Last night, at the Somerville Library, I was discussing how to develop fictional characters that readers will care about and I was reminded of this scene from the Woody Allen movie, Sleeper.
"What you have here... I diagnosed the entire situation, and I think what we've got, what we're dealing with basically is a nose. I think we're all in aggreance on that. I have the little beggar right here. And what you want basically is a whole entire person connected to that nose, right? Otherwise, you'd get your money back." (Woody Allen, in Sleeper)
And that, basically, is how I create fictional characters. I start with a nose and using that nose, I create a whole person. To borrow a line from the movie, I attempt to "clone the patient directly into his suit."
Of course, it's not always a nose. With Mr. Garibaldi, the attorney of record for the Sand Skeeter Baseball Club, it was his feet. It might be a nickname (Detective Eddie "Eggs" Bebedict) or a growl (Greta, the waitress with Tourette's). I start with one small thing that I know about the character and I build out from there until I have a fully formed human being.
That is the difference between Man Writer and Boy Writer, right?
You do a good job because I can relate to so many of your people!
On many different levels of course.
I watched Sleeper and Bananas again a couple of years ago. Sleeper has some great scenes. The pudding during the party was wonderful. The last line of this scene (and the movie) is memorable.
Reminds me of a TV-pilot script I wrote which had a minor character who was an elderly waitress with a severe hand tremor. As the series progressed she was going to be festooned with burn dressings of increasing complexity from all the spilled coffee.
Good times.
A unique glance into the mind of a professional...thanks
one gooey golden nugget of truth from which more springs forth. achoo!!
Comments (6)
That is the difference between Man Writer and Boy Writer, right?
You do a good job because I can relate to so many of your people!
On many different levels of course.
I watched Sleeper and Bananas again a couple of years ago. Sleeper has some great scenes. The pudding during the party was wonderful. The last line of this scene (and the movie) is memorable.
Reminds me of a TV-pilot script I wrote which had a minor character who was an elderly waitress with a severe hand tremor. As the series progressed she was going to be festooned with burn dressings of increasing complexity from all the spilled coffee.
Good times.
A unique glance into the mind of a professional...thanks
one gooey golden nugget of truth from which more springs forth. achoo!!