Character and Characterisation

Character and Characterisation are important parts of a film. Without an intresting character the film won't be as intresting and if the character isn't correctly characterised then we may not get the wrong impression from the character or not feel we can fully relate to them.

• Characterisation is all observable parts of humans: age, sex, IQ, home, car, fashion sense, personality and attitudes. All these traits work together to make each person unique and one of a kind.
• Character is how the person will react to situations and pressure, if involved a very stressful or trying situation they may react differently to how we believed they will due to their characterisation. The persons character may be very different to what we first believed.
• Character Arc is the changes in a character, how they react to something at the start may be very different to how they react at the end. Robert McKee said that "if we are introduced to a loving husband and by the end of the tale he is still a loving husband, with no secret, no unfulfilled dreams, no hidden passions we will be very disappointed."
• Structure and Character are interlocked. If the structure changes the character must change accordingly and if the character changes the structure must also change with it.