Characters grow from their environment. They are a product of their environment. Where a person or thing lives really shapes that person or thing, for good and for bad.

We can relate to a SINGLE PERSON rather than a large group, We need to define our character. The character needs to be believable relatable and also needs to have flaws. Nobody is interested in Mr or Mrs Perfect squeaky clean. We want out poor character to overcome their problems, their crappy childhood, their crappy house  or their crappy friends. We want them to overcome this horrible thing that happens to them in the story.

 

 

 

CHANGE

People do want change . But when push comes to shove , when things really get shaken up, people just want their lives to go back to normal, to the way they were, they then appreciate what they had. Think of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz clicking her heels and saying ‘Theres no place like home’

 

The plot of the story will come out of your character. Next week we will begin to develop a plot. This week we will consider where the story is to be told and also begin to imagining the type of character who might live there.

 

Last week you decided what genre you would feel most comfortable working in . A genre which interests you.

You collected images which are typical within that genre and you also described ‘tropes and other details such as typical type of music , lighting, costumes etc which are often found in that genre.

 

This week we will look at an environment and then when you have described in details and also found images if possible to illustrate your environment ( setting ), you can put together details of your character and tell us about this persons life within this environment and describe normal everyday life. 

 

SO to summarise , today you will: 

 

-       1. ENVIRONMENT. Describing details of the environment in which the story might be set.

-       2. CHARACTER. Describe a character which might live within

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each of the above will be a report of 1 page minimum each and should also include images to help us visualise what you mean

 

 

 

 

-----TASKS-------

 

 

-       1. ENVIRONMENT. Describing details of the environment in which the story might be set.

 

-       Where is it set. Tell us the name of the City or village the story begins in. 

 

-       Describe the landscape ( eg Skyscrapers, dense , narrow chardowy streets , like Gotham or is it  a desert with othing in it except a few low rise mud huts ( thing of the beginning of Star Wars )

 

-       Give the place a name ( eg. Darwin City or Salt Desert)

 

-       What is the climate like , weather ( does it has 4 seasons like New York or London or perhaps its always pretty how like Dubai )

 

-       Can you tell us about the peoples that live there ( eg, The people in the City have come from all over the world to work , it’s a really mixed society also , with people coming from other planets to work in this rich city where the biggest corporations in the world have based their head offices ) ( or perhaps , there re two tribes, the Scata people who are very big and srong , standing over 8 feet tall, they do most of the building work ) and the Lenti people, they do most of the creative design work. They are very small , at up to 4 feet tall, very thin but move very quickly ).

 

-       What do people do there for entertainment ( pop concerts, sports ( wrstlimng matches , perhaps they gamble a lot or they have gladiator type battles )

 

-       Tell us about any problems in the society ( is there tension between peoples? )

 

-       Tell us about problems with the weather?

 

-       Are people happy there?

 

 

 

 

Your character must have something lacking in his life. What is it? Its inside. What misconception do they have about themselves or the world?  This ‘lie’ will stop them getting fulfilling what they are after in the story. It may start out seemingly as a strength but will be shown to be an Achilles heel.

He  may not even realise he  has a   problem.

 

The Lie. 

A characters lie an take a number of forms.

Toy Story: Your only worth is in being the favourite.

Thor. Might is best.

Christmas Carl. Scrooge thinks money is the only  measure of a mans worth.

 

What does you character believe that is wrong?

What is he lacking as a result?

How is the interior lie reflected in the outside world.

When the story opens what how does the lie make his life poorer in some way?

 

What does your character want?

Toy Story – do be Andy’s favourite toy

Christmas Carol. To be rich. 

Thor. To be King.

 

What does he needs  ( this is the TRUTH ) 

Thor – Learn humility and compassion.

Scrooge – Love people not money.

Toy Story – be able to share Andy’s love.

 

So I Christmas Carl, Scrooge wants money but find that true wealth is found in the love of other people.

So in Cars, Mc Queen wants to be the worlds most famous car by winning the Piston Cup and getting the Dinoco sponsorship. What he needs is to let  others into his life by helping them and allowing the to help him.

 

So lets write up some details on your character….

 

2. You character fact file.

- What is his / her name? 

- Tell us what they do each day ? ( Do they work, do they hunt? )

- Do they have a family?

- Tell us their good points ( kind, funny ). Describe if you can something they have donw which you might admire.

- Tell us their bad points (unreliable and risk taking, a weakness for the local drug ).  Tell us something they have done which has hurt somebody , either intentional or unintentional )

- Is this person every been pushed ‘to the edge ‘?

- Has this person ever shown a little bit of courage? Explain what happened?

- Tell us a little about this persons childhood? Was it happy? Was there perhaps an event which traumatised them when hey were harmed or frightened in some way? Was there a bully in their life?  Did you character have a great friend as a child. Are they still in touch or did they lose touch?

- Tell us about their current family situation. 

- What are they not doing very well at?

- What would improve their life a little bit?

- What one thing might they like to change about their life?

- What lie does your character believe?

- What does your character want?

- What does your character need?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What your were asked to do last week was to identify a Genre you would like to work in within this unit.

 

You were asked to 

a)     Find images which show some typical scenes  / objects / landscapes in this genre

Cut and Past image from the web and adda a brief description of what it is. 

THIS IS CALLED VISUAL VOCABULARY CONVENTIONS.

 

e.g The saloon bar, the dusty outback, the gun slinger

 

b)    Write down some often found elements in this genre. These are called Tropes.  You should consider the following elements: 

a.     Objects often found  ( spurs, Stetson hats, colt 45 gun,  beans, campfire, horse 

b.     Common plot themes ( eg, Revenge on killing a close friend / family , rising up to oppose the authority ( who are bad ) , saving a town from  the bandits, standing up to a bully 

c.     Colours often used ( eg. Dusty, subdued>? Dark? Bright and bold? ) 

d.     Types of dialogue often seen ( short, simple direct language often seen in Western and also Action films  - Ill be back, Hasta la vista baby ) 

 

For your chosen Genre you should be able to identify commonly found thigs that can be seen and heard and  you can use these to help tell your story more convincingly

Please look at these links

See https://nofilmschool.com/TV-and-film-genres

 

Some lists of genres

Some info on genres 

 

 

Environment