MANUSCRIPT ANALYSIS
A manuscript analysis includes line-by-line editing and a detailed written discussion of the various elements of the manuscript, such as, Characterization, Plot, Conflict, Scenes, Dialogue.
The cost is $1.00 per page. Manuscripts should be 25 lines per page, 12 point Courier or equivalent, and with 1 inch margins.
TIPS FOR WRITERS: WHAT THE MOVIES HAVE TAUGHT ME ABOUT CHARACTER ARC
Copyright by Linda Hope Lee
Copyright by Linda Hope Lee
Character-driven films can provide good examples for constructing character arc, the change a person undergoes during the course of the story. Although many facets make up the complete arc, in this article I’ll deal with only the set-up: Why does the character need to change? And, what begins the change?
A character flaw is often the reason for change. In Separate Lies, British upper-class lawyer James Manning loves his wife, Lucy, but he also needs to control her.
The Eye of the Needle’s main character. Nazi spy Henri Faber, has a flaw far more serious than Manning’s. Faber is a vicious killer who has no feelings for his fellow man.
In Proof, mathematical genius Catherine’s need to change is due not so much to a flaw as to a condition. After the death of her equally brilliant, although schizophrenic, father, Catherine is caught in a trap of guilt and fear and thus unable to move on with her life.
In each of these films, the character has a need for growth. Now, something must happen to start him on his way.
James Manning’s journey begins when he learns that his wife and her lover, Bill Bule, are involved in a tragic hit-and-fun fatality. As a man who has always upheld the law, Manning now faces the moral dilemma of either turning in his wife or participating in Bule’s plan for a cover-up. He begins to see things about himself and his relationship with his wife that he never before realized.
For Henry Faber, being shipwrecked on an island inhabited by Lucy and her husband, David, begins his character arc. An automobile accident left David paralyzed and therefore unable to fulfill his dream of serving in the English Army.
Angry and embittered, he withdraws from his wife, leaving her vulnerable to the mysterious Faber. In turn, Lucy awakens feelings in Faber that have long lain dormant within his damaged psyche.
Catherine’s growth begins when Hal, one of her father’s doctoral students, wants to search her father’s writings for evidence of his brilliance. Catherine must decide whether or not to make Hal privy to something that could either destroy her own or her father’s reputation.
When developing your character’s arc, first determine the change he or she needs to undergo in order to grow. Be it a flaw, an attitude, a condition, or whatever, there must be something lacking in the person at the beginning.
After determining the need for change, decide how the character will start on the journey. Perhaps an event provides the impetus, such as the shipwreck did for Henry Faber. Maybe another character is the catalyst, as Hal was for Catherine. Or, it might be a revelation, as it was for James Manning.
Could I have learned these things about character arc from reading the scripts or book versions of the stories? Yes, of course. But seeing and hearing the characters come to life on the screen offers a different experience than reading the printed word. I am reminded of the importance of showing rather than telling, and of how a person’s appearance and speech patterns may be used to reveal aspects of character. I then visualize my own characters as though they were actors on a screen, putting what I see into words.
When studying films on DVD, check out any commentaries by a writer or director. While some of these bonus features focus on filmmaking techniques that do not apply to writing, others give valuable insights into the stories.
Once you have set up your character’s arc, you can focus on the rest of the journey. There will be many twists and turns to make before he reaches the desired end. However, carefully constructing the beginning gives the story a strong foundation upon which to build.
Here are some other films with strong character arcs:
A character flaw is often the reason for change. In Separate Lies, British upper-class lawyer James Manning loves his wife, Lucy, but he also needs to control her.
The Eye of the Needle’s main character. Nazi spy Henri Faber, has a flaw far more serious than Manning’s. Faber is a vicious killer who has no feelings for his fellow man.
In Proof, mathematical genius Catherine’s need to change is due not so much to a flaw as to a condition. After the death of her equally brilliant, although schizophrenic, father, Catherine is caught in a trap of guilt and fear and thus unable to move on with her life.
In each of these films, the character has a need for growth. Now, something must happen to start him on his way.
James Manning’s journey begins when he learns that his wife and her lover, Bill Bule, are involved in a tragic hit-and-fun fatality. As a man who has always upheld the law, Manning now faces the moral dilemma of either turning in his wife or participating in Bule’s plan for a cover-up. He begins to see things about himself and his relationship with his wife that he never before realized.
For Henry Faber, being shipwrecked on an island inhabited by Lucy and her husband, David, begins his character arc. An automobile accident left David paralyzed and therefore unable to fulfill his dream of serving in the English Army.
Angry and embittered, he withdraws from his wife, leaving her vulnerable to the mysterious Faber. In turn, Lucy awakens feelings in Faber that have long lain dormant within his damaged psyche.
Catherine’s growth begins when Hal, one of her father’s doctoral students, wants to search her father’s writings for evidence of his brilliance. Catherine must decide whether or not to make Hal privy to something that could either destroy her own or her father’s reputation.
When developing your character’s arc, first determine the change he or she needs to undergo in order to grow. Be it a flaw, an attitude, a condition, or whatever, there must be something lacking in the person at the beginning.
After determining the need for change, decide how the character will start on the journey. Perhaps an event provides the impetus, such as the shipwreck did for Henry Faber. Maybe another character is the catalyst, as Hal was for Catherine. Or, it might be a revelation, as it was for James Manning.
Could I have learned these things about character arc from reading the scripts or book versions of the stories? Yes, of course. But seeing and hearing the characters come to life on the screen offers a different experience than reading the printed word. I am reminded of the importance of showing rather than telling, and of how a person’s appearance and speech patterns may be used to reveal aspects of character. I then visualize my own characters as though they were actors on a screen, putting what I see into words.
When studying films on DVD, check out any commentaries by a writer or director. While some of these bonus features focus on filmmaking techniques that do not apply to writing, others give valuable insights into the stories.
Once you have set up your character’s arc, you can focus on the rest of the journey. There will be many twists and turns to make before he reaches the desired end. However, carefully constructing the beginning gives the story a strong foundation upon which to build.
Here are some other films with strong character arcs:
Miss Congeniality Almost Heaven In Her Shoes
Muriel’s Wedding The Perfect Man The Thing About My
Folks
Muriel’s Wedding The Perfect Man The Thing About My
Folks
If you would like to see how I work, you may send me the first three pages of your manuscript for a free edit/analysis. Please contact me prior to sending your sample.
linda@lindahopelee.com
or
P.O. Box 238
Edmonds, WA 98020
or
P.O. Box 238
Edmonds, WA 98020
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Last updated 8/07
