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A summary of 100+ popular and academically-cited works on Feature Film Screenwriting and Film Story. (on: Premise, Theme, Character, Plot, Structure, Dialog, Tone, Visual Elements, Writing Styles, etc). First published in 1995, this (free) work is used as an academic survey of (and subject guide to) Feature Film Screenwriting in many universities and film schools worldwide.

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A GUIDE TO

FEATURE FILM WRITING

A Screenwriter's Workbook

& Reference Guide

Compiled

Joe T. Velikovsky

2011

Published: 1995, 1998, 2003.

This work is intended as an academic review of the literature and theory in the field of

Feature Film screenwriting. It is not intended for sale. Wherever possible, please buy and

read any or all of the texts referenced within.

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................................5

A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF SCREENPLAY MANUALS .........................................................................6

WHAT IS A SCREENPLAY? .................................................................................................................................7

AN OVERVIEW OF "THE SCREENWRITING PROCESS/STEPS" .......................................................9

WHERE TO START? (WITH `FILM STORY IDEAS') ............................................................................. 10

THEME ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11

THE CREATIVE PROCESS ................................................................................................................................ 12

THE GREEK LEGACY: 3-ACT STORY STRUCTURE .............................................................................. 13

THE PREMISE ....................................................................................................................................................... 14

SCREENPLAY CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS .......................................................................................... 15

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION TEMPLATE: ................................................................................................ 18

EXAMPLE SYNOPSIS: THE WIZARD OF OZ .............................................................................................. 19

THE HOOK – and "THE VERBAL PITCH".................................................................................................. 21

CONFLICT IS DRAMA ........................................................................................................................................ 23

CHARACTER .......................................................................................................................................................... 24

ENNEAGRAM PERSONALITY TYPES ......................................................................................................... 25

THE 4 HIPPOCRATIC HUMORS .................................................................................................................... 27

PHYSICALITY: SOMATYPES ........................................................................................................................... 28

JUNG'S PERSONALITY TYPES ....................................................................................................................... 29

ASTROLOGICAL STAR SIGNS ........................................................................................................................ 31

LIST YOUR MAIN CHARACTER'S STAR SIGN & PERSONALITY TRAITS: ................................. 33

HERO'S JOURNEY CHARACTER ARCHETYPES ..................................................................................... 34

HERO'S JOURNEY ARCHETYPES - Worksheet ...................................................................................... 35

SYD FIELD'S CHARACTER TEMPLATE ..................................................................................................... 36

A 3-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTER PROFILE - STRIKING POINTS.................................................. 37

CHARACTER ARCS .............................................................................................................................................. 38

THE STAKES & MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS .......................................................................... 39

THE HERO or PROTAGONIST........................................................................................................................ 40

THE ANTAGONIST .............................................................................................................................................. 41

CHARACTER PROFILE WORKSHEETS ...................................................................................................... 42

CHARACTER INTERVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 44

CREATE 5 MEMORABLE SCENES ................................................................................................................ 47

A CHARACTER'S BACKSTORY....................................................................................................................... 48

JOHN CARROLL'S "9 CORE THEMES" ........................................................................................................ 49

TOBIAS' 20 PLOTS .............................................................................................................................................. 50

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POLTI'S `THE 36 DRAMATIC SITUATIONS'............................................................................................ 51

JOHNSTON/BLAKE'S 9 PLOTS ...................................................................................................................... 53

A RANDOM LIST OF GENRES ........................................................................................................................ 55

SCREENPLAY STORY STRUCTURE ............................................................................................................. 56

THE HERO'S JOURNEY - CAMPBELL.......................................................................................................... 57

THE HERO'S JOURNEY - VOGLER ................................................................................................................ 58

`STORY WARS': HARRY POTTER vs. STAR WARS Episode IV ....................................................... 59

THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY .............................................................................................................................. 61

ROBERT McKEE'S SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE ..................................................................................... 62

BARRY PEARSON'S SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE................................................................................... 64

UMBERTO ECO & THE JAMES BOND PLOTS ......................................................................................... 65

DAVID SIEGEL'S NINE-ACT STRUCTURE ................................................................................................ 66

RICHARD MICHAELS STEFANIK – "MEGAHIT MOVIE" STRUCTURE ........................................ 67

ON THEMATIC VISUAL METAPHORS ....................................................................................................... 68

Viki King's "INNER MOVIE METHOD" SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE ............................................. 69

THE BLAKE SNYDER "STORY BEAT SHEET" ......................................................................................... 70

PLOTS and SUBPLOTS - or A, B and C stories ....................................................................................... 71

SOME QUESTIONS TO ANSWER - BEFORE YOU WRITE: ................................................................ 72

VELIKOVSKY'S `15 COMMANDMENTS' OF FEATURE FILM SCREENWRITING.................... 73

SCENE LENGTH.................................................................................................................................................... 74

EXPOSITION SCENES ........................................................................................................................................ 75

SOME SCREENPLAY TERMS – A GLOSSARY .......................................................................................... 76

DIALOG..................................................................................................................................................................... 78

SOME OTHER DIALOG `GUIDELINES': ...................................................................................................... 79

SUBTEXT ................................................................................................................................................................. 80

FAMOUS LINES from films of the 1990's ................................................................................................. 81

SOME CLASSIC MOVIE LINES ........................................................................................................................ 82

SOME SCRIPT EDITING QUESTIONS: ........................................................................................................ 88

SCRIPT EDITING: THE SCENE-BY-SCENE ANALYSIS ........................................................................ 89

THE SIX C'S OF LOW-BUDGET FILM MAKING ...................................................................................... 90

SOME MORE BOOKS ABOUT SCRIPTWRITING .................................................................................... 91

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INTRODUCTION

So, Feature Film Screenwriting.

Twenty years ago, there were two books on the subject. Now there are thousands (see

www.Amazon.com, and search on "screenwriting").

So - Where to start? Which book to read first?

In 1995, while studying Screenwriting at film school, I noticed there were about 100

books on the shelf in the school library. I wasn't sure which were the best ones, so I read

them all, and summarized them. This is essentially a collation of my summary notes.

This Workbook is therefore just an Overview of the field. It is intended more as an

Introduction, than a `set of tools' for Feature Film writers… and, it is certainly not meant

to replace the original Screenwriting Manuals / Texts themselves.

- It also contains various `Story Templates‟, but most usefully - it contains summaries of

some of the key published texts on Writing Feature Film Screenplays.

It also has tables and worksheets, where, as a writer, you can fill out your own film's

plot beats and `character information'… in preparation for writing your own feature film

screenplay.

But, for the actual nuts-and-bolts of all these writing theories - that's all they are - there

are probably no magic formulae, or else all writers would always write perfect scripts.

But if there is one formula, it's: Learn all the rules, then try and forget them - and write

from the heart.

So - I respectfully request, please buy and read the actual original texts themselves. I

don't wish to deny the likes of Syd Field, Linda Seger, Viki King, John Truby, Linda

Aronsen, Blake Snyder or Robert McKee their dues.

So. Hopefully this Workbook will be useful for you, whether you're a new, or even an

experienced screenwriter.

- We need great stories; they make for great films, which the world needs most right

now…

Our film stories are our myths. Our myths are what we live by.

And just remember, screenplays are never finished - they are only ever abandoned (and

then hopefully, shot!)

Best,

Joe T. Velikovsky

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A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF SCREENPLAY MANUALS

There are many more than these. But this is a brief overview:

1913 – William Lewis Gordon - How to Write Moving Picture Plays

1914 – A W Thomas - How to Write a Photoplay

CUT TO:

1979 - Syd Field: Screenplay

1987 – Linda Seger: Making a Good Script Great

1989 – Michael Hauge: Writing Screenplays That Sell

1992 – Christopher Vogler: The Writer's Journey

1994 - Phillips & Huntley: Dramatica (software)

1997 - McKee: Story

2002 - Richard Stefanik: Megahit Movies

2005 – Blake Snyder: Save The Cat!

2007 – John Truby: The Anatomy of Story

2010 – Todd Klick: Something Startling Happens

These are some key milestones.

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WHAT IS A SCREENPLAY?

ON FORM & CONTENT

CONTENT:

Various industry professionals have offered opinions on what a feature film screenplay

is:

Alan Armer: "A blueprint for a movie."

Syd Field: "A story told with pictures."

Paul Schrader: "An invitation to collaborate on a work of art. They contain 3

things - theme, character, structure. That's all."

Louis Nowra: "Screenplays are simply a blueprint for a director. It's not an art –

It's a collaborative process."

Bob Towne: "A movie is just four or five moments between two people. The rest

of it exists to give those moments their impact and resonance."

William Goldman: "Screenplays are structure."

Viki King: "A feature screenplay is a document you can create in 21 days."

Linda Seger: "Five things: the story lines, the characters, the underlying idea, the

images and the dialog."

Linda Aronsen: "A screenplay is - a technical instruction manual for everyone

involved in the process of creating the film."

FORM: Either way, the form is universally agreed upon, by consensus:

SCREENPLAY FORM: 185 to 120 pages, in standard Screenplay format, in Courier

12-point font, with 1-inch margins all round, and with black card front & back, 3-hole

drilled, and bound with 2 `brads‟ in the top & bottom holes. 10

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A FEW FILM CLASSICS...

Some classic films, worth studying for their scripts, including international films:

 Vertigo

 Tokyo Story

 The Searchers

 Battleship Potemkin

 The Bicycle Thieves

 The Seventh Seal

 The Rules Of The Game

 The Red Shoes

 Annie Hall

 Ben-Hur

 Blue Velvet

 Bonnie and Clyde

 The Passion of Joan Of Arc

 L'Atalante

 The Hidden Fortress

 My Life As A Dog

 The Killer

 Solaris (Dir: Tarkovsky)

 The Wings Of Desire

 Casablanca

 Dances With Wolves

 La Dolce Vita

 The Exorcist

 Fanny and Alexander

 The Godfather

 The Graduate

 La Grande Illusion

 It's A Wonderful Life

 Jules et Jim

 King Kong

 Lawrence of Arabia

 The Sound of Music

 A Night At The Opera

 City Lights

 Peeping Tom

 Pickpocket

 Raging Bull

 Rio Bravo

 Shadows

 2001: A Space Odyssey

 Twelve Angry Men

 Wild Strawberries

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AN OVERVIEW OF "THE SCREENWRITING PROCESS/STEPS"

From Premise to Screenplay

The usual steps (and documents) involved in writing a feature screenplay: (though

sometimes some - or many – of the below, are omitted)

The Premise (1-3 sentences) The Premise (sometimes called the Concept) is a

simple statement of the main character/s, and their dilemma.

The Synopsis (3 paragraphs) The synopsis is about 3 paragraphs long, and

Each paragraph reflects the beginning, middle and end of the story.

The Outline (1-3 pages) One, Two or Three pages, describing the setup, development

and resolution, and sketching the details of the characters.

Character Notes (1-3 pages for each major character) Outlines the different

characters, and their Backstories.

`Pitch' Document (10 pages) Contains all of the above documents, and some images.

Scene Breakdown (2-3 pages) A `beat sheet' or list of points, outlining the key

event/s of each scene. Can also be done on approximately 60 index cards (e.g. one for

each scene).

The Treatment (say 20-40 pages) Twenty to forty pages, virtually a short story, which

is an expanded version of the Outline, but with more character detail, and various

dramatic `moments' and key scenes fleshed out in more detail. Usually each scene is a

paragraph. Usually contains no direct dialog, and is written in the third-person present

tense.

The Scriptment (say 80 pages) A hybrid of Treatment-and-Script. Famously, James

Cameron wrote one of these for Spider-Man.

Sample Dialog (say, 1 page for each major character) `Test scenes‟ or monologues, so

that each of your characters speaks in their own distinctive voice.

The Screenplay (85-120 pages) On A4 pages, in standard Screenplay format, in Courier

12-point font, and with black card front & back, 3 hole drilled & 2 brads in the top &

bottom holes. Has scene headings, stage directions (also called "big print") and dialog.

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WHERE TO START? (WITH `FILM STORY IDEAS')

Screenwriters can start anywhere, including (but not limited to):

 AN IDEA, possibly featuring a central character and a situation (e.g.

perhaps inspired by: a news story, or a song, or, a dream, or - everyday

life in general - etc.)

 A PREFERRED GENRE – such as thriller, romantic comedy, action-

adventure, sci-fi, crime-thriller

 AN IMAGE (possibly suggesting the story's main character, or the

antagonist, or the film's climax, etc)

 A THEME ("There's No Place Like Home", "Family", "Honour Among

Thieves", "Revenge" etc.)

 AN ADAPTATION (i.e. a screenplay adapted from a novel, short story,

biography, real-life event, etc.). In these cases it is usually important to

acquire the rights, first.

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THEME

"Theme" revolves around `having something to say', or, the overall meaning of the story.

However the Theme that the writer/director/filmmakers intended - and the Theme the

audience interprets may differ. (Results may vary.) This is also known as "the

intentional fallacy". (How can we ever be sure that, what we think someone meant - is

what they actually meant? However - this particular Philosophical can-o-worms can

stay shut for now.)

As for Theme - screenwriter Paul Schrader (author of Taxi Driver) advises:

"As a novelist, you have to be sure at least 100,000 people

will respond to your work. But - for a screenwriter, you have

to ask yourself: Will at least 3 million people react to this?

Otherwise, you should write poetry."

On the other hand, Themes which are too explicit/obvious in a script, or `preached' at

an audience (say, in dialog) are referred to as `on the nose'.

Infamous Golden Age of Hollywood studio boss, Sam Goldwyn is famed for saying `If you

have a message, send it Western Union'. Sam clearly believed movies were for

entertainment only. However it can be argued, most enduring and popular films do have

a clear Theme. (Sometimes, many. )

The Theme is the message of the film. Many believe, in good scripts, it pervades most

scenes.

Some example film Themes:

 The futility of war - Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now, Gallipoli

 `There's no place like home' - The Castle, The Wizard of Oz

 Great love defies even death - Moulin Rouge!, Titanic, Romeo + Juliet

 Tell the truth - Breaker Morant, Tootsie, Witness

 Nothing is what it seems - American Beauty, The Matrix, The Usual Suspects

 Loneliness - Proof, Storm Boy, Taxi Driver

 Honour among thieves - Chopper, Reservoir Dogs

 Ruthless ambition leads to its own destruction - The Bank, MacBeth

 Courage to overcome self-doubt leads to self-esteem - Strictly Ballroom, Rocky

 Revenge - Mad Max, Gladiator, Hamlet

 Make Things Happen - Muriel's Wedding, The Dish, Lorenzo's Oil

 "You have to be rich to get away with murder" - Chinatown

Note - Lajos Egri's book THE PRINCIPLES OF DRAMATIC WRITING outlines such Themes

in regard to plays, although Egri refers to them as the play's `Premise'. Hollywood

screenwriting terminology can also differ - in that - the Premise is often actually the

`dramatic situation' posed by the film's set-up.

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THE CREATIVE PROCESS

In his 1926 book The Art of Thought, psychologist Graham Wallis identified four stages

of the creative process which are common to most creative enterprises (including

screen, prose, poetry, song writing and painting).

They are:

1) PREPARATION - gaining the necessary knowledge (i.e. craft skills and

adequate research on the story subject)

2) INCUBATION - letting the idea(s) simmer in the subconscious mind...

3) ILLUMINATION - the actual inspiration and `putting forth‟ of the masterpiece

into an available physical reality (i.e. a manuscript)

4) VERIFICATION - editing the raw work into a polished, presentable form

These four steps are useful tools for a writer. If the screenplay isn't working, or you're

experiencing "writer's block", you may want to check if you're missing one of these

steps.

Source: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~caveman/Creative/Brain/wallis_intro.htm

TWO OTHER EXCELLENT BOOKS ABOUT "THE CREATIVE PROCESS":

Explaining Creativity – by R. Keith Sawyer

http://ascc.artsci.wustl.edu/~ksawyer/explainingcreativity/

and

Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

(winner of `Thinker Of The Year' award)

http://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Flow-Psychology-Discovery-

Invention/dp/0060928204

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THE GREEK LEGACY: 3-ACT STORY STRUCTURE

In feature film we have mostly inherited the "3-act structural paradigm" of drama from

the Greeks.

In circa 350 B.C., Aristotle laid down some principles of dramatic structure which many

still adhere to, in his book Poetics.

French New Wave filmmaker Godard said "All stories have a beginning, middle and end,

but not necessarily in that order"

5 ACTS..?

As an interesting side note, Shakespeare often used 5 acts in his plays. Some Greek

tragedies had 5 `episodes'.

Robert McKee in his book `Story' talks about using 5 story beats, within 3 acts, in

modern film stories.

William Goldman often uses 5 acts (Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, All The

President's Men, Misery, The Right Stuff)

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THE PREMISE

Premise in mainstream feature films generally follows this structure:

A certain type of person has a certain goal, and encounters

obstacles that have changed him/her when finally they do

(or do not) achieve that goal.

Namely, the structure is composed of:

1) The Exposition (or SETUP)

2) The Confrontation (or DEVELOPMENT)

and

3) The Resolution (or DENOUEMENT) of the dramatic problem posed by the

story...

Or more simply: in Act One you get a person up a tree, in Act Two you throw rocks at

them, and in Act Three you get them down again.

The key philosophy behind a film Premise is:

Someone wants something very badly, and is having a lot of trouble getting it.

Exercise: Write your film's Premise here:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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SCREENPLAY CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

Buy these screenplays - and study the writing in them. (NOTE - All copyright remains

with the original authors)

WITNESS by William Kelley & Earl W. Wallace

RACHEL LAPP. A young woman of perhaps twenty-seven. Her

face is pale and drawn. In happier circumstances, although

there haven't been too many of late in Rachel's life, we

would see a robust, sensual woman of full figure, spirit

and intelligence.

JOHN BOOK comes striding though the others. He is about 40,

with a rangy, athletic body.

TAXI DRIVER by Paul Schrader

TRAVIS BICKLE, age 26, lean, hard, the consummate loner.

(NB - see also the First Page of the script, for a detailed character description of Travis.)

TITANIC by James Cameron

JACK DAWSON and FABRIZIO DE ROSSI, both about 20, exchange a

glance as the other two players argue in Swedish.

JACK is American, a lanky drifter with his hair a little long

for the standards of the times. He is also unshaven, and his

clothes are rumpled from sleeping in them. He is an artist,

and has adopted the bohemian style of art scene in Paris. He

is also very self-possessed and sure-footed for 20, having

lived on his own since 15.

The Renault stops and the LIVERIED DRIVER scurries to open the

door for a YOUNG WOMAN dressed in a stunning white and purple

outfit, with an enormous feathered hat. She is 17 years old

and beautiful, regal of bearing, with piercing eyes. It is the

girl in the drawing. ROSE. She looks up at the ship, taking it

in with cool appraisal.

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THELMA & LOUISE by Callie Khouri

LOUISE is a waitress in a coffee shop. She is in her early

thirties, but too old to be doing this. She is very pretty and

meticulously groomed, even at the end of her shift.

LETHAL WEAPON by Shane Black

DETECTIVE ROGER MURTAUGH, seated in the bathtub. He groans,

throws a towel over himself, and mutters in mock indignation.

Roger is tough: An old-fashioned fighter, wears his past like

a scar. Piercing eyes; cynical.

He is surrounded by his family; wife and three children, names

and ages as follows: TRISH: Roughly thirty-eight. She used to

be a stunner. NICK: Ten years old. Precocious. CARRIE: Age

seven. Eyes like saucers. Adorable. RIANNE: Heartbreaker

stuff, Seventeen. Takes your breath away folks.

THE SIXTH SENSE by M. Night Shyamalan

MALCOLM CROWE sits on the floor at the coffee table, his vest

and tie on the sofa behind him. A jacket and an overcoat lay

on a briefcase next to him. Malcolm is in his thirties with

thick, wavy hair and striking, intelligent eyes that squint

from years of intense study. His charming, easy-going smile

spreads across his face.

SPIDER-MAN (unproduced screenplay - by James Cameron):

We see PETER PARKER, a pleasant faced senior who's among the

top in his class. Sincere and serious, he has yet to develop a

way with women.

SPIDER-MAN (produced – by David Koepp):

PETER PARKER, a 17 year old boy. High school must not be any

fun for Peter, he's one hundred per cent nerd: skinny, zitty,

glasses.

A girl stands in the entrance to the alleyway. MARY-JANE

WATSON, seventeen, painfully sexy already, with a knowledge

and sadness that are way beyond her years.

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COSI by Louis Nowra

LEWIS, 21, handsome and shy enough to be a patient, pauses

before the sign - and after taking a deep breath enters the

hospital grounds.

MY BRILLIANT CAREER by Eleanor Whitcombe

Beyond the open door and windows, SYBYLLA, a skinny girl

of sixteen-seventeen years old, with a vital if not pretty

face, paces backwards and forwards, holding a stub of

pencil and an old exercise book, deep in concentration,

oblivious to her surroundings.

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CHARACTER DESCRIPTION TEMPLATE:

The character description in a feature screenplay is usually composed of:

NAME, age, physical, nationality, social, psychological.

Plus - any defining physical character traits, including props, for actors `business‟.

Exercise: Your Film's Central Character – Character Description:

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EXAMPLE SYNOPSIS: THE WIZARD OF OZ

THE WIZARD OF OZ by L. Frank Baum (novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)

Screenplay by Noel Langley and Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf.

(Some say The Wizard of Oz story universe was the original `transmedia' work; Frank

Baum used to give storytelling lectures about Oz, and had drawn maps of the

storyworld.)

SYNOPSIS

Dorothy Gale, 16, an attractive, spirited and energetic girl with a great love for animals,

who has a little dog Toto, wants to escape the boredom of her life at home on her farm

in Kansas.

However when a tornado sweeps her away into a strange land called Oz, she encounters

strange beings and situations and makes new friends.

Finally, both in spite of - and because of - her amazing journey, she realizes there is "no

place like home".

In other words, ideally, the STORY has an engaging central character, with an intriguing

dilemma, and strong conflict.

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YOUR FILM'S PREMISE:

________________________________________________, who

(name, age, physical, psychological).

________________________________________________________

(a defining characteristic)

wants __________________________________________________.

(the character's goal in the story)

However_____________________________________________________

(the central conflict/obstacle, and the turning point)

___________________________________________________________

Finally, _________________________________________________.

(i.e. - how has the character changed?)

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THE HOOK – and "THE VERBAL PITCH"

The Pitch is the 25-words-or-less that `hooks‟ the listener's interest, and ideally `sells'

the screenplay concept to a producer.

THE HOOK – The Opening Scenario of the film that "Hooks" the listener: It makes they

say "Tell me more". Or "And what happens then…?"

For example:

 A poet falls for a beautiful courtesan working at the Moulin Rouge whom a

jealous duke covets – Moulin Rouge!

 An American reporter goes to the Australian outback to meet an eccentric

crocodile poacher and invites him back to New York City. - Crocodile Dundee

 Two unemployed losers raised on TV decide to rob a bank – Idiot Box

 A man kept locked in his house for 30 years by his overly-possessive mother

ventures out into the outside world. - Bad Boy Bubby

 A young girl bets her prized telescope she can prove to the young town bully that

her new neighbour is not an alien. - Sally Marshall Is Not an Alien

YOUR FILM'S HOOK HERE:

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THE ONE-PAGE PITCH

Write your Pitch down on this page.

(NB- Ideally this becomes content for a Query Letter.)

 Title, Genre, Setting (place & time)

 Logline: (25 words or less) for the TV Guide. Usually contains the Premise.

 "When two films collide" (Film A meets Film B).

 The film's Theme.

 Plot Synopsis

 Title and `Tagline' (Tagline = the catchy phrase/words, on the movie poster)

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CONFLICT IS DRAMA

In her classic book MAKING A GOOD SCRIPT GREAT - Script Analyst Linda Seger outlines

5 different TYPES OF CONFLICT (and the more you have in your screenplay, the better):

• PERSONAL - uncertainty or self-doubt, a struggle with conscience

eg: Hamlet, 8 and ½, Crime & Punishment, Strictly Ballroom

• RELATIONAL - with a love interest, family or friends, work colleagues

eg: Kramer vs Kramer, Ten Things I Hate About You, Chopper

• SOCIETAL - within the character's social environment

eg: Fight Club, The Castle, The Elephant Man, Philadelphia, Gattaca, Crocodile

Dundee

• SITUATIONAL - the physical environment

eg: Dead Calm, Twister, The Poseidon Adventure, Armageddon, The Towering

Inferno

• COSMIC - versus God or Satan (or some other deity/ies)

eg: Bliss, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Evil Dead, The Exorcist, The Odyssey of

Homer

Source: Linda Seger (1994) Making a Good Script Great, 2nd Ed, Samuel French Trade,

Hollywood

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CHARACTER

People are what they do, not (just) what they say, and therefore...

Character is ACTION!

The biggest criticism of film characters are that they are not 3-dimensional, or that they

are `cardboard cut-outs‟ or unbelievable. Some say there are 3 dimensions to character.

They can include:

1) PHYSICAL - how they look

2) SOCIOLOGICAL - how they live

3) PSYCHOLOGICAL - how they behave

PHYSICAL - refers to aspects such as sex, height, weight, age, hair and eye color, voice,

race, complexion, nationality, speech, health, any distinguishing features and manner of

dress...

SOCIOLOGICAL - includes marital status, geographical origin, family background,

education, occupation, interests, social contacts, religion, morality, sports, politics,

intellectual capacities and ambitions...

and PSYCHOLOGICAL means their personality (extra- or introverted, a `thinking‟ or a

`feeling‟ type), sexual preference, fantasy life, phobias, hang-ups, star sign, likes and

dislikes...

NB - A great web site links page to articles on Character:

http://www.screenwritersforum.com/character.htm

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ENNEAGRAM PERSONALITY TYPES

Enneagram personality typing dates back some 10,000 years. The oral tradition is

woven into the Kabbalah, and also used by Sufi mystics. In the 1970's Western

psychologists refined and developed it further.

Source: http://www.9points.com/types.htm

Point One - The Perfectionist

Worldview: Life is about correcting error and striving for improvement.

Unconscious Drive: Internalized Anger - Resentment

Gift: Discernment

Point Two - The Helper

Worldview: (My) Love makes the world go round.

Unconscious Drive: Pride

Gift: Empathy

Point Three - The Performer

Worldview: Life is about presenting a successful image.

Unconscious Drive: Self-Deceit

Gift: Efficacy and Adaptability

Point Four - The Romantic

Worldview: Something essential is missing from life. I'll be complete if I can just find it.

Unconscious Drive: Envy

Gift: Uniqueness and Emotional Intensity.

Point Five - The Observer

Worldview: Knowledge will keep me safe.

Unconscious Drive: Avarice

Gift: Detachment

Point Six - The Loyal Skeptic

Worldview: The world is a dangerous place. Most people have hidden agendas.

Unconscious Drive: Fear/Doubt

Two flavors of six: Phobic and Counter-phobic

Gift: Loyal commitment and planning

Point Seven - The Epicure

Worldview: Life is an adventure with limitless possibilities.

Unconscious Habit: Gluttony

Gift: Optimism 30

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Point Eight - The Boss

Worldview: Only the strong survive.

Unconscious Drive: Lust (Excess)

Gift: Strength

Point Nine - The Mediator

Worldview: Life is about harmony - going with the flow.

Unconscious Drive: Sloth (Self-forgetting)

Gift: Acceptance

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THE 4 HIPPOCRATIC HUMORS

Hippocrates postulated that an imbalance among the humors (blood, phlegm, black bile,

and yellow bile) resulted in pain and disease, and that good health was achieved

through a balance of the four humors; he suggested that the glands had a controlling

effect on this balance. For many centuries this idea was held as the basis of medicine.

Galen introduced a new aspect, that of four basic temperaments reflecting the humors:

 the sanguine, cheerful, buoyant type; (associated with blood)

 the phlegmatic, apathetic, sluggish type; (associated with mucous)

 the choleric, angry, quick-tempered type; (associated with bile)

 and the melancholic, depressed, dejected type (associated with black bile).

In time any personality aberration or eccentricity was referred to as a humor. In

literature, a `humor character‟ was one in whom a single passion predominated; this

interpretation was especially popular in Elizabethan and other Renaissance literature.

(NB - compare with psychology's 4 types: MAD, SAD, GLAD, SCARED)

http://www.bartleby.com/65/hu/humor.html 32

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PHYSICALITY: SOMATYPES

An ectomorph (endurance athlete) possesses a low body fat percentage level, small

bone size, a high metabolism, and a small amount of muscle mass and muscle size.

Associated with the brain/thinking.

A mesomorph (power athlete) possesses a low to medium body fat percentage level,

medium to large bone size, a medium to high metabolism, and a large amount of muscle

mass and muscle size. Associated with the muscles/intuition.

An endomorph (non-athlete) possesses a high body fat percentage level, large bone

size, a slow metabolism, and a small amount of muscle mass and muscle size. Associated

with the gut/spirituality. 33

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JUNG'S PERSONALITY TYPES

EXTRAVERTS

Extraverted Sensation

Realistic; making few factual errors, good assimilation of details;

experiencing each moment fully, enjoying the good things of life such as

food, music, sports, the beauty of nature and art etc.; easygoing, tolerant,

patient; often good with mechanical equipment as in carpentry, decorating,

graphic art, fashion, cooking or any work demanding attention to detail.

Extraverted Intuitive

Spontaneous, innovative, initiating, non-conforming and versatile; identifies

the practical possibilities in a situation; quick, focus on entire situation,

flexible; enjoys complexity; adaptable and easy acquisition of new skills.

Extraverted Feeling

Warm, friendly, sensitive; value friendships; tactful, trying to meet others

needs; adhering to societal values and appropriate behaviour; valuing others

opinions; wanting approval; full of zest and enthusiasm; able to express

feelings freely; strong awareness of likes and dislikes; harmonious, empathic.

Extraverted Thinking

Organising and labelling facts into logical units; supporting laws, objectives,

policies and rules; governed by reason and not emotion; striving for

perfection based on universal idea or law; judge behaviour on the ideal

model; treat others fairly but impersonally; wanting to find meaning in life

and the world; wanting to get things done with the least cost in time and

energy and plan ahead. 34

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INTROVERTS

Introverted Sensation

Awareness of bodily sensations, both physical and emotional; good with

routine, non-distractible, persevering; good memory and recall; adhering to

own inner sense of reality which may be at odds with others; strong aesthetic

appreciation often for abstract forms of art.

Introverted Intuitive

Guided by own inner images, seldom limited for long to a single perspective;

inner fantasy life; may have difficulty communicating insights to others; good

insight into complex situations; uses metaphors to explore possibilities;

creative, quick insight into relationships with others; often has innovative

ideas with creative meanings.

Introverted Feeling

Using own internal standard to judge people and things, not submitting to peer

pressure or current trends, loyal, devoted, knowing own likes and dislikes,

often idealistic, working for a cause or purpose; may not be overtly

affectionate, holding tenderness and passionate conviction in reserve; often

believe they understand others but experience themselves as misunderstood;

strong sense of values and ethics.

Introverted Thinking

Analysing the world based on own inner convictions and abstract categories,

not easily swayed by others; enjoying intellectual activities, abstract ideas,

subjects like philosophy, maths, crossword puzzles; decisive with ideas;

working from principles; unconcerned with practical applications of their

work; often work independently and may be shy with people.

Source: http://indigo.ie/~autoweb/team/jung1.html

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ASTROLOGICAL STAR SIGNS

Aries (March 21-April 19) Symbol: the ram Element: fire Ruler: Mars

Characteristics: competitive, impulsive, independent, dynamic, quick-tempered,

domineering, trusting, honest

Aries celebrities: Maya Angelou, Warren Beatty, Marlon Brando, Charlie Chaplin, Joan

Crawford, Leonardo Da Vinci, Bette Davis, Celine Dion, Thomas Jefferson, Nikita

Khrushchev, Eddie Murphy, Vincent Van Gogh

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Symbol: the bull Element: earth Ruler: Venus

Characteristics: patient, dependable, practical, determined, artistic, loyal, stubborn, self-

indulgent

Taurus celebrities: Bono, James Brown, Buddha, George Clooney, Salvador

Dali, Queen Elizabeth II, Duke Ellington, Sigmund Freud, Audrey Hepburn, Karl Marx,

Willie Mays, William Shakespeare, Barbra Streisand, Harry S. Truman, Orson Welles

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Symbol: the twins Element: air Ruler: Mercury

Characteristics: curious, versatile, expressive, persuasive, changeable, clever, restless,

talkative

Gemini celebrities: Bob Dylan, Clint Eastwood, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Judy

Garland, Bob Hope, Tom Jones, John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Marilyn Monroe,

Brooke Shields, Queen Victoria, Richard Wagner, Walt Whitman, William Butler Yeats

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Symbol: the crab Element: water Ruler: Moon

Characteristics: tenacious, emotional, intuitive, sensitive, sympathetic, traditional,

moody, manipulative

Cancer celebrities: Pamela Anderson, P. T. Barnum, Julius Caesar, James Cagney, Bill

Cosby, Tom Cruise, Edgar Degas, Princess Diana, Harrison Ford, Ernest Hemingway,

Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Henry David Thoreau, Robin

Williams

Leo (July 23-August 22) Symbol: the lion Element: fire Ruler: Sun

Characteristics: dramatic, dignified, idealistic, ambitious, proud, generous, romantic,

overbearing

Leo celebrities: Lucille Ball, Napoleon Bonaparte, Fidel Castro, Bill Clinton, Cecil B. de

Mille, Henry Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Mick Jagger, Carl Jung, Madonna, Herman Melville,

Mussolini, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Robert Redford, Arnold

Schwarzenegger

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Symbol: the virgin Element: earth Ruler: Mercury

Characteristics: gentle, industrious, dependable, methodical, soft-spoken, humane,

sincere, easily worried

Virgo celebrities: Lauren Bacall, Johann Bach, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Jimmy

Connors, Queen Elizabeth I, Gloria Estefan, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, D. H. Lawrence,

Sophia Loren, Keanu Reeves, Leo Tolstoy, H. G. Wells

Libra (September 23-October 22) Symbol: the scales Element: air Ruler: Venus

Characteristics: cooperative, careful, artistic, persuasive, diplomatic, logical, indecisive,

fickle

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Libra celebrities: Julie Andrews, Brigitte Bardot, Michael Douglas, Mahatma

Gandhi, Charlton Heston, Jesse Jackson, John Lennon, Heather Locklear, Groucho Marx,

Friedrich Nietzsche, Pele, Eleanor Roosevelt, Will Smith, Bruce Springsteen

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Symbol: the scorpion Element: water Ruler: Pluto

Characteristics: passionate, penetrating, private, resourceful, loyal, determined,

temperamental, intolerant

Scorpio celebrities: Marie Antoinette, Prince Charles, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Marie

Curie, Jodie Foster, Bill Gates, Katherine Hepburn, John Keats, Robert F. Kennedy, Vivian

Leigh, George Patton, Pablo Picasso, Julia Roberts, Theodore

Roosevelt, Winona Ryder, Sam Shepard, Ted Turner

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Symbol: the archer Element: fire Ruler:

Jupiter

Characteristics: generous, honest, daring, friendly, confident, enthusiastic,

argumentative, blunt

Sagittarius celebrities: Maria Callas, Andrew Carnegie, Winston Churchill, Dick Clark,

Emily Dickinson, Joe DiMaggio, Walt Disney, Jane Fonda, Bette Midler, Richard Pryor,

Frank Sinatra, Tina Turner, Mark Twain

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Symbol: the goat Element: earth Ruler: Saturn

Characteristics: cautious, focused, responsible, serious, conventional, reliable,

hardworking, unforgiving

Capricorn celebrities: David Bowie, Paul Cezanne, Benjamin Franklin, Mel Gibson, Cuba

Gooding, Jr., Alexander Hamilton, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King, Jr., Henri Matisse,

Richard Nixon, Edgar Allen Poe, Elvis Presley, Joseph Stalin, Mao Tse-tung

Aquarius (January 20-February 18) Symbol: the water bearer Element: air Ruler:

Uranus

Characteristics: independent, tolerant, unpredictable, strong-willed, curious,

perceptive, progressive, temperamental Aquarius celebrities: Garth Brooks, Charles

Darwin, Charles Dickens, Thomas Edison, W. C. Fields, Galileo, James Joyce, Abraham

Lincoln, Charles Lindbergh, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ronald Reagan, Vanessa

Redgrave, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Oprah Winfrey, Virginia Woolf

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Symbol: the fish Element: water Ruler: Neptune

Characteristics: sensitive, compassionate, imaginative, adaptable, intuitive, idealistic,

secretive, vulnerable

Pisces celebrities: Drew Barrymore, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Johnny Cash, Nat King

Cole, Cindy Crawford, Albert Einstein, Jane Goodall, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jerry Lewis, Liza

Minelli, Sidney Poitier, John Steinbeck, Elizabeth Taylor,

George Washington

Source: http://www.infoplease.com/astrology/profiles.html

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LIST YOUR MAIN CHARACTER'S STAR SIGN & PERSONALITY TRAITS:

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HERO'S JOURNEY CHARACTER ARCHETYPES

The Hero's Journey `monomyth' story template was discovered by anthropologist Joseph

Campbell after studying thousands of the world's myths.

In his book "The Hero With A Thousand Faces" he revealed the basic `monomyth‟ that

united all cultures via narrative.

Chris Vogler wrote a legendary memo while working at Disney - and then refined it in

his book "The Writer's Journey" which Hollywood embraced in the 1990's.

One summary of the monomyth is as follows:

The Hero's Journey: the Hero starts in their ordinary world.

The Herald appears, and announces the Call to Adventure.

The Hero refuses it.

A Mentor appears, and gives the Hero the `supernatural' key, tool or aid they need to

embark on the quest.

The Hero then reluctantly accepts, and crosses the First Threshold (which is guarded by

Threshold Guardians) and enter into the Other world, where they meet with Tests, Allies

and Enemies on their way to confronting the Shadow (their nemesis).

The Hero also can encounter a Trickster (who may become a sidekick character) along the

way, and a Shapeshifter (who first appears as an ally but becomes an enemy - or vice-

versa, or another character type altogether).

If it is a male Hero, along the way they may meet the Heroine, who may also be the love

interest, (or indeed the Jewel/Sword/Elixir)…

They approach the Innermost Cave (often the Shadow's headquarters), confront the

Shadow, seize the "sword"( reward) and then escape, and the Road Back usually involves a

chase.

Finally they return to their tribe and restore the elixir, bringing a boon to the community.

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HERO'S JOURNEY ARCHETYPES - Worksheet

Note that - not all film stories are `Hero's Journeys'.

(But if yours is – then list out your Character Types here. )

HERO

HEROINE

HERALD

MENTOR

THE SHADOW

SHAPE-SHIFTER

TRICKSTER

THRESHOLD GUARDIANS

ALLIES

ENEMIES

Source: http://www.applewarrior.com/novelpalooza/hero_quest_archetypes.pdf 40

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SYD FIELD'S CHARACTER TEMPLATE

According to screenwriting guru Syd Field, in Screenplay, good film characters have:

1. A Dramatic need

2. Point of view

3. Change

4. Attitude

DRAMATIC NEED - What the character REALLY WANTS in the film:

Do they get it in the end? (Y or N): __

Also, viewed from another perspective:

What they THINK they want:

What they REALLY (ie without knowing it) NEED:

Do they get the 2 things below, by the end of the story?

1) What they think they need?

2) What they really need?

P.O.V. - the way they SEE the world

(eg Vegetarian, Devout Christian/Muslim/Buddhist/Scientologist, Conscientious

Objector, Dreamer/ Idealist/Sociopath/Saint etc)

CHANGE - (eg over the course of the story of the film - To go from Loser to Winner

(eg The Hustler, Rocky), from Not Trusting people to Trusting, Introvert to Extrovert,

Intolerant to Tolerant, Shy to Confident, Emotionally Withdrawn to Loving, etc)

ATTITUDE - Positive or Negative/ Superior or Inferior, Cynical or Naive, Critical or

Supportive, Pessimistic or Optimistic, Happy or Sad, Strong or Weak, Tough or Soft.

Source: Syd Field, Screenplay, 1979, Dell Publishing, New York

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A 3-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTER PROFILE - STRIKING POINTS

What is your main character's name? And - nickname?

How does it reflect/play against their character?

NAME ________________________________________________________

Reasoning behind the name/nickname: _______________________________________

Note down, in one or a few words, anything striking about the character, ie things

that differentiate or separates them from other characters in the film... what makes

them an INTERESTING CHARACTER?

PHYSICAL (eg has a limp, chain-smoker, tattoos, skinny, bodybuilder, hunchback?)

SOCIOLOGICAL (eg working class, uni Professor, a Mensa member, a Mason, or is

homeless, etc).

PSYCHOLOGICAL (eg genius, autistic, schizophrenic, was raised by apes, incredibly

bent sense of humour, claustrophobic, etc)

DIALOG CATCHPHRASE (Something they say a lot - eg 'Whoa.', 'Incontheivable!'

`Fugeddaboudit' - etc)

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CHARACTER ARCS

A `character arc' refers to the CHANGE or GROWTH that a character goes through in the

course of a screenplay: basically, their emotional development. (Film is often about

characters who change, and TV is often about characters who do not – or, cannot.)

The obstacles they encounter in striving to achieve their goal are chosen by the writer

to make the character grow. The leading character in the story usually is the person

who has the furthest to go; who has to undergo the biggest change.

Most leading characters undergo a positive growth through the course of the story.

Their character arc could be, for example, from fear to confidence, from cynical to

trusting, from pessimist to optimist, etc.

CENTRAL QUESTION: WHAT DOES MY CHARACTER WANT?

INNER (STORY) GOAL: _________________________________________________

OUTER (PLOT) GOAL:________________________________________________.

HOW DO THEY CHANGE IN THE STORY? ________________________________

THE POINTS AT WHICH WE SEE THEM CHANGING: _____________________

WHAT WILL THEY STAND TO GAIN or LOSE? (ie What are the Stakes?) eg - their life?

(AND - For distinctly Australian stories)

WHAT IS THEIR PYRRHIC VICTORY? _____________________________________

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THE STAKES & MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Abraham Maslow was a psychologist who identified an 8-tiered system of human needs.

Once the lowest level is satisfied or achieved, the human condition is such that it desires

the next level, and so on up the hierarchy...

1. Self-realisation: creative & spiritual fulfillment

2. Order: a sense of place in society & the cosmos

3. Understanding

4. A Desire for Knowledge

5. A Sense of Recognition: self esteem

6. Acceptance: a sense of belonging & community

7. Security: employment

8. Survival: food, safety, shelter

Source: http://www.connect.net/georgen/maslow.htm

STAKES

These needs can be translated into the stakes for a character.

The Stakes are what the character stands to lose. Eg their house, job, car, husband/wife,

their self-respect, life savings, life. Perhaps the ultimate stakes are the destruction of

Earth and its inhabitants. Drama becomes more involving if these stakes are raised as

the story progresses.

WHAT ARE THE STAKES IN YOUR FILM?

HOW ARE THEY RAISED - as the story progresses at each major `turn'

(i.e. – If you are using `3 Act structure': End of Act 1, Midpoint, End of Act 2, Climax)?

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THE HERO or PROTAGONIST

The hero is often the most likable and easily related-to character. He or she has `rooting

interest‟ , namely is someone to cheer for, e.g. Indiana Jones, Luke Skywalker, Crocodile

Dundee, Babe, Muriel Heslop.

Alternately they can be an anti-hero, like Tyler Durden, Chopper, Mickey & Mallory, or

Travis Bickle. The hero is the one who undergoes the greatest character growth or has

the biggest transformational character arc, and in most Hollywood films, the hero rarely

dies.

Spoiler alert: In many Australian ones, he/she dies: Breaker Morant, Phar Lap, Gallipoli,

Picnic At Hanging Rock, etc.

To have rooting interest, a hero must have AUDIENCE EMPATHY. Ways to engender

empathy from audience include creating a Hero who has suffered some undeserved

misfortune.

Also - such empathetic/admirable qualities as:

 Vulnerability

 Underdog status

 Loyalty

 Morals

 Ethics

 Altruism

 Death of a loved one

 and mostly: COURAGE

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THE ANTAGONIST

(or Villain, or `Bad Guy' or `Shadow')

The antagonist is, rather obviously, the character who opposes the Hero.

"The devil gets all the best lines…"

Memorable bad guys:

American Movies: Hannibal Lecter, Commodus, Kaiser Soze/Verbal Kint, Max Cady,

Hans Gruber, Mr Blonde, Darth Vader, The Emperor, Cal Hockley, Freddy Krueger, The

T-1000, The Agent (The Matrix), The Witch (Snow White), Cruella De Ville, Saruman,

Valdemort, Warden Norton (The Shawshank Redemption).

Australian films: Chopper (Chopper), The Humungus (Mad Max 2), Ned Kelly (Story of

the Kelly Gang), Brett Sprague (The Boys), Simon O‟Reilly (The Bank), Eddie Fleming

(The Interview), Hughie Warriner (Dead Calm).

Australian films are also often renowned for having a group or `entity‟ antagonist (such

as authority) rather than a sole main nemesis character.

Memorable Australian antagonist `entities': society (Priscilla, The Sum of Us, Sally

Marshall Is Not An Alien), the airport (The Castle), the authorities (Rabbit Proof Fence,

Sunday Too Far Away), the environment (Burke & Wills, Picnic At Hanging Rock,

Crocodile Dundee).

Note - In most Hollywood action films, the story `protagonist' is actually the villain; he

drives the action, and during the story it is the reluctant hero who REACTS to the villain.

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CHARACTER PROFILE WORKSHEETS

CHARACTER NAME:...........................................................................................................

PHYSIOLOGICAL

HEIGHT: WEIGHT: AGE:

COMPLEXION: NATIONALITY/RACE/ETHNICITY:

CASTING TYPE:

SPEECH: MANNERISMS:

HEALTH:

ADDICTIONS:

HANDICAPS OR IMPAIRMENTS:

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES, MARKS OR SCARS:

MANNER OF DRESS:

SOCIOLOGICAL

MARITAL STATUS:

GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN:

FAMILY BACKGROUND:

EDUCATION:

ECONOMIC BACKGROUND AND STATUS:

OCCUPATION:

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:

PAST OCCUPATIONS:

INTERESTS:

SOCIAL CONTACTS:

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PETS:

CAR: (make/model/age)

SPORTS/HOBBIES:

PSYCHOLOGICAL

CHARACTER `HOLE': (personal `lack'/emotional scar)

SPECIAL GIFTS/TALENTS:

RELIGION:

STAR SIGN:

ARCHETYPE:

ENNEAGRAM TYPE:

HIPPOCRATIC HUMOUR:

MORALITY:

PHOBIA/FEARS:

SECRET:

FANTASY LIFE:

HANGUPS OR PROBLEMS:

VALUES:

ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR:

LIKES OR DISLIKES:

PARADOXES:

OTHER NOTES OF INTEREST:

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CHARACTER INTERVIEW

CHARACTER NAME.......................…………………….....……….

Describe yourself, in 25 words or less.

Who are the most important (or prominent) people in your life - and how do they see

you? And how do they treat you?

What single incident(s) in your childhood has most affected you Positively?

And how about - Negatively?

How do you feel about/relate to - your parents?

What's your attitude towards sex? Are you abstinent/healthy/promiscuous, etc?

Thoughts on Religion? Are you religious? Is there a God?

State your 'Philosophy of Life', or the "code' you live by, if any.

How would you spend a million dollars today?

Describe your favourite hobby/s.

Describe what you hate the most.

What do you fear the most?

What do you love the most, in Life?

How do other people react to you on meeting you?

List your proudest achievement in Life. - And Why?

What are you most ashamed of, and have never/rarely told?

Describe your favourite fantasy.

Describe what you try hardest to avoid.

Who has had the greatest influence on you? (e.g. real person/ parent/ teacher/

Fictional character/novelist, entrepreneur, singer/pop star/actor/artist,etc)

What are your chief taboos? (things you never do, for moral reasons)

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What kind of person would you ultimately like to be remembered as?

How far away from this ideal are you?

What, if anything, is worth dying for?

What makes life truly worthwhile?

What's your attitude towards:

 Money?

 Drugs?

 Politics?

 The Government?

 Homosexuality/bisexuality/transexuality?

 Dogs, and cats?

 Reincarnation? Ghosts? UFO's? Aliens? Anything paranormal.

 Euthenasia?

 Abortion?

 Computers & technology (including the WWW)?

 Anything else you feel strongly about/want to bring up here?

How do you foresee your future?

Are you popular? Are you self- centred?

What is your favourite movie/s - and why? (minimum of 1, maximum of 3

please)

Your favourite songs, and albums, performers - and why? (max of 3)

Your favourite book and why? (max of 3)

What's your job/occupation - and how do you feel about it? And - How and why

did you get into it? Plan to stay in it? Ideally, what's the future hold careerwise?

What do you do in your spare time?

Who is your perfect love/romance partner/s? And why?

Describe in about 25 words, your best friend, (eg What do they do for a living,

hobbies, talents) what kind of person are they, and why do you like them?

What's your own best talent, do you think?

And what do others around you see as your "best point'? Do you agree?

And finally - "What do you think Humanity's Purpose on Earth is'?

(i.e. Personal view of "The Meaning of Life")

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Last question. While you've got the microphone, is there anything else you want

to say, off the top of your head?

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CREATE 5 MEMORABLE SCENES

As a Writer, you now know intimately your main character's likes and dislikes, loves,

hopes and fears (including phobias).

In creating your story's plot, think of 5 circumstances that would elicit a very strong

reaction from your character. (love, hate, fear, anger, amusement).

Thus, create 5 memorable scenes, in line with your story's THEME.

Answer in 2 parts:

A) What event/circumstance/situation occurs? And B) How do they react?

1. A)____________________________________________________________