Why You Should Lead Your Film with a *Character*
Have you ever made small talk with someone you didn’t know only to realize pretty quickly how boring they are?
I know.
It sounds super harsh, and I’m not trying to attack people or throw shade. But I think you know what I mean. You’re trying to force a conversation and trying to find something interesting to talk about, but they give you bland answers and it gets SO AWKWARD.
I’ve had this experience several times where I’m racking my brain to try to come up with a topic that might interest them, but when I’m unsuccessful… crickets.
This has also happened to me while interviewing someone on camera… they just come off as apathetic with no real passion or desire in their lives. This makes for a terrible interview, and an even worse story.
So let’s talk about this.
One of the main ingredients for a strong and impacting story is YOUR CHARACTER.
A STRONG STORY LEADS WITH A STRONG CHARACTER
I think a lot of times we get wrapped up in the cinematography, the music, the stylistic editing, and we forget that the most intriguing part of a story is the character in it.
Now, if you’re working on a true story (testimonial, brand story, etc.) then you can’t exactly make up your character and develop them into a strong character. But you CAN decide what characters you’re going to focus on.
Now you’re asking… okay, but what is a strong character?
This is something I can go over in 1:1 coaching. I can also give you tools to dig deep and find what makes a character strong/interesting.
For now I’ll tell you what a strong character is NOT:
A strong character is not apathetic
A strong character is not disengaged
A strong character is not perfect
A strong character is not conflict-free
So when you start working on your next story/project, take a moment to truly think about your character (whether you know who it is or you’re still looking).
Think about what aspects make them interesting, and why your audience will care about them… will they feel for them?
ACTIVITY: To practice this tip, think about your favorite character from your favorite movie. Ask yourself: What traits do they have? What makes me care about them? What makes me love them?
Ready for more?
Hope that gets you thinking! And hey, if you’re ready to truly get a grasp (and a formula) on how to tell engaging and effective stories, let’s chat about my 1:1 coaching!
I can give you SO many tools that will help you find strong characters and structure your story to make it IMPACTING & EFFECTIVE!