Screenwriting : Enneagram - Writing characters true to their personality by Greg Wong

I haven't, but I've heard of this concept. This reminds me of the Jungian archetypes in a way. If you've read A Hero's Journey by Christopher Vogler, he speaks about this in lengths.

I've heard of that book, another one to add to my reading! Thanks.

Greg Wong I use the Enneagram to understand more about me! I did the test and came out a 4 wing 5.

Cool, I'm afraid to sus myself out. I might turn out to be a psychopath!

I'm gonna check out this webinar, Greg Wong. Thanks!

I use MBTI and have been for years and it works really well for me

Bin Userkaf I was made aware of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. I only know it uses 16 characterisations as opposed to the 9 of the Enneagram. I guess that would make it more granular if you're analysing a person or yourself. Might make it too complex if you're creating characters.

Greg Wong this sounds super interesting. It's always a challenge to keep characters authentic on the page once the scripting starts. Will check it out. Thank you for sharing.

I don't make character maps, but use ready-made psychotypes and personality disorders from psychology.

I actually think having 16 makes making characters a lot easier because every personality has the challenge of mastering their opposite functions and it's much easier for me to come up with dynamics when I know everyone's personality too based off their weaknesses and strengths and the things they care about! I've used enneagram too but only after I've created the characters just because I don't know as much about it

It's very much down to what works for you as a writer. I'm yet to even implement Enneagrams with only 9 traits, let alone contend with 16. I'll certainly look at the MBTI at some time and thanks for highlighting it.

There are so many different tools and methods for creating authentic, resonant characters, and no particular one is massively better than the other, so use what works for you. But here's the thing, what you build into your character in development, needs to finds its way into the character on the page. Very often writers design this complex character with a million layers, but when you read the script, every character acts and sounds like every other character. It doesn't take a lot of experience and skill to BUILD a character, especially with all the tools available, but it does take a ton of experience and skill to make that character come alive on the page. I would rather have fewer traits that I know I can execute well, then layer them in like Damascus steel but then have a one dimensional flat character in script. IMHO that's just a waste of time.

Great advice, Ben.

Greg Wong yes, there are nine categories, but they aren’t static. You can regress or progress in your development and also move across the triads.

Ben Johnson Jr. Absolutely, we're here to tell a story and not create confusion. If the character stands out like a sore thumb, that distracts the flow of the story. It needs to be organic, believable and behave 'in character' with their personality type. Characters need to be multi dimensional but nuanced, not in your face. You can spend hours creating a perfect (whatever that means) character and your story falls apart. Don't forget your supporting actors too, they need to have personality too

Geoff Hall I'm not advocating strict types. Before I encountered this 'method', I was creating layered characters, what it does help me to do is understand the character's type and being able to know how they might react when under stress. You can still write your character how you want them to be and how off the scale they might be, ie out of character. This is a framework rather than rules.

Geoff Hall BTW there's a film named Reality with a Q&A with the director Tina Satter at The Ritzy PictureHouse in Brixton. I know it's a bit far for you, but just in case you fancied a trip to London. 31st May. https://www.picturehouses.com/movie-details/000/HO00013093/reality-q-a-w...

When it came to creating the characters for my own story, I used templates and I put myself in the skin of each of my main characters, be it protagonist or antagonist, by answering questions, by envisioning them in mind and figuring out their arc from there, according to their own personality.

For the curious, I've used these resources:

https://nofilmschool.com/three-dimensional-character-one-dimensional

https://blog.celtx.com/developing-your-characters/

https://blog.reedsy.com/character-profile/

https://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/

I also recommend Linda Seger's book Creating Unforgettable Characters, published in 1990.

Thanks for the tips. Will have a look.

@Greg Thanks for the share, I'd not seen this before. I also find Ronald Tobias Plot Points and John Carrolls 9 Core themes interesting views albeit there are undoubtedly more.

PLOT Quest, Adventure, Pursuit, Rescue, Escape, Revenge, The Riddle, Underdog, Temptation, Metamorphosis, Transformation, Maturation, Love, Forbidden Love, Sacrifice, Discovery, Wretched Excess, Rivalry, Ascension, Descension.

CORE THEMES Virtuous Whore, Troubled Hero, The Mother, Salvation by a God, Fate, Value of Work, Origin of Evil,, Self Sacrifice, Soulmate Love.

I don't use these as templates rigidly cos obviously possibilities are encyclopedic for both plot and theme however can relate to both aswell as the Enneagram list in your link.

Debbie, those still work. As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

@Debbie, Mike Figgis, probably most famous for Leaving Las Vegas, re-wrote Georges Polti's LES 36 SITUATIONS DRAMATIQUES for modern film. I'm reading that at the moment to widen my knowledge. Again, like you I would be looking for guidance rather than a rigid interpretation, another toolbox to dip into.

I've found 2 things in the Enneagram system to be extremely helpful.

1) There's an idea that each numbered personality type in the system will either develop in one direction or wither in the other with positive or negative personal growth. ie. Someone can devolve into hedonistic pleasure seeking as a step backward, which is the negative presentation of another personality type. Very interesting and I've found it to be very true. (think Iron man 2. Act 1)

2) As mentioned above, each personality type on the list has a positive, neutral, and negative presentation, but the interesting part is that each of the types fit into 3 groups as well and each group as a different core fear -- AND THIS IS THE GOLD NUGGET~! --The 3 core fears/weaknesses are FEAR, ANGER, and SHAME --

Look at that. Every single character you ever loved, look at them, what motivated them at their core. I bet you a million billion gazillion dollars it was FEAR, ANGER, SHAME, or a combination of multiple.

AND THE MORE OF THE 3 YOU HAVE THE BETTER THE CHARACTER IS!!!

Test the theory-

Batman, all 3

Superman, fear of his own power, shame of his alien nature

Count of Monte Cristo, do I even have to -- Anger, deep intense pure anger.

You can test 'em all day. This is a powerful, pooooowerful character building technique.

This is my EnneaThought for the Day ( I get a daily thought on the Enneagram to my Inbox):

Type Four EnneaThought®

In childhood, Fours did not see themselves reflected in either parent and turned inward to their feelings and imaginations to construct their identities. What would happen if you stopped making such a big deal out of your identity and just got on with life today? (Personality Types, 140)

Type Five EnneaThought®

In childhood, Fives withdrew to create a niche for themselves within the family system, yet still believed they didn’t “fit in”. What would it feel like if people liked you just for yourself? (Personality Types, 178)

Teaching:

As a result of unmet infant needs and subsequent blockages, we begin to feel very early in life that certain key elements in us are missing. Naturally, this feeling creates a deep anxiety…no matter what our later personality type, we eventually come to the conclusion that there is something fundamentally wrong with us. Even if we cannot express it in words, we feel the tug of a powerful, unconscious anxiety—our Basic Fear.

I love these insights into Personality (the mask we wear for others to see) and our Basic Fears. It could help the writer to think of character and psychological need, but also help us craft a character’s back story.

I think each character is driven by fear, regardless of what it is. That's what drives the story to unknown places.