top of page
Writer's pictureUsher Morgan

Quick Tip: Plots Are Cool; Characters Are Cooler


If you make a list of your all-time favorite movies, I’m quite convinced that it'll align with a list of your all-time favorite characters.


Stories are driven by characters, not plots. Take the most boring character in the world and try to impose upon him the plotline of Neo in The Matrix and the movie wouldn’t be half as good. Alternatively, take Anchorman’s Ron Burgundy and throw him into the plot of Fifty Shades of Grey, and the movie could be a blast to watch.


Characters are what make a movie tick; they are the fuel that drives the story – not the other way around. Focus your energies on writing characters. A good place to start would be to make a list of your all-time favorite characters; what is it about these characters that you find so appealing? What are the specific traits that make them interesting? And how did the filmmakers get you to empathize with these characters? I often dig into film analysis when I find myself attracted to a particular character; I try to study the reason within myself for liking, admiring, or being fascinated with a character.

0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page