Research Book #2: Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seger

This is a book about how to create, as its title claims, ‘unforgettable’ characters for films, TV series, advertisements, novels and short stories. Although its focus is on writing, there were some interesting bits here and there which I can probably use for my project. Not everything was useful, so that may explain why I skip a couple of chapters.

 Here’s a little overview of the chapters of the book; 

• Reseaching the character
• Defining the character Consistencies  and Paradoxes
• Creating the Backstory
• Understanding Character Psychology 
• Creating Character relations
• Adding Supportive and Minor characters
• Writing 
• Dialogue
• Beyond Stereotyping
• Solving Character problems

Chapter 1

• General vs Specific research
• Context: A character is a product of his or her environment
• Context is a like an empty cup of coffee; the cup is the context. The coffee is the character
• Contexts that most influence character include culture, historical period, location and occupation

Chapter 2

• Getting the first idea observation or experience
• Creating the first broad strokes
• Finding the core of the character in order to create consistency
• Finding the paradoxes within the character to create complexity
• Adding emotions, attitudes and values to further round out the character
• Adding details to make the character specific and unique 

• A physical description can be quite evocative; ‘A sweet-faced guy who’s probably done his job for too long’
• Keep the core of the character consistent!
• For example; Professor Religion Early Christianity
• Has earned a PHD; is very knowledgeable about a lot of areas like history, culture
• Probably also has a liberal arts background and used to follow a lot of courses and other extra-curricular activities.
• Creating a character paradox, for example; A domestic, homely type that doesn’t do much during the week. But then, in the weekends, partakes in heavy physical activities with friends and gets wasted
• Adding character details, for example; A professional full grown woman who wears earrings shaped like boomerangs, bananas and flamingos 
• Adding character details also refers to specific actions, behaviors, use of language and gestures 

Chapter 3

• A character biography might include; 
• Physiology (age, sex, posture)
• Sociology (class, occupation, religion)
• Psychology (sex life, ambitions, complexes )
• The backstory helps understand why characters behave as they do
• Too much backstory is not okay. This should reflect on the present in some relevant way
• Backstory should be used to clarify actions and decisions in the present

Chapter 5

• Chararacters have something in common that brings them together and keeps them together. This is the initial attraction 
• There’s a conflict between the characters that threatens to pull them apart and provides much of the drama or comedy in the script
• Constrasting qualities. These create opposites, another kind of relationship
• Characters have potential to transform each other (for better or for worse)

Chapter 6

• Deciding what the function of the character needs to be
• Creating a character that contrasts with other characters to fulfill that function
• Filling out that character by adding details
• Villains; evil character who oppose the protagonist. This makes him an antagonist. The role of the villain is always to connote evil
• Not all antagonists are villains. If a character doesn’t get good grades and the principal can’t let him pass, this doesn’t make him a villain. Just an antagonist because he opposes the protagonist in some way