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Characters & Viewpoints ~ Orson Scott Card

Chapter 1. What is a character?

I’ve listed the notes taken on character building from most important to least important.

A character is their:

Actions & motive: everyone acts a certain way but why do they act the way they do?

Past: “People are what they have done, and what have been done to them.” (8).

Reputation: what do other people think of you. Or more to the book, people gossip and from that, they make a snap judgment. What reputation does your character have with the others in your story?

Stereotype (w/in their job, sex, age, family role, race, ethnicity...): here, the author encourages us to use stereotypes to our advantage. we have to “count on” our readers to make these stereotypical judgments. “Characters who fit within a stereotype are familiar; we think we know them, and we aren’t all that interested in knowing them better. [...] Characters who violate a stereotype are interesting...” (11).

Habits/patterns: what they do on the regular basis and if they try to change it, why?

Talents/abilities: are they extremely gifted? In what away? Are they not?

Tastes & preferences: do they prefer to look or act a certain way?

Body: what do they look like?

Chapter 2. What makes a good fictional character?

There three questions readers ALWAYS ask within the first paragraph: So what? Why should they care? Oh yeah? This is the clue/explanation that should persuade readers to trust you. Huh? Make it clear. Make it believable.

YOU ARE THE FIRST AUDIENCE! - if you don’t care about what you’re writing, your audience also will not care.

Questions to always ask: WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? (in my opinion, the best question) Interrogate the situation and your character. Brainstorm a list of possible ways that events can go wrong, but still, drive the story and your character to an outcome/solution.

WHY? Why is this happening? Why did the character act this way toward this event/person? * Don’t ever settle for your first answer. The first answer is always obvious and too static. Add a twist (the author talks more about this in chapter 3, page 50):

~Maybe character X isn’t out to kill character Y because Y killed X’s family. Maybe X is killing because (they think) it’s their duty to kill, or X is just deranged and obsessed, they think killing is the solution to their problem.

#character devolopment #characterstudy #pencil #pencil tests #sketch #sketches

Screenplay three

word count: 1,861 ( 12 pages)

Summary: Sam the autistic penguin takes Syd for a driving lesson. In the sixties. hilarity ensues.

#screenwriting #screenplay #writing #character devolopment #script #actually autisitc #neurodiversity #autism #time travel #performance #literature #1960s #1960s style #1960s asthetic #RVs #1970s asthetic #scifi #giant spiders

Narrators log-2

As we approach the average college coed, in 2017, we see a colorful scene take place. For instance, there's the burnt out preppie sipping her seventeenth macchiato. Notice how she gives out a brief glare to the passerby in the hallway. As we move on to the male coed hallway, the environment becomes denser.There is now garbage littered throughout the floor. The beta males are trying to study for Midterms. Alas, they will not absorb much information, causing these students to fail miserably. On the other side of the Hallway, there is heavy metal music blasting from the door. Can the occupant in room 302 please shut down that loud music? I’m trying to dramatically narrate here!

As I wander around the sleepy college hallway, one wonders why I’m here. Where did I come from? Why is yours truly stuck narrating the exploits of young adults? I had a life once. I had a family and job. An actual job! I had a wife with two kids, Lizzy and Xavier. How do they sleep at night knowing their father has a measly job? Anyway, I’ve got to continue narrating or else no pay for tonight.

The cheerleader sleeps on her desk, burnt out. Obviously, she lacks the macchiato, from the preppy. Her parents are so not going to be pleased when her grades fall to F’s and D’s. F’s and D’s? Oh my gosh! I have to prepare for that exam tomorrow! She grabs her textbooks and flashcards. Soon, she tries to keep her eyes open. It’s no use. She needs to go to bed. Oh no, you don’t! She yells at herself. Come on brain! We’re going to get some coffee and a cold shower! She marches herself to the doorway. Suddenly she feels the strong urge to collapse on her bed. Suddenly the silence is interrupted by the sharp squeaks of the shower nozzle. Wow, you sure are stubborn. I love taking a shower in the middle of the night! It’s a good time to forget everything in your life! Wish I could do that. The preppy cheerleader lathers her hair, letting the soap circle the drain. Her eyes pierce wide open. All of a sudden her heart beats rapidly. Her heart beats with renewed energy. It’s official: she’s awake. She emits a groan and places her head on the wall. She needs a coffee. Her life as a cheerleader started out as a child. She wanted to win the state championship. So she prepared, which meant she had to stay up late. The Cheerleader was intelligent, as she passed her tests. Her essay writing was also remarkable.

So why was she here? I’m here to achieve my dreams! WHICH IS CHEERLEADING! Yay!

I, on the other hand, had dreams too. My narrating career started when I was a small boy. My adorable voice over had jump-started my career. However, my prepubic voice cracked during the voice over. So, I was removed from the radio voice over. “The only problem was your voice”. You see, my voice didn’t just crack; it stayed the same range. I did not have a dramatic baritone voice, only an effeminate tone. In fact, as a teenager, I was often mistaken for a girl. I resembled one too. I have a lean body, which strangely does not produce fat. I also grew my hair out. I wore my blond hair out at mid length, which oddly enough gave me an advantage with the student body. My high school years were filled with idolizing Boy George and Ru Paul, drag Queen.

Boy George? Like Karma Chameleon? Yes. I was very effeminate. The local girls had formed a posse around me. They defended me from bullies and generally nasty people. My life had been like a moat, as I felt safe. One day, however, I met one of my many ex-wives. Her name was Alice. We were inseparable. One day, however, she walked in on me. Ever since then, I have been searching for some place to call home. This college provides shelter for me. You’ve been in a string of relationships? I know I’ve seen you before, but where? Ah ha! The cheerleader snaps her fingers. You were on that BBC program in the early 2000s!

Ah yes. The 2000s. I regret every minute of that decade. My eyes still burn after remembering my fashion choices. That decade and the earlier part of this one were awful. I drank heavily, to combat my insecurities.

About what?

I shiver to myself. The people I’ve known turn away from me when they know my secret. “It’s personal.” What’s personal? I shake my head. “I’m confused”. About what? the girl inquires. I shift my legs so she doesn’t notice. “I-I-m”. I stutter, “What? You can tell me.” Finally. Someone to come out to. “Gay? Lesbian? Transgender?” “Hermaphrodite” There's a long pause. The cheerleader sucked in her breath. My parents never told me I had different organs. I just discovered that I had both female and male characteristics only a few months ago. “Could you please help me?” My cheeks feel warm. Tears were rushing down my face. The cheerleader tucked her towel around her body. “Whats your name?” “Dorothy.” “My names Dorothy and it’s nice to meet you”.

#Narrators log #Character devolopment #OC #Friendship #Dorothy #Narrator

Character growth of Goblin Alex (not in order) (and one normie Alex) and growth of my Art skills in about a year

#Goblin #goblin Alx #Art #Character devolopment

Sleep Headcanons:

As known, Nancy is an insomniac. Normally she'll lay awake until the early hours of the morning until she falls asleep.

Normally Nancy doesn't get nightmare. But when she does, they can leave her screaming in her sleep.

Nancy sleepwalks on occasion. Nights where she actually falls and stays asleep, she'll wander around her room. If she does somehow manage to get out of her room, it's best to wake her up quickly.

She doesn't show it, but Nancy is constantly tired.

#ic #character devolopment #headcanons

Am I the only person who is looking for some good character devolopment memes/tutorials/videos/etc. online? If anyone knows of some, a link is appreciated :3

#character #character devolopment #help #link please

Napoleon Dynamite: A Comedy Driven by Character Development

Franklin County, Idaho may have been unaware of it at the time, but this $400,000 dollar budget independent movie being filmed there would go on to gross over 46 million dollars while gaining a cult following which is still strong to this day, nearly a decade later. The plot too has no original merit; it’s a film about an awkward and geeky adolescent teenager trying to fit in and find friends. On top of that, it is a PG comedy, and the comedies that I am normally drawn to have more vulgar language. So what drew me and so many others to fall in love with this movie?

The thing that makes myself and so many other people drawn to this movie is the unique characters and fantastic character development throughout. If it was not for the uniqueness, likeability and overall obscure personalities of these characters, this movie would have had very little appeal. Comedy doesn’t always come down to one-liners (although this movie has some classic ones) because without characters that your audience can connect with, your movie becomes forgettable. Even if an audience doesn’t identify or even moderately relate with the characters, you can still make your audience connect with the characters, which is something Napoleon Dynamite displays to perfection.

The Characters:

Uncle Rico

The following quote from the film summarizes Uncle Rico’s character perfectly:

“How much you wanna make a bet I can throw a football over them mountains? Yeah…Coach woulda put me in the forth quarter, we would’ve been state champions. No doubt. No doubt in my mind.”

Everything that Uncle Rico does is driven by his will to try to go back in time and play in a state championship football game. He I so convinced that this is the moment in his life that would have changed things for the better. Instead of figuring out how he can better his current situation, he spends all of his time and money trying to go back in time. Uncle Rico is so delusional to a point to where it is hilarious.

Uncle Rico’s plan to earn the money for this unproven time travel device? Selling tupperware door to door with his 32 year old nephew Kip.

So lets jot all that down in one run-on-sentence, shall we? We have a middle aged single man who lives alone in his van in Idaho, he believes that if he can travel back in time to 1982 and he can convince his high school coach to put him in the game so they could win state and he could go on to make millions in the NFL.

See the humor yet?

Even the broken smile of Uncle Rico represents the large mental chunk of himself that is still stuck in High School. We all know somebody that lives the world of nostalgia and what if’s. Those are the same people that we fear becoming, and Uncle Rico serves as a constant reminder to Napoleon that living a life of regret isn’t much of a life at all. Unless you don’t mind selling tupperware and living in your van.

Kip

Let’s discus Uncle Rico’s co-salesman and nephew, Kip.

Kip is 32 years old and lives at with his grandma and his high school brother Napoleon. He spends most of his hours during the day chatting with “hot babes” on online chartrooms. As you can see in the picture above, his looks match his lifestyle.

Kip sounds like somebody who spends his entire day on the internet, speaking in a anemic manner, obviously lacking basic social skills.

While Kip may seem like a useless character on the surface, asides from the comic relief he provides just by being weird, Kip also serves as a foreshadowing of Napoleon’s future if he doesn’t learn how to interact with people. It seems that the only male figures in Napoleon’s life serve more examples for what Napoleon doesn’t want to become rather than being role models that he can look up to.

Kip and Napoleon are brothers far in age yet Napolean doesn’t seem to respect Kip as an older brother. In fact Napolean truly doesn’t show much respect until Kip finally meets his online lover Lafawnduh. Once Kip falls for her, he changes and gives Napolean more brotherly like words such as, “Don’t worry Napolean. I’m sure there is some babe out there for you.” By the end of the film, this message shows the underline message of this film, love.

Pedro

Pedro isn’t really a funny character however he is the most important one in the film. He unknowingly teaches Napoleon something that he had always been lacking, assertiveness.

Pedro just moved from Mexico so he is also looking for friends and relationships while at the same time trying to learn a new culture that he is unfamiliar with. While his English isn’t the best, what he lacks in grammatical skill he makes ups for with his confidence and assertiveness.

When Pedro wants something, he doesn’t have a second thought and goes for it. He wanted a date for the dance so he didn’t hesitate to ask the most popular girl in the school, Summer. After she says no, his courage isn’t shaken as soon he asks out Napoleons love interest Deb.

Later Pedro decides to run for class president against the popular girl, Summer. All of these actions of Pedro taking initiative motivates Napoleon to take that same initiative saying, “If you need me to use any of my skills to help I can.” Essentially Napoleon develops a friendship by mutually helping Pedro to reach a particular goal. Friendships are born through common interests, and during this campaign is when we see Pedro and Napoleon become best friends.

Napoleon

Paid a mere $1000 at the time, Jon Heder portrays one of the most memorable comedic characters of all time. Geeky and misunderstood seems to be the dilemma Napoleon finds himself in when trying to fit in his social environment known as high school. Sometimes in an environment such as high school, creativity and uniqueness can be seen as weird and geeky.

Napoleon is that type of kid who is more interested in drawing Ligers than he is in fitting in with the latest fashion trends. Which is obvious from the beginning wearing hipster glasses, way before they were ever considered “cool.” When people see Napoleon all they see is a freak. It is not until the end of the film when his peers realize just how unique and talented he truly is. Napoleon love for fantasy is due to the combination of his terrible home and school life. Fantasy is the only way in which Napoleon can find happiness, because he hasn’t had any true relationships.

There are two main significant events in which Napoleon starts to make connections. The first connection he makes is with Pedro, when he transfers to the school. Pedro is new and Napoleon, not having any friends, shows him around and slowly starts a friendship. It is a funny friendship at first since these characters are both from very different places and seem to not have much in common either.

The other connection is with is another person who seems to be somewhat of a social outcast herself, Deb. Deb and Napoleon meet when she is going door-to-door selling key chains and hair products to make money for college. She leaves her stuff on his doorstep after feeling embarrassed after Kip made a joke from the living room. The next day at school, this gives Napoleon a chance to talk to her and give her back her stuff. Which he does.

Later Napoleon finds out that Pedro asked Deb out to the dance. Napoleon is truly upset, but doesn’t want to tell Pedro that. Once they go to the dance, Napoleon’s date ditches him whom only went with him because her mother forced her too, thanks to Uncle Rico who made up stuff to make her mother feel sorry for him, and buy his tupperware.

Anything to get back to 1982 right?

Anyways, after Napoleons date ditches him Pedro and Deb come over. Pedro, seeing that Napoleon’s date left, offers him to have a dance with Deb. While Napoleon and Deb dance she ends up telling him that Pedro and her are just friends. This is great news for Napoleon. Right after that we get a shot of Pedro in the hallway getting a drink of water at the water fountain. He looks at a poster for class president’s elections. And just like that, we have new character goals. Napoleons new objective becomes to help Pedro win the election and continue his chance at a relationship with Deb, while Pedro’s goal now is becoming class president. Since each character has a clear objective of what they want, this is where Napoleon, Deb and Pedro form a strong bond with each other.

Napoleon and Deb do everything in their power to help Pedro during his campaign. Once the day of the election speeches take place, Pedro starts to grasp that maybe his dream was a little far fetched after seeing Summer, the popular girl, gain a massive applause after her speech and talent show act. We have all been to high school and know that class president was merely a popularity contest, and for the first time, Pedro realizes this. He is now more nervous than ever right before his speech. Napoleon tells Pedro, “Just tell them that if they vote for you, all their wildest dreams will come true. “

Pedro goes out and delivers his speech, which is very short. After he walks off, having to talent act. Napoleon knows what he must do. He takes the cassette tape up to the person running the sound. Remember Napoleon would never have this tape if it weren’t for Kip’s lover Lafawnduh, who gave him the tape when she found out that he was training to dance. So if Kip had never spent years on the internet, desperately looking for a relationship, Napoleon may have never even attempting this dance. It is interesting how one relationship helps strengthen the other relationships around them. Continuing this message of love and friendship.

Once Napoleon starts dancing, his classmates aren’t really sure what to think. Yet as it progresses we start to see people in the crowd starting to enjoy it. Once it ends, Napoleon runs off the stage, not really sure if anybody liked it. Once he runs off, a massive eruption and standing ovation from the crowd emerges. Deb looks around seeing her classmates join her in standing up and cheering.

Napoleon’s classmates finally see his talent. They didn’t see a fantasy geek drawing weird drawings in his notebook; all they saw was teenager dancing like he was Michael Jackson. Talent makes people like you, regardless of how weird you are.

The very last shot of the movie is Napoleon at the tetherball court. Deb comes over and joins him. The song “The Promise” by When In Rome comes on as the camera slowly zooms out until the ending credits.

Napoleon has made long term relationships with Deb and Pedro. Pedro, accomplishes his goal of becoming class president. Kip gets married and finally finds love. Even Uncle Rico seems to find someone, at the very end of the movie. The audience feels the underline message, be yourself and friendship and love will find you.