TV Characters 101 (PT46)

Update: PT46 transcript now available

Alex and Nick discuss one of the most important parts of television writing: creating compelling characters.

Why are characters so vital to television shows? What are some key elements to watch out for when writing characters in a TV script? Why are character introductions so important in screenwriting? How can you create interesting people that fit your TV show?

The Paper Team explores their existence...

SHOWNOTES

Content
A special announcement (00:46)
1 - Television is a character's medium (01:41)
2 - Describing characters: introductions, archetypes, and traits (02:42)
3 - Character voices, filler characters, and empathy (17:38)
4 - Characters in the story: goals and arcs (23:43)
Takeaways and Resources (28:25)

Links
House, M.D.
Hugh Laurie
"The Hero's Journey" - Joseph Campbell
"The Writer's Journey" - Christopher Vogler
Michael Clayton (Film)
Sam Seaborn
"Pilot" (1x01 - The West Wing)
"Pilot" (1x01-02 - Lost)
"Pilot" (1x01 - Community)
Legion (TV Series)
Anton Chigurh
"Assisting TV Comedy Writers ft. Gary Sundt" (PT43)
Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Resources
"The Art Of Dramatic Writing" - Lajos Egri
"The Emotion Thesaurus" - Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi


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Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

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Nick - @_njwatson
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