Yesterday I was in the mood to read a great script. I chose Thelma and Louise because it is one of my favorites. I had been reading less than ten minutes when a giant light went off in my head. The woman in my script is flat. She goes through motions, but lacks character. It was like a knife in my heart. I knew more about Thelma and Louise in the first 5 pages than I knew about my character in the first 58.
I will go back and fix it, but first I have a lot of thinking to do. I know what my character does in the story. In order to correct the problem I need to go back to the why. Why does she do those things? What is her motivation? What is her passion? What is her greatest desire? fear?
I was very depressed about my discovery yesterday. I am still a bit bummed, but it is a lesson. I will correct it and my story will be better. Hopefully, I will be better.
screenwriting
Be Dauntless
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain
4 comments:
Do you write "back stories" or biographies of your characters? Sometimes it helps when trying to eliminate "flatness."
I had a biography for this character. I think the problem came when I made major story adjustments without updating her. I think you are right. Going back and writing a back story for her in light of the new story elements would probably help a great deal.
Hey you ;)
I didn't want to link to that script publically since I trashed it, but in case you're interested, you can find it at:
What is Normal
Doesn't it make you want to die? lol
Thelma is a great one to revisit, one of my Top 10 fave reads. I am trying to get ahold of her latest, Mad Money. Filming now (Diane Keaton robs a bank)
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