Character Bio To obtain a well-rounded concept of your character’s personality, analyze both his internal and external qualities. The internal aspects include: 1. What is your full name? 2. Do you have any nicknames? 3. Where and when were you born? 4. Where do you live (town, country)? 5. Describe your family (brothers, sisters, mother, father, spouse, children) 6. Describe your external qualities a. Posture: Is it slumped, stiff, relaxed, attractive? Does it suggest timidity, grace, awkwardness? b. Movement and gesture: Does it convey poise, nervousness, weakness, strength. How do you walk? Does it indicate age, health, attitude? c. Mannerisms: Do you bite your nails, clear your throat, keep you hands in pockets, chew gum, scratch your head when your thinking, doodle on paper? d. Voice: Is it pleasant, high pitched, god awful annoying, calm? Does your voice have a twang or a drawl? e. Dress: Is your appearance neat, casual, sloppy, clean, dirty? Are your clothes in good taste, flashy, fashionable, bought at the local dime store? 7. Describe your mental characteristics; are you intelligent, clever, dull, slow, average? 8. What are your emotional characteristics: Are you confident, outgoing, happy, poised? Are you sullen, confused, nervous, cynical, timid? What are your likes and dislikes? How do you respond to other people? How are their temperaments similar to yours? 9. What sort of education do you have (if any)? 10. Are you artistic, musical? 11. Do you prefer to be indoors or outdoors? Why? 12. What do you do in your free time? 13. What are your favorite foods? 14. Do you like to read, and if so, what? 15. What time do you get up in the morning? What time do you go to bed? 16. What is your favorite time of day and why? 17. What do you think about the opposite sex? 18. Are you in a close relationship with anyone? Describe it. 19. Who are your friends? Which ones are closest to you and why? 20. Do you have any animals? Which ones and why? 21. Do you have any prejudices? Describe them. 22. What is your greatest fear? Why? 23. What are your spiritual beliefs: What are your ideals? What are your beliefs, ethical code, religion? What is your attitude toward other people and toward life? 24. What makes you really happy, sad, angry? 25. Write about your childhood (things that may have influenced who you are today). 26. Pick out several of the other characters in the town and describe what you think of them and your relationship with them. Answering the above questions should give you a basic idea about your personality. Now become more specific by determining your motivating desire within the scene. What do you want? To determine this you may need to supply imaginatively the circumstances that precede the scene, in addition to studying the script. State the desire in terms of action: What will you do to satisfy your wishes? Ask yourself, ‘What would I do in the situation if I were the character?” Concentrate on the desire and the action.