Course Description

The key to any writing is the characters and how they do what they do! Characters can be many things in a film, because a film is make believe or operates without normal technical constraints. They can be male, female, super heroes, animated, animals, humans, good, bad, both, iconic, historical and on and on.

One of the things that makes filmmaking and screenwriting so wonderful to create and watch is the ability to develop an entire world from scratch. Characters as well as the story, are only limited to the writer's imagination.

In this course, we will use extensive evaluation to examine and create intricate and interesting traits for primary and secondary characters. Effective characters have their own synergy and take on a life of their own, and their creation is a screenwriter's goal.

Instructor Title

Toni Colley-Lee

Toni taught screenwriting in universities, high schools, film festivals and arts centers in the southeastern USA for twenty years as an independent filmmaker and visiting artist. She was also:Ø Producer, Production Manager, Director, Screenwriter and documentary filmmaker 20 yearsØ Served two terms on the Governor’s Advisory Board for Film and Video for the State of Georgia under governor Roy BarnesØ Served 4 terms on the board of Women in Film Ø Eight years on board of Atlanta African Film SocietyØ Founder/Director of a technician’s nonprofit for job developmentToni speaks English, can mess up some Spanish, and can find a translator if needed.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Building Strong Characters

    • Fair Use Statement

    • What You'll Need for The Character Development Course

    • Genre Defines Characters and Vice Versa

    • Deepening a Character

    • Base Level Character Development - Upbringing

    • Second Level Character Development - Basic Personal Factors

    • Third Level Character Development - Close Relationships

    • Fourth Level Character Development - Work Life

    • Fifth Level Character Development - Core Elements

    • Sixth Level Character Development - Early Education Impact

    • Seventh Level Character Development - Love Relationships

    • Eight Level Character Development - Outward Interaction

    • Ninth Level Character Development - Emotional Stability and Temperament

    • Tenth Level Character Development - Spiritual Base

    • Eleventh Level Character Development - Gender Viewpoints

    • Twelfth Level Character Development - Family Relationships

    • Thirteenth Level Character Development - Inner Life

    • Forteenth Level Character Development - How Others See Them

    • Fifteenth Level Character Development - Author Interaction with Character
  • 2

    Don - a Secondary Character Examination

    • What You'll Need for This Section

    • Worksheet for Don of Kinky Boots

    • Discussion of Don of Kinky Boots

    • The Importance of Don in Kinky Boots - Quiz

    • Other Comments about Don?
  • 3

    Lars and the Real Girl - A Lesson in Subtlety and Group/Characters

    • What You Will Need for Lars And The Real Girl

    • An Overview of Lars and the Real Girl

    • Lars And The Real Girl - 00:01 to 00:27:45

    • Lars And The Real Girl - 00:27:00 to 00:49:00

    • Lars And The Real Girl - 00:49:00 to 1:00

    • Lars And The Real Girl - Finding a Way to Interact

    • Lars And The Real Girl Assignment

    • Lars And The Real Girl - Lars' Father Research

    • Lars' Mounting Realizations

Progressive Learning

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    $997.00Early Bird Special! 5 Year Master Student Membership

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  • 4 x $99.97

    4 x $99.97Certificate Course: Film Structure

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