how to make your audience fall in love

With Brian Bird

{

how to make your audience fall in love

P.S. It’s all about… ACT ONE

1.{introduction}

what are your favorite movies?

why are they your favorite movies?

is it the explosions?

is it babes in bikinis?

is it the cool plot twists?

is it the cool plot twists?

the right answer:

the right answer:real, living, breathing3-dimensional

characters who we care deeply about…

who we… fall in love with

what movie characters have you fallen in love with?

Melvin Udall AS GOOD AS IT GETS

Melvin Udall AS GOOD AS IT GETS

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Anti-semite

• Homo-phobe

• Anger-management issues

• World’s best romance novelist

Rodrigo Mendoza THE MISSION

Rodrigo Mendoza THE MISSION

• Slave-trader

• Adulterer

• Kills brother in fit of passion

• Could not forgive himself

• Forgiven by tribe he enslaved

• Becomes a priest

Marge Gunderson FARGO

Marge Gunderson FARGO

• Nicest police officer ever on film

• 7 months pregnant and on the job in -40 weather

• Doesn’t let pregnancy or cold stop her from solving grisly murders

• Solves crime, shoots murderer in leg even though he deserves to die… because it’s the right thing to do

2.{why ACT ONE is

everything}

Basic screenplay structure: Act One – WHO is story about?

Basic screenplay structure: Act One – WHO is story about? Act Two – WHAT problem does WHO have to solve?

Basic screenplay structure: Act One – WHO is story about? Act Two – WHAT problem does WHO have to solve?

Act Three – How will WHO solve his WHAT?

Act One = WHO

Act One = WHONo WHO = no movie (story)

Act One = WHONo WHO = no movie (story)

WHO = everything

Act

3.{the BONE STRUCTURE

of good characters}

1. PHYSIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

1. PHYSIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

1. PHYSIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

1. PHYSIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

1. PHYSIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

1. PHYSIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

1. PHISIOLOGY

Act

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

• SEX, GENDER

• AGE

• HEIGHT, WIDTH

• HAIR, EYE, SKIN COLOR

• APPEARANCE: OVERWEIGHT, SKINNY,. HANDSOME, UGLY?

• DEFECTS, DEFORMITIES, BIRTHMARKS, DISEASES?

• HEREDITY

2. SOCIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

2. SOCIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

2. SOCIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

2. SOCIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

2. SOCIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

2. SOCIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

2. SOCIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

2. SOCIOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

2. SOCIOLOGY

Act

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

• CLASS… UPPER, MIDDLE, LOWER?

• RACE, ETHNICITY, NATIONALITY?

• OCCUPATION, TYPE OF WORK?

• EDUCATION? HOW MUCH? HOW LITTLE?

• HOME LIFE, MARITAL STATUS? FAMILY STATUS?

• VICES, AMUSEMENTS, HOBBIES?

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGYAct

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

3. PSYCHOLOGY

Act

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

• SEX LIFE, MORAL STANDARDS?

• PERSONAL PREMISE, PASSIONS, AMIBTIONS?

• FRUSTRATIONS, DISAPPOINTMENTS?

• TEMPERAMENT: PESSIMISTIC? OPTIMISTIC?

• OBSSESSIONS? INHIBITIONS? SUPERSTITIONS?

• EXTROVERT? INTROVERT?

• ABILITIES, IQ, TALENTS, SKILLS, IMAGINATION?

Act

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

1. PHYSIOLOGY2. SOCIOLOGY

3. PSYCHOLOGY

Act

the BONE STRUCTURE of good characters

1. PHYSIOLOGY2. SOCIOLOGY

3. PSYCHOLOGY4. SPIRITUALITY

4.{characters we love…

4.{characters we love…

always GROW}

The Hero With a Thousand Faces

By Joseph Campbell

The Writer’s JourneyBy Christopher Vogler

characters we love…always

GROW

characters we love… always GROW

The only predictable thing about human beings

is that they are always trying to change. Well-drawn characters must go on

personal quests or journeys.

characters we love… always go on

journeys

• It is a journey of growth:• From despair to hope• From uncertainty to conviction• From animosity to love• From hope to despair

characters we love… always go on

journeys

• It does not have to be a journey from

one pole to another:

characters we love… always go on

journeys

• It does not have to be a journey from one pole to another:

• From poverty to crime• From longing for a dream…

to an awakening to a new reality

characters we love… always go on

journeys

• Only one possible scenario in which character doesn’t go on a

journey:

characters we love… always go on

journeys

• Only one possible scenario in which character doesn’t go on a

journey:

REALLY BAD WRITING!!!!!

TEACHING POINT!

characters we love… always GROW

• Without character growth, there is no…

characters we love… always GROW

• Without character growth, there is no…

CONFLICT

CONFLICT is the fuel of growth… … growth is the reaction to

CONFLICT

TEACHING POINT NO. 2!

characters we love… always GROW

• Character growth must be ORGANIC…

characters we love… always GROW

• Character growth must be ORGANIC…• No change just for change sake• Character’s growth journey must

be organic to his bone structure

what movie character growth journeys have

you fallen in love with?

Guido Orefice LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

Michael Clayton MICHAEL

CLAYTON

Alvin Straight THE STRAIGHT STORY

Micah Mangena BOPHA!

5.{characters we love…

5.{characters we love…

are always CONTRADICTORY}

internal contradictions are dialectical

internal contradictions are dialectical

original proposition =

internal contradictions are dialectical

original proposition = thesis

original proposition = thesis contradiction =

original proposition = thesis contradiction = antithesis

original proposition = thesis contradiction = antithesisresolution =

original proposition = thesis contradiction = antithesisresolution = synthesis

synthesis =

synthesis = TRUTH

we love contradictory characters…

we love contradictory characters…

• A bundle of paradoxes• Full of flaws• Labyrinths of inconsistency• Plan one thing and do another• Remind us of ourselves

CONTRAST

what contradictory movie characters have you fallen in love with?

Bruce Wayne

THE DARK KNIGHT

Oskar SchindlerSCHINDLER’S LIST

Fantine LES

MISERABLES

Walter White BREAKING BAD

6.{characters we love…

6.{characters we love…

are NEVER WIMPS}

strength of will

strength of will

• Fight for their convictions

• Be able to bear humiliation

• Not run from the journey

• Carry burden of prolonged conflict

we love characters who arenever wimps…

we love characters who arenever wimps…

• Stubborn and full of spit and vinegar• Will fight to the last drop of blood• Hate bullies and injustice• Refuse to take “no” for an answer• We want to be like them (wish-

fulfillment)

what strong (non-wimpy) movie characters have you fallen in love with?

William Wallace BRAVEHEART

Ray Kinsella

FIELD OF DREAMS

Chuck Tatum

ACE IN THE HOLE

7.{which comes first…

7.{which comes first… plot or character?}

the answer to this age-old question is…

the answer to this age-old question is…

YES!!!

Simple screenplay math: plot

+ dialogue

+ genre

+ conflict

Simple screenplay math: plot

+ dialogue

+ genre

+ conflict

= CHARACTER 2

a cord of three strands is not easily broken

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Scene test: Character

+ want/desire

+ plot point

=

Scene test: Character

+ want/desire

+ plot point

=

2

@brbird

www.brianbird.net

www.brianbird.net

www.bestsellersociety.com