make your character stand out.

Exercise: Write a scene (1-3 pages) that introduces your character.

Use description, props, wardrobe and dialogue that give your

character a unique voice.

Remember: Introduction scenes are often scenes of the “status quo” -

the character living his or her everyday life before the inciting

incident propels the character into a new conflict.

Hints: Action speak louder than words. If your character is in a

group, have them do something specific and unique that makes them

memorable and interesting.

Example: COOL HAND LUKE (1967) - The opening scene to the screenplay

by Donn Pearce and Frank Pierson originally had two sections of

dialogue of Luke talking to himself as he cut off the parking

meters. What you will read here is the way we see the final edit of

the film. Clearly, dialogue was unnecessary to illustrate Luke’s

tragic flaw: defiance.

FADE IN:

EXT. SOUTHERN CITY STREET EXTREME CLOSEUP PARKING METER (NIGHT)

Its irritating head opens a glaring red eye: the red flag pops

across the entire screen:

VIOLATION

INSERT: PARKING METER SUPPORT (NIGHT)

CLOSEUP of a pipe cutter attached to the meter neck, metal slivers

curling out.

CLOSEUP PARKING METER (NIGHT)

as the meter head falls out of FRAME.

NEW ANGLE ON METER (NIGHT)

as it falls to the ground amidst a forest of meter stands and Luke's

hand comes into the FRAME to pick it up and we see LUCAS JACKSON in

CLOSEUP for the first time. He is cheerful, drunk, wearing a faded

GI Field jacket. A bottle opener hangs on a silver chain around his

neck.

Suddenly the beam of headlights crashes in, FLARING the SCREEN.

ANGLE ON PROWL CAR (NIGHT)

sliding up to us, headlights glaring, red toplight revolving

menacingly. TWO OFFICERS, black shapes, get out and start warily

toward Luke.

ON LUKE (NIGHT)

illuminated by the headlights. He grins as the Officers approach,

lifts a bottle of beer, opens it and drinks, smiling. On his smile,

FREEZE FRAME. ON THE FRAME SUPER-IMPOSE MAIN TITLE.

6. PLAY THE PART OF YOUR CHARACTER

Objective: Discover details about your character by playing the

part.

Exercise: Go to a location and make decisions as your character.

Remember: Truly be the character. Even the cold-blooded assassin

needs to eat. Everybody goes to the grocery store, but not everybody

shops the same. Choice – the act of selecting or making a decision –

marks the difference between people. And how a person goes about

making the choice is incredibly revealing.

Hints: Clearly, this exercise can be applied in any location: order

a burger as your character would, pick up some books in the library

that only your character would read, walk through the mall and go

into stores that your character would shop in.

Scene Exercise #1

Objective: Set the mood through character action

Exercise: Write three short scenes (each 1/2 page). NO DIALOGUE. The

same character walks alone through the same surroundings (interior

or exterior) three different times. NO DIALOGUE. Use concise,

creative description to alter the mood and atmosphere of each scene:

The first time we get the feeling we’re in a horror film. The second

time a romance. The third time a cheerful comedy.

Hints: Use night/day, lighting, props, sounds, wardrobe, and

movement. Ask where the character is coming from/going, how the

character moves, what is the next scene, what same elements can be

used in each scene, but to different effect?

Scene exercise #2

Objective: Scene economy, planting and payoff, involving an active

audience.

Exercise: Write two short scenes (1/2 page each). NO DIALOGUE.

Scene 1: Your character is in alone in a room getting read for a

date. We should be able to tell from the way in which he/she prepres

if he/she is looking forward to the date, apathetic about it,

dreading it, etc...

Scene 2: The same character enters the same room after the date.

What happened on the date? We should tell by his/her actions - how

he/she moves, gets undressed, looks in the mirror, etc. - how the

date went. Was it a disaster? Unexpected? Predictable? Passionate?

Remember, you must know what kind of date it is: a wedding, a

funeral, the prom.

Remember: Scenes of preparation and aftermath should be at an

emotional extreme. Hints: Since the scene of aftermath should

contradict the preparation, you want to bring the character from one

extreme to the other.

Example: Imagine a hitman in a suit with a press pass for the

Democratic Convention. He’s assembling his elite sniper rifle, while

looking over the dossier of the party’s Presidential nominee... We

know who he is, where he’s going, what he’s going to do, how he’s

going to do it... and we feel smart because we put the information

together. And when he returns, his mission will have been a success,

or maybe he’s the one who has been shot.

Scene exercise #3

Objective: Give props extra emotional power. Exercise: Write a scene

(3 pages) in which a prop is used in two drastically different ways.

The prop should originally be given as a gift or good-will gesture.

Then, at the end of the scene, it is reversed and used to express

anger or a change in sentiments.

Remember: Props should be visual, hand-held items. Hints: Be

creative. Select an unusual prop and us it in an original manner.

Scene exercise #4

Objective: Give the audience information in a unique manner.

Exercise: Write a scene (3 pages) in which a character works hard to

uncover some information. This can be a crime scene, an interview,

or some other situation in which your character needs to assess and

relate pertinent information to the audience. Give him/her

obstacles: other characters unwilling to come forward with

information, clues or information hidden from plain view, dead ends.

Remember: Do not be easy on your character. Make your character work

hard and in a unique manner that gives the audience something new. A

“stool pigeon” who easily gives away information is boring. Hints:

Use the main character’s unique “view of the world” to either

manipulate the other characters into giving the information or view

the clues at the scene in a way other don’t.

Scene exercise #5

Objective: Have one character convince another character to do

something he or she does not want to do.

Exercise: Write either of the following scenes:

Scene 1. A scene in which one character attempts to seduce another

character and the seducee is willing but the circumstances are all

wrong. For example, there is a third party there - mom or dad, the

boss, an ex-lover - or the place is all wrong - they’re at work, or

at a job interview, or backstage before a performance.

Scene 2. A scene in which someone attempts to seduce another person

and the circumstances are absolutely perfect - the mood, the time of

day, the place are ideal - but the seducee is not willing.

Remember: A seduction is not necessarily sexual, but merely one

character convincing another character to do something he/she

doesn’t want to do. The resolusion of the seduction is up to you -

the seducer succeeds or fails - but whatever the outcome, the

seducer must try a few times, each with increasing difficulty,

before they fail or find the key to make the other character turn.

Hints: Use your character’s wants/passions. If John knows that the

Samuel wants money, power, fame... or he has information Samuel

wants to remain secret, have John use that want or information to

seduce Samuel into doing what John wants.

Scene exercise #6

Objective: Force opposite characters to interact and change.

Exercise: Write a scene in which two people from seemingly opposite

poles are forced together. By the end of the scene they grow closer,

either physically or emotionally or both. Make sure to give each

character a very clear goal in the scene, and choose one character

whose shoes we will be in - decide whose scene it is, and make us

feel what he or she feels.

Remember: For your scene to be effective, you’ll need to find

interesting, believable differences between the characters - the

stronger their differences, the further they will have to travel,

and the more interesting your scene will be. In addition to the

external differences, be sure to consider how they react differently

to the predicament of being stuck together - does one panic? Is one

delighted? Aroused? Brave? Remember how quickly a reaction to the

problem gets us involved with a character.

Hints: Find something difficult but plausible - something from which

they cannot escape - that forces them to be stuck together. And be

clear about what brings them together in the end. Do they discover

some common interest or objective? Do the romantic designs of one of

the characters succeed in breaking through the barriers?

Scene exercise #7

Objective: Use your audience’s knowledge (or lack of knowledge) to

create tension.

Exercise: Write a scene (3 pages) in which the audience discovers

something that the character does not. Then use this to manipulate

the audience.

Remember: “The Bomb.” There are different levels of tension and

emotion you can create, depending on what you tell your audience and

when.

Hints: How do you want your audience to feel? Work back from there

to manipulate their emotions.

Example: STAR WARS: EPISODE VI - RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) - Luke

has just returned from Dagobah and has rejoined his team on the

forest moon of Endor. Stepping out from the Ewok party, he stands

alone in deep thought as Leia joins him to ask what’s wrong. Luke

explains that he has to face Darth Vader alone because Vader is his

father. He then continues to reveal that “The Force is strong in my

family. My father has it. I have it, and... My sister has it.” And

as the words sink in for her, he clarifies, “Yes. It’s you, Leia.”

Clearly Luke has dropped a bomb - two actually. We knew Vader was

Luke’s dad, but we didn’t know Leia was his sister, yet poor Han

doesn’t know anything, so when he sees Luke kiss Leia on the cheek

and leave, we enjoy Han’s misunderstanding.

Scene exercise #8

Objective: Explore polarity by creating a situation in which your

character chooses to change his/her motivation or goal.

Exercise: Write a scene (3 pages) in which a character enters

expecting a certain, very clear outcome, but the other character in

the scene surprises him, and as a consequence, the first character

has to reverse his intention and do something else - practically the

opposite of what he entered to do.

Remember: The character who enters must come in with a lot at stake

and a very clear goal. Give him/her plenty of urgency and make his/

her expectations clear. Also make sure that the person with the

surprise has a good, strong reason for delivering the surprise.

Don’t make him/her just a messenger - involve him/her.

Hints: This scene depends upon an entrance that tells us where the

character is coming from. What happened just before the scene

starts? What was each character doing? Show this - reveal it without

a lot of expository talk. It is essential. Also, this scene is about

polarity - change! Go for maximum polarity to achieve maximum

dramatic effect.

Example: CHINATOWN (1974) - the climatic third act scene where

Gittes comes to tell Evelyn he’s turning her over to the police -

Lt. Escobar is already on his way - but Gittes wants the truth about

the girl Katherine, so Evelyn explains, “She’s my daughter.” Gittes

slaps her. “I said I want the truth,” he demands. “She’s my sister.”

Slap. “She’s my daughter.” Slap. “My sister. My daughter.” More

slaps. Gittes throws her across the room: “I said I want the truth!”

Evelyn screams out: “She’s my sister AND my daughter.” With this new

and potent information, Gittes reverses his initial goal and now

tries to plan how to help them escape.

Scene exercise #9

Objective: Create an obstacle that brings out the true identity (or

personality) of your character.

Exercise: Write a scene (3 pages) in which a character anticipates

the arrival of one character, but instead, the unexpected visitor

shows up, and that visitor is the absolute wrongest person. Your

main character then needs to come up with a creative lie to get rid

of the unexpected visitor.

Remember: Start in a scene of preparation. What’s the mood of the

character as he/she waits for the “right” person, and how does this

change when the “wrongest” person arrives?

Hints: Actions speak louder than words.

Scene exercise #10

Objective: To engage an active audience that will understand what

has happened between the scenes. If done properly, you can tell the

story of an entire feature in these three short scenes.

Exercise: Write the following three scenes (1/2 page each scene). NO

DIALOGUE. A character enters a specific place to meet a person three

times:

Scene 1: The first time it is unfamiliar, mysterious to him/her. The

scene ends when he/she greets the person.

Scene 2: The second time the place seems familiar, friendly - the

greeting is a happy one. The scene ends with the greeting.

Scene 3: The third time the place is deserted. There should be a

feeling of sadness. Nobody is waiting for him/her this time...

Remember: Know the character who enters. Create a situation for him/

her, a story that is told in these three distinct scenes. The story

occurs between these scenes.

Hints: The way your character reacts to the environment will tell us

what’s happened. Visualize! Use mood, lighting, sound.

Example: Think of Scrooge entering Marley’s Office the first time as

a young man, then sometime later, after he became a partner, then

later still when he was all alone. Questions that should be

answered: Who is the character? How old? Why are they coming to the

place? What do they expect to find?What about the place? What is it?

How does he/she perceive it? In the second and third scenes - How

has the place changed? How has the main character changed? More

confident? Nervous? What is she doing there again?

Scene Questionnaire

The importance of asking questions to develop character and explore

story is often quite helpful, but question asking should never be

limited to people and plot alone. The scene is just as important and

essential to movie making. After all, a film is just a bunch of

scenes strung together to create a comprehensive whole. The trick is

to write scenes that are clear and concise, while still engaging the

reader/viewer in a creative way.

So give it a try; explore these 50 questions and begin writing

better scenes by finding answers to these essential scene elements.

The Big Ones:

1. What is the purpose of the scene?

2. Is the scene related to the rest of the story?

3. How does it advance the story?

4. Does it reveal something important about the character?

On Location:

5. Do you use the location?

6. Where and when does the scene take place?

7. Could another time or location serve to heighten the impact?

On Character:

8. Do you introduce your characters in motion?

9. Does the introduction give a glimpse into the nature of the

character?

10. Is the introduction memorable?

11. Are any new characters introduced? If so, are they memorable?

12. Is it clear whose scene it is?

13. What characters are present at the beginning, which ones enter

during the scene, and who is there at the end?

14. Where were the characters before the scene started?

15. Where are they going after it ends?

16. Does the dialogue reflect character? Is it natural? Forced?

17. Are their inner lives revealed through action, dialogue, and

reaction?

18. Do all your characters sound the same?

19. Do they have an accent? Make the same grammatical mistake?

20. Does their profession color their speech?

On Character Objective:

21. What does your character want?

22. Is he or she motivated?

23. Is the character’s goal clear?

24. Are character actions believable, probable, or at least

plausible?

On Conflict/Obstacles:

25. What is the central conflict of the scene?

26. Is the conflict with one or multiple characters?

27. With the circumstances, within a particular character, or both?

28. What are the obstacles facing the character?

29. How do the obstacles stop the character from getting his/her

goal?

30. Are the obstacles difficult enough? Are they too difficult?

On Action & Activity:

31. Is the scene static?

32. Is there unity of action?

33. Are there visual and audio clues and suggestions?

34. Are you using mood and sound to create a feeling for the scene?

35. Is there any use of dramatic irony?

36. Does the action come to a standstill? Or does it propel the

story forward?

37. Do your characters have something to do? An activity or

‘business’?

38. Or are they just standing around, a bunch of talking heads?

39. Are the events plausible? Must disbelief be suspended?

40. Do these events obey the “rules” of previously suspended

disbelief?

On Time & Economy:

41. Has time been eclipsed since the last scene?

42. If so, is it clear how much time has passed?

43. Are any elements of the future used? Should they be used?

44. Are you starting the scene as late as possible and getting out

early?

45. Does the scene belong in the story being told? Should you kill

it?

On Audience Connection:

46. Does the audience know what might go right or wrong within the

scene?

47. Do they hope/fear? Are they actively engaged? Or just passive

observers?

48. Is the scene too predictable, or does it allow the audience to

add it up?

On Script Continuity:

49. Do you have scenes of preparation and aftermath?

We need moments when we are alone with the characters – where we

really get to know them. These are the moments, usually before or

after important scenes of conflict in a script when we really are in

the shoes of the characters. We are drawn into their mindset. We

know what they are facing or have just faced, and we understand what

they are thinking. Mood, music, and props are often very important

to these scenes.

On Use of Contrast:

50. Do your scenes contrast?

Night/Day, Int./Ext., Action/Peaceful? For example, a claustrophobic

scene in a jail cell cut to a scene in a rowboat in the middle of a

mountain lake. Read your script scene after scene – is a scene too

much like the one just before it? Is it another four-page dialogue

scene? Does it take place in another smoke filled room? Think of

ways to use contrast: other possibilities, places, and scenarios.