Have you ever watched a movie and felt like the characters are really alive, like we can understand their feelings, think about their decisions, and sometimes even feel annoyed by their attitudes? Well, that’s no coincidence. Strong and convincing characters are the foundation of a good movie story. And the process of creating such characters can’t be random. Screenwriters must really understand how to build “breathing” characters, who have goals, motivations, and conflicts that the audience can relate to.
Why is this important? Because characters are the life of the story. Even a simple premise can be very compelling if the characters are well written. This article will discuss the important steps in creating believable characters for screenplays, from building three-dimensional characters, creating backgrounds, setting goals and motivations, to exploring the strengths and weaknesses of the characters. Let’s explore together how to create believable characters that can keep the audience hooked from the beginning to the end of the movie!
1. Creating the 3 Dimensions of a Character
The first step is to build a character based on three main dimensions: physiological, sociological, and psychological. These three are interrelated and will help shape a more complete and realistic character. In short, this is the basic foundation so that the character doesn’t feel flat or clichéd.
- Physiological, this is the most recognizable aspect as it relates to the physical appearance of the character. For example, height, hair color, age, face shape, posture, and body conditions such as disabilities or congenital diseases. These details are very important to portray the first impression of the character.
- Sociological, this dimension addresses the character’s social background, such as occupation, economic status, education, culture, religion, and daily habits. For example, does she come from a prominent family or live in a lower-class neighborhood? Is she an activist, an office worker, or a street artist? All these things affect the way the character behaves in the story.
- Psychological, this is what makes the character feel “alive”. It describes the character’s head and heart: their ambitions, fears, morals, principles, and the way they respond to pressure. A character with a traumatized past, for example, will react differently in certain situations than a character who grew up in a loving environment.
By bringing these three dimensions together, you can create a character that feels real, complex, and can touch the audience’s emotions.
2. Create a Background Story
Everyone has a past, and so do the characters in the story. The background story or background of the character’s life is not just a complement, but can be the main driver of the conflict or decision he makes in the story.
For example, a character who was once a victim of bullying might be introverted or defensive in the present. Or a character who lost their parents at a young age may have a trauma that makes them afraid of loss. A strong background story can make conflicts feel more organic and make character transformations feel more natural.
So, don’t hesitate to create an “archive of your character’s life”, even if not everything is shown on screen. The important thing is that you, as the writer, know everything about them.
3. Determine Character Goals and Motivations
Stories need direction, and the direction of a story is often determined by the main character’s goals and motivations. Without these two things, the narrative can lose its direction and the characters can feel floating.
Motivations can be internal (like wanting to be accepted by the family) or external (like wanting to save a loved one). These goals and motivations will also shape the main conflict of the story. For example, a character wants revenge, but morally knows that revenge is not the solution. Now, conflicts like this can be very interesting.
4. Create Character Strengths and Weaknesses
Audiences don’t like characters who are too perfect. Instead, they tend to connect more with characters who have weaknesses, flaws, or inner wounds. This is where it’s important to create a balance between a character’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, your character might be highly intelligent, but have low self-confidence. Or she’s brave, but impulsive. This combination will bring the character to life and make the audience curious: will she grow and overcome her flaws?
Character writing is not just about deciding on a character’s name, age, and occupation. It’s a process of creating a “soul” for the character to bring the story to life. By building three-dimensional characters, writing their backgrounds, establishing their motivations, and giving them balanced strengths and weaknesses, you can create characters that are not only believable, but will also leave an impression on the audience.
So, for those of you who are writing screenplays (read also: how to write a screenplay) or short stories, it’s time to get serious about your characters. Ask yourself: what makes her wake up early? What scares her? Who does he love the most? These questions can be the start of a richer character journey.
If you have any interesting experiences when creating characters, or maybe you have your own tips, don’t hesitate to share them in the comment section! Or continue reading our other articles about screenwriting and filmmaking to get better at storytelling.
