1. Depicting Character in Film
“...You can only involve an audience with people. You can't involve them with gimmicks, with sunsets, with hand-held cameras, zoom shots, or anything else. They couldn't care less about those things. But you give them something to worry about, some person they can worry about, and care about, and you've got them, you've got them involved." 
Frank Capra

2. Direct Characterization
The author/director comes right out and describes a character’s personality.
“The mother was judgmental.”
“The employee was lazy.”
“Curly was quick and mean.”
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck-

3. Indirect Characterization
The writer reveals information about a character and his personality through that character's thoughts, words, and actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about him.

4. We learn about character from:
personality traits
physical appearance and name
actions
choices
speech
thoughts and feelings
past
comments about others
comments made by others

5. A character’s personality traits
Traits refer to one’s attitudes or behaviors that reflect personality qualities.
a character may be curious, brave, cold, loving, aggressive, open-minded, naïve, etc.
Personality traits are
also qualities that
make us find people
likeable, lovable, etc.

6. A character’s appearance & name
Physical appearance is important if it brings out a person’s unique personality qualities, culture, traditions, or influences.
A name is often significant as it may reveal information about one’s family background, tradition, influences, or personality traits.

7. A character’s actions--external
A character’s behavior (actions) is usually motivated by his or her attitudes and values.
By examining potential reasons behind the actions, you can reveal a great deal about the inner world of a character.
External Action: Actions vs Appearance
Need to grow naturally out of the character’s personality
Plot and character become interwoven
Often small action rather than big ones, i.e. firefighter example, duty vs values

8. External Action: Actions vs Appearance
Need to grow naturally out of the character’s personality
Plot and character become interwoven
Often small action rather than big ones, i.e. firefighter example, duty vs values

9. A character’s actions--internal
Usually unseen and unheard
Secrets, fantasies, daydreams, memories, fears, insecurities
Taking us visually or aurally into the character’s mind
Sensitive, expressive face shots-
reaction shots
Sometimes a musical score

10. A character’s choices
The choices people make regarding how they deal with obstacles, resolve conflicts, or overcome difficulties reveal character strengths or weaknesses.
We make judgments about people based on the choices they make every day.

11. A character’s speech
Based on what he/she says and how he/she says it, you can determine important qualities.
He/she is unhappy, selfish, sarcastic, or domineering, uneducated.
The choice of words spoken can also reveal important information about the character’s age, education, culture, and values.

12. A character’s past
Setting of one’s upbringing is important; we are the products of our early environment.
Significant past experiences influence who we are and shape our personalities.
Family background may also be important as it reveals values and traditions that are passed on from generation to generation.

13. A character’s comments about others
What people say about others often reveals important information about them as well.
How judgmental are they? How supportive?

14. Foil- characters who highlight the character traits of major characters.
The foil may be an opposite of the major character, so the major character’s strengths and virtues are more pronounced.
The foil may also be like the major character, but with lighter versions of the major character’s strengths and virtues. The major character is shown as even stronger.

15. Characters can also be “static” or “dynamic”.
Static Character- does not change throughout the course of the story; Cinderella’s stepmother, for instance, remains selfish and spiteful to the end.
Dynamic Character- undergoes a significant change in opinion or growth in character over the course of events in the story; An example would be
Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles
Dickens’s classic tale, A Christmas
Carol. After being visited by the
three ghosts (+ Marley), he realizes
the error of his ways and becomes kind and
generous.
Stock Characters- characters based on a
cultural stereotype

16. Protagonist Antagonist Main character of the story that changes
(death is not a change)
the most important character
changes and grows because of experiences in the story
Antagonist
A major character who opposes the protagonist
the antagonist does not change
Types of antagonists:
people
nature
society

17. The Importance of Casting
Helps us to:
observe truths about human nature
conform to some inner truth (man as we want him to be)
Makes the character understandable and worth caring about.
respond in some way: positive, negative, or if really well done, often mixed as it speaks to the complexity of the character.
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