ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

6 years, 5 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy

Not me. I find the character emerges in detail and depth as you write the screenplay. The screenplay I'm currently writing, if I'd tried to write a character bio at the start, I might also have tried to stick to that bio, and I would have been constrained. Also, developing the character as you write feeds into developing the story. Moreover, the emergence of character and story each writing session is the thing that keeps me interested in the writing slog. I surprise myself as I go along. If I was writing to a predetermined character bio, it would kill off much of that reward and fascination.

6 years, 4 months ago - Marlom Tander

I don't.

I usually have a rough idea who they are, but I'm always going to pick "change the character to make the story better" over the other.

However, by the end of the process I know ALL about the character, including a huge amount that isn't needed for the story. I'd know that Dumbledore was gay, even if that never arose within the story, and even if I hadn't taken a view on his sexuality until quite a long way in.

6 years, 4 months ago - Richard Simpson

Agree with Alwyne and Marlom. For me, a script is a journey of exploration in unchartered territory. Characters and stories emerge in a constantly interactive way. I completely changed the past of one character just so I could get a gun in his hand in a way which didn't overstretch audience credulity. Field takes a very structured, one might say scientific, approach to screenwriting but that's not for me. I enjoy looking up and discovering new things too much to keep looking down at a map.

6 years, 4 months ago - Mark Renshaw

I don't write a full character bio but I have a backstory in my mind and I go through a few exercises, like creating their own logline, writing a list of their flaws, traits and abilities that can be used in the screenplay etc. - I find that is enough and they develop more as I write the script.

6 years, 4 months ago - Allan (Mac) McKenna

Fascinating discussion. This was exactly a topic for discussion at two creative writing groups I'm involved in, one at the local U3A and the other at the City Lit in Holborn. The City Lit group was run by a guy with a Ph.D in creative writing from the States and he tended to favour the approach of most of the contributors here, i.e. let your characters -or plot whatever - emerge as you write. And this applys whether it's a screenplay or short story whatever. The US Ph.D approved way is to barnstorm your subject and lo and behold something will emerge and you think 'ha, that's the way I'll go then'. This usually works for me. But it has to be said not for everyone. A very able and creative lady in the U3A says she has to plan her outline first or else she can never begin. Horses for courses?

6 years, 4 months ago - Stuart Wright

Sometimes I do. Mostly I do not. Although any writing linked to a screenplay whether it be outlines, character bios or script pages always helps you to find new ideas and understanding about the whole... Quite often character bios is just another way of trying to drill down into my story rather than nail the character before drilling down into story... Anything that taps into the sub-conscious mind is a healthy writing tool IMHO

6 years, 4 months ago - Jonathan Sieff

Depends on the script for me. If I'm working on a feature it helps if I know the main characters before writing the script, as I can tie moments from their past into their character arc. Short scripts are generally more plot-lead so I focus more on the story or scenario.

6 years, 4 months ago - Michael Tabb

Hi Matt,

I don't. I focus first on writing with something to prove (a premise in the Lajos Egri model), and then I develop all the characters to serve a purpose in proving or disproving the moral or emotional premise of the film.

Once you figure out what the characters are there to do as their purpose, you can think more deeply about what brought them to hold those opinions and act in those ways.

Kind regards,
Michael Tabb
WGA Screenwriter
Author, Prewriting Your Screenplay: A Step-By-Step Guide to Generating Stories.