One major criticism I frequently get from producers (and readers) is that I need to work more on building my character relationships, that is, the relationships characters have with one another before the first act even begins. I'm trying to figure out how. Ideas, anyone?
We're often told that we need strong backstories for our characters themselves, but I'm thinking of pre-writing backstories between different pairs of characters. These backstories will colour how the characters look at each other when they meet for the first time in the script.
I'm hoping it's a good starting point.
What is your advice for building, creating, establishing character relationships?
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Building the relationship between characters in your script is important of course but I think that is something that happens throughout the journey of the story itself. I'll venture my own guess in that when they talk about "building character relationships" what they really mean is the kind of chemistry those characters have with one another. They shouldn't all sound the exact same and they shouldn't all share the same kinds of feelings between the others as well. Finding that chemistry I think will help your script to feel fresh and more fleshed out. The reader want's to have a clear view in their mind about each individual character so that they can not only stand alone but it's also obvious what kind of dynamic they bring to the group. If writing a backstory is what helps you get there then I say go for it. Anyway, just my uneducated thought on it. Happy writing!
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The characters start talking and you just take dictation. You have NO idea what they will say or do until they begin. It goes in very unexpected directions. This is the advantage of NOT outlining a synopsis until AFTER you write the whole script, and THEN you write the logline. I know that's backwards from the establised order, but the whole thing will be organic and logical in sequence. Just my method. And it's FAST!
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I do that, Michael David ("...pre-writing backstories between different pairs of characters"). I write out things like how characters met, how they feel about each other, issues they have with each other, how their relationships will develop over the course of the story, etc. Even if these things don't make it into the script, they help me understand the characters and their relationships better, which helps me write scenes.
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Great advice, Nathan Smith and Jon Shallit.
Sure...this is your exercise...
Father rapes daughter, son catches 'em up to the deed and father needs to explain himself...
Oh, I'm too over the edge? Just think of the audience you need to gut-punch to get your story nearer the success (both award and audience-like)...No one's getting triggered after rule impending father...too much of that in the everyday life...
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Yes, coming up with back stories is a good move for any writer. Sometimes those stories are more intriguing than the actual story, especially if the character is a bit of a mystery!
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what they are telling you is to use a something like truby's anatomy of a story with genre technique. but you can also came up with your own strategy to have this tridimensional character and create a good quadrangulation of conflict.
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Know and show the thing which underlines the dynamic between the characters.
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I think that is an excellent idea. Maybe note on a character sheet, any old antagonisms.
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Backstories offer keys to a characters interests, biases, and points of view. For me just saying my character is a bus driver, a doctor, a shy child causes me to use a point of view that represents that of one I've known that fits that label after which I can then assign them actions and interactions associated with the identity I assume for them.
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Great idea, I find that building interpersonal relationships between the main characters early in the script helps to anchor the narrative.
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I drew on my experiences in the Navy to show the main two characters blowing off a little steam after months of isolation on a planet, working in a xenoarcheological dig, then cooped up in a small spacecraft on the way back to Earth. Their reactions were different, though similar, to give the readers some insight into the characters.
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Often supporting characters reflect the main character's arc/ internal need or can have the opposite arc. If your character needs to learn to grow up, a supporting character might be super rigid, a la Maverick and Iceman in Top Gun 1. The first half of act one - the status quo - is about showing the character in their everyday world, BUT they are dealing with an internal problem, it just happens to be part of their status quo. (The classic and current example is Walter White. It's not like his life is great before the cancer diagnosis) The inciting incident throws them into a new world with an external problem BUT that external problem and how they deal with it is informed by their internal need or character arc.
Backstories can help, but I would also suggest looking at some of your favorite movies or movies similar to your story and dissecting the supporting cast. How do they connect to the main character's arc or story? Do they go on a similar transformation? An opposite transformation? Or are they merely there to drive the story forward?
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That is what they feel and it is translating into a note. But why do they feel that?
Perhaps it is because the people don’t feel like they belong, or they are people that wouldn’t be friends? Why are they constantly point to a backstory.
I often write short stories about my characters. But that is so I know them as real people. I find it is easier to write about people that are real in my mind.
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If I had any qualification for giving advice (and I'm not sure I do), what I like to do is focus on details between characters in order to convey familiarity and comfort. Little things, like how their dialogue plays between them: short, punchy and playful can convey comfort and rapport. Long, drawn out expository dialogue can convey a "feeling out" or "getting -to-know-you" vibe. Non-verbal communication is important as well. How do the characters act with each other as opposed to others? Hope this wasn't too long winded and I hope it helps!
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You need to map out your characters and how they relate to each other. Outlining your story isn't just outlining plot points, it's also crafting a bio for all of your characters, how they relate to each other, what emotions they go through and what emotion you want to evoke in the reader.
I think people get far too caught up in backstory - you want a backstory that has a dramatic purpose and that's backstory wound - a past trauma (inner conflict) that must be overcome (reflected in the story theme/message) and when resolved helps the main character achieve their outer goal/motivation.
If you're having difficulty outlining (including character elements) check out PreWrite
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Another thing to consider is that all of your characters will be evolving as the project progresses and this will include their outlooks on certain situations, but this doesn't mean that one character's progression will happen at the same pace as another's. This can cause tension and conflict, but can also lead to reconciliation, a deepening of understanding or a growing of animosity. This is often told in characters' reactions. If character reactions feel wrong for their place in the narrative and how they feel about who they are talking to, inter-character dynamics can feel off.
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Excellent advice, everyone! I'm taking notes. :)
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Having a common goal but a different outcome can help. It feels like a villain trope but the hero wants to save the world and the villain wants to as well but through destruction. They agree the world needs help but through differing means. But a closer relationship can work between characters if they, once again, agree to disagree, "We love baseball but my favorite team is better than yours" but they both are on the same side. This friendship doesn't pay off unless something happens that makes one of the characters say, "I understand now" having disagreed earlier in the movie.
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Depending on how you work, or if anyone else is going to participate, assuming this becomes successful, you may have to write full backgrounds for the characters. I think that helps the Marvel universe because the characters already have personalities.
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You have all reminded me why I love this forum. Deep, professional observations and advice I had never thought about. Wow. I really appreciate it and now I have a better idea how to develop my character relationships going forward. Such intelligent and DIVERSE ways of attacking this challenge. I am indebted to you all!