<p>Film as Literature Mr. Kummerow Name: AWF: Chapter 3 Outline Characterization  To be interesting, characters must seem real, understandable, and worth caring about  If characters are truly credible, it’s impossible to remain completely neutral toward them  Frank Capra, Director o “You can only involve an audience with people…give them something to worry about, some person they can worry about, and care about,...and you’ve got them involved.”  Appearance o Characterization is revealed visually and instantaneously . A great deal to do with casting o When we see actors . Make certain assumptions  Facial features, dress, physical build, and mannerisms . Establishes character  Dialogue o Reveal a great deal about themselves . What they say . How they say it  Word choice, stress, pitch, and pause patterns  Grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, particular dialects . Reveals social and economic level, educational background, and mental processes  External Action o Appearances are misleading o Best reflections of character are a person’s actions . They do what they do for a purpose . Motives are consistent with their overall personality . Actions should grow naturally out of the character’s personality  Reflects their quality o Most ordinary choices can be revealing o Most effective characterization is achieved through small, seemingly insignificant actions rather than large ones  Internal Action o Consists of secret, unspoken thoughts, daydreams, aspirations, memories, fears, and fantasies o Hopes, dreams, and aspirations are as important as any real achievement o Fears and insecurities are more terrible than any real catastrophic failure o Filmmaker reveals inner reality by taking us visually or aurally into the character’s mind . Fleeting glimpses revealed by means of metaphors . Tight close-ups . Reaction shots . Musical score</p><p>1 Film as Literature Mr. Kummerow Name: AWF: Chapter 3 Outline</p><p> Reactions through Other Characters o The way other characters view a person . A man’s emphasis on saying a name  Tone of voice . Conversations with other characters . Reactive characterization  Through Contrast: Dramatic Foils o Foils = Contrasting characters . Behavior, attitudes, opinions, lifestyle, physical appearance o Characterization through contrast  Caricature and Leitmotif o Caricature . Exaggerate or distort one or more dominant features or personality traits . Physical feature, voice quality or accent o Leitmotif . Repetition of a single action, phrase, or idea until it becomes almost a trademark . Essentially exaggerates and emphasizes like caricature o Modern films do not use this technique effectively or extensively  Choice of Name o Name Typing . Names possessing appropriate qualities of sound, meaning, or connotation o Names should not be taken for granted o Carefully examined for connotations they communicate . Generalized connotations . Unpleasant connotations . Names draws its effect from both its meaning and its sound o Film actors’ names are often changed to fit the image they project . John Wayne = Marion Morrison  Varieties of Characters o Stock Characters / Stereotypes . Stock  Minor characters  Completely predictable  Not unique or memorable personalities  Natural part of the setting . Stereotypes  Greater importance to the film  Preconceived patterns of behavior  Representative of a large number of people</p><p>2 Film as Literature Mr. Kummerow Name: AWF: Chapter 3 Outline</p><p> o Static vs. Dynamic or Developing . Developing  Affected by the action of the plot o Undergo some important change as a result . Change is important and permanent  Character will never be the same . Dynamic  Sadder or wiser, or happier and more self-confident  Gain new awareness o Become more… . Mature or Responsible . Moral or Less . Aware and Knowing  Less Innocent or Naïve  Essential to serious Drama . Static  Essentially the same throughout  Action does not have an important effect  Insensitive to the meaning of the action  Not capable of growth  Essential to Comedy o Flat vs. Round . One is not inherently superior than the other  Implies how they function within the story . Flat  Predictable  Lack complexity and unique qualities  Representative character types . Round  Unique and individualistic  Some degree of complexity  Cannot be easily characterized</p><p>3</p>