Speaker 1: Welcome to the script mistress podcast, where we dive into storytelling's heart and bring screenwriting's magic to life. I am your host, Amber Bosworth, and today we're embarking on an extraordinary journey. Really excited. To keep yourself informed about podcasts, events, and challenges, please join my mailing list at thescriptmistress.com. Additionally, you can find this entire episode on video at thescriptmistress.com forward slash scene 54, where you'll also discover a free download waiting for you on that page. I also have this available on the Script Mistress YouTube channel, where you can access all these episodes, and I'll have the link for that in the show notes or down below if you just scroll down. Now, if you're new to my channel or you're new to my podcast, I run a monthly short screenwriting challenge. February is now open for registration. The fun begins on February 21st and runs for five days. Participants have five days to write a brand new five-page screenplay based on a prompt given out on the first day of the challenge. The winner will receive $150, and every writer that submits a completed script will receive detailed feedback on their script. All this is included in the $15 entry fee. Discover more at thescriptmistress.com forward slash ink to screen. Don't miss out. Sign up now. Use some of these tips and see if they work for you. Now, welcome to week three of our exploration of the world of screenwriting, kind of back to basics. Last time, we talked about the importance of standard screenplay formatting. Today, we're focusing on a crucial element that can make or break your script, developing compelling characters. Let's start by acknowledging something important. Characters are the soul of your story. They are the bridge that connects your audience to the narrative. Think about your favorite films or shows. What sticks with you long after the story ends? More often than not, it's characters and their struggles, triumphs, quirks, and transformations. Long before the story like fades away, the characters are gonna stick with you. But what makes a character compelling? What transforms them from mere words on a page to vivid, living beings in our imagination? It's their depth, their complexity. A compelling character feels real and has layers. Just like anyone you might meet in real life, they have desires, fears, strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, contradictions. Now, let's take a classic example. Think of Shrek from the animated movie. He's an ogre. He wants to be left alone, yet deep down, he longs for connection and acceptance. That contradiction makes him exciting and relatable. We, as writers, need to infuse this multifaceted nature in our own characters. Now, let's talk character arcs. In a nutshell, a character arc is a character's transformation or inner journey over the course of the story. It's about how they change, or sometimes, how they remain the same in the face of changing circumstances. In short screenplays, these arcs must be clear, yet concise. You don't have the luxury of a two-hour movie or a series to develop them. Every line and every scene with your character should push this arc forward. Here's a tip. Start by asking, what does my character want? What do they fear? What do these desires and fears conflict with each other? How do they conflict with each other? This internal conflict is the engine of your character's arc. Take, for example, a character who desperately wants to be loved, your desire, but is terrified of getting hurt, their fear. Their journey towards love, despite their fear, can make for a compelling narrative. And remember, characters drive the story. In character-driven narratives, the character's decisions, mistakes, and realizations move the plot forward. Your plot should challenge your characters, force them to confront their fears, question their beliefs, and ultimately grow or change somehow. To wrap up this part, consider your characters real people with real problems. Your job is to put these people on a journey that challenges them, changes them, or perhaps reveals their most authentic selves. That's how you craft characters that leap off the page and into the hearts of your audience. Now, stick with me, because we're gonna kind of go through three really crucial segments about how to really create great characters. Segment one, the essence of multidimensional characters. Now, let's dive in here. The essence of multidimensional characters. What exactly sets apart a multidimensional character from a flat or stereotypical one? It's depth. A character with depth has layers, much like an onion. They have a rich backstory, a background story, complex desires, distinct flaws, and often intriguing contradictions. Now, let's delve a little bit deeper into this segment. Creating a character that resonates and stays with the audience long after the story ends is a proper art form. But what exactly makes a character multidimensional? And how do we achieve this depth? Firstly, multidimensional characters feel real and complex, just like real people. A single trait or a cliched role doesn't define them. Instead, they have a mix of traits, good and evil, strengths and weaknesses. They have histories that shape their actions, desires that drive their narratives, and flaws that make them relatable. It's a big word there, relatable. It's very important. Now, let's talk about background stories. A character's past is crucial in defining who they are. For instance, a character who has experienced loss may be cautious or protective. This backstory adds layers to their actions and decisions. It's not just about what they do, but why they do it, which adds richness to their persona. Then we have desires and flaws. A character's desires push the story forward while their flaws create hurdles and conflicts. Think about Indiana Jones. His adventurous spirit drives the story, but his fear of snakes adds a layer of vulnerability, makes them more relatable. Contradictions also play a vital role. People in real life are full of contradictions, or as should your characters. A brave character might have moments of doubt, a villain might have a compassionate side. These contradictions make characters unpredictable and intriguing. Let's look at some examples from popular films and shows. Take Tony Stark from Marvel's Iron Man. He's a genius inventor from a self-centered arms dealer to a hero who sacrifices himself for the greater good is a brilliant example of a multidimensional character arc. Another example is Walter White from Breaking Bad. He starts as a sympathetic character, turned meth maker to secure his family's future. However, as the series progresses, we see layers of ambition, pride, and darkness emerge, challenging our perceptions of him. These examples show multidimensional characters are not just about adding traits or quirks. It's about creating a character that can deeply evolve, surprise, and engage the audience. It's about crafting a persona that mirrors the complexities of real life, making the character's journey believable and compelling. As we move on to our next segment here, remember that the characters you create are the heartbeats of your stories. Give them the depth they deserve and watch your stories come to life. All right, segment two here, crafting believable character arcs. Now let's focus on the second part. A character arc is the journey a character undergoes throughout the story. And it's fundamental in driving both the plot and emotional engagement with the audience. Character arcs can be broadly categorized into positive, negative, and flat or static. Positive arcs involve characters overcoming flaws or obstacles to achieve growth or success. For example, in the King's speech, King George VI overcomes his stutter, which is a personal victory and pivotal for his leadership role during a crisis. In contrast, negative arcs often see characters succumb to their flaws or external pressures, leading to downfall or corruption. Think of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. His arc is a descent from a moral outside observer to a ruthless mafia boss driven by the need to protect his family. Flat or static arcs are where the character remains the same throughout the story. However, this doesn't mean they're uninteresting. Characters with static arcs can be compelling anchors in a changing world, like Sherlock Holmes, whose sharp intellect and peculiar personality traits remain consistent while solving various mysteries. In short, screenplays and crafting character arcs can be challenging due to the limited space in the short screenplays. The key is to focus on a pivotal moment or a concise series of events that significantly impact the character. It's about capturing the essence of the change or steadfastness in a few powerful scenes. This can really be achieved in short screenplays. Please go over to my website as a little side note, the scriptmistress.com forward slash inc winners and read some of the winning screenplays, the finalists, and you'll see like the strongest ones have the greatest character arcs in just five pages. All right, so here are some tips for developing character arcs in short screenplays. Identify the core change. What is the primary change or realization your character will experience? Keep it clear and focused. Use symbolism and metaphor. These can be practical tools for concisely conveying more profound changes within a character. Show, don't tell. Sure you've heard that before. Let your character's actions, decisions, and interactions reveal their internal journey. Create a strong opening and conclusion. These should bookend the arc showing the contrast or consistency in your character from start to finish. Remember, a well-crafted character arc is not just about the change itself, but about making the journey believable and emotionally resonant with the audience. It's about showing a human experience, growth, decline, or resilience. Now as we wrap up this part, consider the characters you're creating. What journeys are they on? How will their stories resonate with your audience? Keep these questions in mind as we continue to explore. Now the segment number three, the role of character-driven stories. In the realm of screenwriting, stories can generally be categorized into two types, character-driven and plot-driven. Understanding the distinction and the significance of character-driven narratives is crucial, especially in the context of short screenplays. In character-driven stories, the plot is primarily driven by the character's inner journey, decisions, and transformations. Storytellers tend to focus more on the psychological and emotional landscapes of the characters. Their choices, dilemmas, and changes are what move the story forward. A great example is Lost in Translation, where the plot is secondary to the character's emotional journeys. On the other hand, plot-driven stories are centered around external events and actions. Here, the plot dictates the character's actions. Think of Indiana Jones or Mission Impossible high-stakes events drive the story and character development, while present is not the primary focus. In short screenplays, character-driven narratives can be compelling. With limited time, focusing on a character's emotional and psychological journey can create a profound impact. It allows for a more intimate connection with the audience, drawing them into the character's world and experience. Balancing plot and character development in a short screenplay can be a delicate dance. It's about ensuring that the events and actions in the plot serve as catalysts for character development. Each plot point should challenge the characters, revealing something new about them or pushing them to evolve. Now, here are some tips for crafting character-driven stories in short screenplays. Focus on a key character moment, just one moment. Choose a moment of change, decision, or realization as the centerpiece of your story. Use dialogue and action intentionally. Every dialogue and action should reveal something about the character or their journey. Create emotional resonance. Use setting, symbols, and secondary characters to reflect and amplify the main character's emotional journey. Keep the plot simple. Let the complexity of the character's inner world drive the story rather than complicated plot mechanics. Seriously. Remember, character-driven stories are about taking your audience on a journey, not just through a series of events, but through the nuanced landscapes of human emotion and experience. They challenge us to look deeper into ourselves and the world around us. As we finish this part up, I encourage you to consider your own stories. Do your characters' journeys drive them? How can you use their inner worlds to create compelling narratives? These are the questions that can lead you to craft genuinely captivating screenplays. Now, next week, I'm excited, we'll step into the world of world-building in your script, a critical element that frames your character's journey, so just another element to kind of bring it in. Until then, keep exploring the depths of your characters and let your story shine. So here's some practical exercises for you guys. Now, before we wrap up the episode, I've got a practical exercise for you. This is a little challenge to help you flex your character development muscles. So this is my writing action for you today. First, I want you to create a character profile. Think beyond just their physical attributes. What was their deepest fears, their most cherished dreams? What's a secret they've never told anyone? Jot these details down to flesh out a well-rounded character. Next, write a very short scene, just one or two pages, focusing on a critical moment of decision or revelation for this character. It could be anything from confronting a fear to making a life-altering choice. The aim here is to bring out the essence of your character through their actions and words in this pivotal moment. If you like, share your creations on Facebook, on the Ink to Screen page, or keep them as a tool in your screenwriting kit. This exercise is a great way to practice what we've discussed today. And I'll provide, I'll have a link to the character sheet that I created a long time ago, a completely free download if you would like this to kind of help you out with this exercise. So let's quickly recap what we've covered in today's episode. We delved into the art of creating multi-dimensional characters, explored the nuances of character arcs, and discussed the importance of character-driven narratives. Remember, compelling characters are the heartbeat of any great story. Next week, we're going to dive into the fascinating world of screenplay more, focusing again on world-building. It will be a lot of fun as we explore how to create immersive and believable settings for your characters. So please apply the techniques discussed today in your screenwriting. Keep honing your skills, experiment, and most importantly, bring those incredible characters to life. I am always available if you want to share those, share those thoughts on our Facebook page or email me at amber at the script mistress.com to get extra help. And then sign up for the next five page short screenplay challenge in February at the script mistress.com forward slashing to screen. I'm sure if you've heard any of my winners and their interviews, this is stuff that really helped them work on this kind of thing. Thank you for tuning into the script mistress podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, remember to subscribe and share it with fellow writers. I'd love to spread the word, spread me around. I'm the script mistress and I'll see you next week as we continue this journey. I truly value any feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast that might help, email me at amber at the script mistress.com, like and follow the show wherever you are listening. Talk soon. Until then, happy writing.