Published: July 3, 2024 | Last Updated: July 16, 2024
Characterization is the process of developing and portraying characters in a story. This involves describing their physical appearance, personality traits, motivations, and actions. Effective characterization brings characters to life and helps readers connect with them. It can be achieved through direct descriptions, dialogue, thoughts, and interactions with other characters, allowing the audience to understand their roles and significance within the narrative.
Types of Characterization
In literature, characterization is usually divided into two categories: direct and indirect:
Direct Characterization
Direct characterization involves explicitly stating the traits and qualities of a character. This can be done through descriptions by the narrator or other characters, dialogue, or the character’s actions.
For example, “John was a tall, stern man with a no-nonsense attitude.”
Indirect Characterization
Indirect characterization involves revealing a character’s traits through actions, thoughts, dialogue, appearance, and how other characters react to them. This method allows the audience to draw their conclusions about the character.
For example, “John towered over the others, his piercing gaze silencing the room. He spoke little, but when he did, everyone listened.”
Elements of Characterization
There are many elements of characterization that you can use to flesh out the characters, and screenwriters and directors can use different characterization tools.
The former works more similarly (though more briefly) as an author of a novel, whereas the latter works with the below-the-line departments such as costume and props.
How many details about each character you want to include depends on the character’s importance. For example, are we talking about a stock character? Or maybe a round or flat character?
Here are key aspects of characterization in film and screenplays:
Physical Description
Describing a character’s physical appearance can help readers visualize them. Details such as height, weight, hair color, clothing style, and facial features can give insight into their personality and background.
Filmmakers are blessed because we can show and don’t need to tell everything as novel writers do. Instead, we can use visual cues such as clothing or props to help the audience quickly form impressions and understand social or cultural contexts.
Personality Traits
Developing a character’s personality traits is crucial for making them believable. Consider traits like honesty, ambition, kindness, and intelligence, and flaws like jealousy, insecurity, or impulsiveness.
Background and History
A character’s background and history shape who they are and how they behave. Consider their upbringing, family dynamics, education, past experiences, and how these factors influence their actions in the story.
Flashbacks, dialogue, and exposition can reveal backstories without overwhelming the narrative.
Actions
Remember the old saying, “Actions speak louder than words?” In movies where showing, not telling, is key, this is also true for characterization. You define a character by his actions.
What characters do, how they behave in various situations, and their reactions to events are crucial for revealing their true nature and intentions.
Actions often speak louder than words, showing rather than telling the audience who the character is.
Motivations and Goals
Understanding a character’s motivations and goals helps drive their actions and decisions in the story. Clear motivations help the audience understand and empathize with the character.
Consider what they want, why they want it, and what they are willing to do to achieve their goals.
Relationships
Exploring a character’s relationships with others can reveal more about their personality and motivations. Consider how they interact with family, friends, enemies, and love interests.
Relationships help to define a character’s role within the story and their growth or transformation.
Inner Thoughts and emotions
In screenplays, inner thoughts might be suggested through monologues, voice-overs, or subtle hints in the character’s behavior and expressions.
Emotional responses to situations and interactions with other characters provide insight into their inner world.
Symbolism and Metaphor
Objects, settings, and scenarios associated with a character can symbolize aspects of their personality or journey.
Metaphorical elements provide a deeper understanding of a character’s inner struggles and thematic significance.
Read more on symbolism in film.
Character Arc
Character arcs involve a character’s growth, change, or development throughout the story.
A well-crafted character arc makes the journey satisfying and meaningful.
Consider how your characters evolve, learn from their experiences, and overcome challenges.
Conflict and Struggle
The challenges and obstacles characters face, both internal and external, reveal their strengths, weaknesses, and adaptability.
Conflict is essential for character growth and maintaining audience engagement.
Read more about The Types of Conflicts in Film.
Summing Up
Characterization is how an author introduces, describes, and develops characters in a narrative. It involves revealing their personalities, traits, motivations, and character changes throughout the story.
It helps readers understand and connect with the characters, making them feel real and relatable. It drives the plot and theme by showcasing how characters respond to different situations and evolve.
Up Next: Character Archetypes in Film
