Friday, November 20th, 2009
Introducing your Character
I’ve been doing a lot of scriptreading work lately and have spotted a recurring problem that sometimes we can all forget about.
A while ago, we talked about the concept of Ordinary People in Extraordinary Circumstances and how it’s maybe easier to get an audience on side with a ‘normal’ character only for them to get sucked down a magic wyrmhole etc. This is all very well, but what I’ve been noticing in a lot of what I’ve been reading is that that ordinary character is often quite dull until the fun happens at the inciting incident. Which is pretty bad! So I was trying to think of some better examples:
Yes, he’s using Ghostbusters as an example. Again. 
Thing is though, it’s ‘cos it’s good. Take Venkman: His inciting incident is when he’s kicked out of the University and starts up his own Paranormal Investigations & Eliminations service (”some call it fate, some call it luck, some call it karma...”) But before any of that happens, he’s already interesting. Not only is he using a telepathy test to pick up girls, someone has painted ‘Venkman, Burn in Hell‘ on his door. I’m intrigued by this guy - and that’s before we know the world’s in peril.
On the other end of the scale, ‘Se7en‘ opens with Morgan Freeman as Det. Somerset routinely picking lint off his jacket, placing his well-ordered badge, notebook, pen and flick knife into all the correct pockets - ready for work as the sounds and sirens of the city emanate from outside. When a fellow officer describes a murder scene as a simple crime of passion, Somerset’s response of ‘Just look at the passion all over this wall’ shows he sees things differently. But his methodical, well-ordered approach and his soothing metronome show he has set up his own barriers to protect himself from the horror of the city he seems to love and hate.
While the plot hasn’t got going yet, both these characters become fascinating and that’s partly because we get a good glimpse of their flaws (or their ‘character need’, if you like). Venkman needs to start taking what he does seriously if he’s ever going to save the world and Somerset has perhaps become too guarded and detached from the world to stop himself despairing.
Both are very different, one funny, the other foreboding. But both really make the characters captivating long before the high-concept turns up. Also, perhaps more importantly, we’re hooked long before page 10 which is when, as a reader, I can put the script down if the writer hasn’t grabbed me!
Any other good examples you can think of how the character hooks you before the plot? Genre and non-genre ones are all welcome. Happy writing!
November 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Neil Baker said:
Cool post.
Wolverine (X-Men)
While I already knew about Wolverine, if you were a first-timer to Logan, his intro would do everything needed. He’s in a cage fight - we know he’s tough as hell and a bad-ass - exactly what Wolverine is. Some clever expo tells us his name and the fight itself shows he ain’t quite right! We’re instantly more interested in his character than everything else.
Brian (Taken)
We see Liam Neeson’s chaacter carefully wrapping a birthday present. Note the precision he takes to get everything just right. In a film we already know is about action and kidnapping, it doesn’t take a genius to work out he’s an action pro!
Achilles (Troy)
This intro cleverly tells us several things - Achilles is the best in the world (his blade is being relied on to fight a war!), he’s hated by the King and he really doesn’t give a damn about duties or orders. Having him easily dispatch a brute of a man makes a strong point.
All good character intros tell you something about the character that’s crucial (as you say - often their flaw). Wolverine’s brutal/animal nature, Brian’s dedication, and Achilles’ amazing war skills and general arrogance.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
john said:
Nice examples, Neil. My brother has also added Chief Brody from Jaws as a good example. He’s at odds with the town, his new seaside way of life and, subsequently, his family while he’s still trying to work out whether he’s at odds with a shark.
Mind you, we can pretty much use ‘Jaws’ as a good example of most helpful hints when trying to create a good story!
November 20th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Neil Baker said:
Ah the brilliance of Jaws. One film where a monologue is justified and doesn’t seem preachy. But as you say - great films for most things.
What about BAD character intros? Can you think of any that are just done really unwell?
I’d say The Punisher (2004) has a very weak intro for Castle. With the Punisher being an out-in-the-open character (a complete badass), it seems weird showing him undercover on first glance. Especially as we’re not actually sure he’s the protagonist. Maybe it would have been better if we’d have seen him prepping for the undercover weapons deal?
November 20th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
john said:
Keeping on the Bill Murray theme, Charlotte in ‘Lost in Translation’ (a film I really like btw) springs to mind as a lesser example. Obviously she deliberately doesn’t really come to life until she meets Bob - but I always find her initial introduction when she’s with her stupid photographer husband puts me off her a bit - but then we get to know her more as she wanders round Tokyo and we see it with her. It’s just that first scene that irks me.
Also, Neo in The Matrix. Another film I really like but boy does Mr Anderson spend the first hour of the film having things explained to him by other characters!
November 20th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
john said:
But to keep it positive (and to leave out the aliens etc), I’d forgotten about one of the best introductions of a character I ever saw… Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List!
I can’t find the scene on youtube anywhere but, in a film where I’d say 99% of the audience knew what the main character ends up doing, it was important to stamp into them who he is at the beginning. It is a masterpiece that leaves the audience and the Nazis in the restaurant with him demanding to know ‘who is this guy?’
November 20th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Tom Urro said:
This is an awesome topic but I ain’t thought of anything to add yet! Better go watch some films!
November 20th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Tom Urro said:
Okay, the first dude that sprang to mind was Peter Parker in Spiderman!
Here’s a classic example of using sympathy door open the door to … er … empathy. We see him humilated from the get go and, because humiliation is an indelible psychological scar that carry, we form an instant attachment. Before the adventure even begins…
Also, see ‘Carrie’ and any number of movies that feature drill sergeants!
November 20th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Tom Urro said:
see above:
I missed out the words “we all” from my post. But where do they go… hmmmm?
December 6th, 2009 at 11:46 am
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