tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post5097059233021592213..comments2023-05-04T03:37:04.200-07:00Comments on The Rouge Wave: Character Introductions and VoiceJulie Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14690487940378619749noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-79758187479212462702009-04-02T05:26:00.000-07:002009-04-02T05:26:00.000-07:00I have the hardest time coming up with great intro...I have the hardest time coming up with great intros for characters especially supporting ones in anything like the first draft. It's a real prob--I find the characters do a better job of revealing themselves through dialogue (and ack-she-own of course) as the script progresses. Still, how sweet it would one day be to write the perfect, pithy intro. <BR/><BR/>Julie, thanks for this article. Unlike my writing it's both subtle and good! <BR/><BR/>BTW, I would never put anything like what follows into an actual script. It *rhymes*. And yes I'm a fan of 'American Dad'--deal with it!<BR/><BR/>And to top this post off I'm actually waiting for a Kellogg's "All Bran" page to load in another page of my browser. Just to see if they actually make a peach flavor one. Ahh, research!<BR/><BR/>You know you want to Google it...<BR/>All-Bran. Click on the link--I triple dog dare you!<BR/><BR/>It loaded. One would never have thought there'd be such a neat site devoted to All-Bran...<BR/><BR/>INT. CAVE - KITCHEN - 3 LEGGED TABLE - AROUND NOON<BR/><BR/>He is STAN. Late 30's, shape of a bulldog, form of... MAN. Been there, done that, got the A-shirt shaped tan. He skips the cholesterol filled scrambled eggs and selects a bowl of Kellogg's Peach All-Bran.<BR/><BR/>Perched opposite on her chair is FRAN. Mid 30's, going on...the late 60's. Her beehive hairdo rises to a crescendo just short of the rotating ceiling fan. It's like Marie Antoinette vs. The Guillotine! Ignoring her flan, she dissects something far more fun:<BR/>*Stan*.<BR/><BR/>STAN<BR/>Honey--<BR/><BR/>FRAN<BR/>No thanks.Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06633862703066869516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-48692848143699806432009-03-05T00:25:00.000-08:002009-03-05T00:25:00.000-08:00I like the ones that take it the opposite way and ...I like the ones that take it the opposite way and give us absolutely *nothing* about the character whatsoever:<BR/><BR/>"John Doe, 30, handsome"<BR/><BR/>"Jane Plain, young & beautiful"<BR/><BR/>I can picture them standing right in front of me . . .Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04499773796473787733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-60516341702921247092009-03-05T00:06:00.000-08:002009-03-05T00:06:00.000-08:00Thank you for a great blog post.I tampered with ch...Thank you for a great blog post.<BR/><BR/>I tampered with character introductions when rewriting my first draft into the second. (Please have a look at my blog for further info)<BR/><BR/>First time we see the main characters they make love. They are nude, tangled together under a blanket.<BR/><BR/>I didn't want to introduce them then, because it is sort of difficult to see that she doesn't bother with makeup and his clothes are ecological.<BR/><BR/>Should I introduce them anyway? Or wait until they get out of bed?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05764909473718896182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-64388885895739496212009-03-04T11:04:00.000-08:002009-03-04T11:04:00.000-08:00Great post, Julie, and I'll be linking to it in a ...Great post, Julie, and I'll be linking to it in a blog post tomorrow. Isn't it fair to say that when we introduce a character, we have the opportunity to describe their 'core essence?' So right up front in the first act, we help the reader distinguish between this cast of characters we're introducing by not only their physical appearance (if it's important) and their actions (if they're important), but also something about their distinctive personality make-up. <BR/><BR/>For example, how William Goldman introduces Butch Cassidy in <I>Butch Cassidy & and the Sundance Kid</I>: <BR/><BR/>"He speaks well and quickly, and has been all his life a leader of men; but if you asked him, he would be damned if he could tell you why."<BR/><BR/>Again great post. And hope you're doing well!Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09012812457657155914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-10474059089520337882009-03-03T18:04:00.000-08:002009-03-03T18:04:00.000-08:00Great post, it makes me feel itchy...- E.C. Henry ...Great post, it makes me feel itchy...<BR/><BR/>- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WAE.C. Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10748007729066148300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-5967701136007701992009-03-03T15:10:00.000-08:002009-03-03T15:10:00.000-08:00Yes, yes, and yes! If I had a nickel...Yes, yes, and yes! If I had a nickel...dianejwrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16059597327746618166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-22982159268823736482009-03-03T14:10:00.000-08:002009-03-03T14:10:00.000-08:00Sorry, forgot to add a "please" on that last one!Sorry, forgot to add a "please" on that last one!Joe Publichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08031448536320362694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-9588945633927977772009-03-03T12:21:00.000-08:002009-03-03T12:21:00.000-08:00It's so funny you wrote about this today. Just las...It's so funny you wrote about this today. Just last night I delayed the entry point for the most significant minor character in my script. Instead of providing a wordy description I was able to introduce him with just a few words in a key scene where ONLY someone LIKE him would step forward.Anthony Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08364989475029835783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-49909424573167940942009-03-03T11:14:00.000-08:002009-03-03T11:14:00.000-08:00I hope some day, if you haven't already, post a se...I hope some day, if you haven't already, post a segment describing the best way to strategically design supporting characters...that best serves the main character. <BR/><BR/><BR/>That would be MOST helpful!Joe Publichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08031448536320362694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-65680431303881507592009-03-03T10:54:00.000-08:002009-03-03T10:54:00.000-08:00Joe, you are absolutely correct. I apologize; some...Joe, you are absolutely correct. I apologize; some things are so obvious to me that I don't think to point out and articulate them. Briefly describing who a character IS would absolutely include clever, subtle insights into fears, struggles and goals. But it's subtle. Like all good writing :)Julie Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14690487940378619749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496585120938599514.post-15572062130111036232009-03-03T10:07:00.000-08:002009-03-03T10:07:00.000-08:00It seems to me a character should be introduced in...It seems to me a character should be introduced in a way that somehow describes the flaw, the goal, the fear....I mean whatever good stuff you can fit in that says/describes what's going on internally with the character. And might even suggest the forces acting on he or she. Maybe what they're running from or running to?Joe Publichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08031448536320362694noreply@blogger.com