Most of my writing time at the moment has been screenplay related, as I’m working on a feature length script currently. It’s been good to dive into something completely fresh as all of the comics I am working on currently have been around for a while in some shape or form.
For this film script idea, I did the initial synopsis last year and I’ve been working up a 16 block outline and full character bios this week before I move onto working up the full outline next week.
I’d forgotten how much the character bio stage really helps in the earliest stages of a new project, by working out how characters are perceived and what their relationships are with each other I’ve found new ways to build up the conflict and tension, above and beyond the main A plot. I’m still using the same simple questionnaire I’ve used in all writing mediums for about twenty years, which I thought was from taken from the Teach yourself Screenwriting book by Raymond Frensham, but I’m actually not sure where I got it from. It’s pretty basic, but it really helps me get an understanding of each of the key cast members and their voices start to arrive during this stage too.
Name:
Gender:
Age:
Physical Appearance:
Childhood/Earlier Life:
Main character traits:
How are they perceived?
Do they control?
Morals & beliefs:
What do they want from life?
Relationship with other characters:
What is their goal?
Who is preventing them from reaching this goal?