I know that I'm not a actor but I write stories and scripts and I have some trouble and issues when it comes to writing characters, I was thinking about trying acting to get a better understanding of the mind set of a character, plus do you actors study psychology to help you with that? how do you study characters?
Acting : In the mind of characters by Gregory Barone
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Really interesting approach, Gregory Barone I think trying acting could genuinely help, physically embodying a character often reveals things you wouldn't catch just writing them on the page. I don't study psychology formally, but I do find that giving characters a strong internal want and fear usually does a lot of the heavy lifting. Curious what specific issues you're running into, is it dialogue, motivation, or something else?
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I think an acting class would be highly beneficial to any screenwriter Gregory Barone I did actually minor in psychology along with my major in theater. My job as an actor, is act as if it is actually happening to me, and understand why someone behave they way they do, or why they might make the choices they do, helps me build that character based on the given circumstances of the script. We all, have reasons we do the things we do, consciously or unconsciously. The more I learn about myself and how childhood informs our adulthood, the more I can bring to a character.
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Krenda Alice Well, sometimes its dialogue and how two characters interact with each other, being its just me and my point of view it sounds the same in tone and the issue is how to get in the mind of the character, in one story I have a tailor and a princess talking in a fantasy midivil setting and how would they talk, I know that I can make a character outline for each but I still feel like I'm missing some thing! A, I could post parts here for review or B, ask AI for help. another idea is to try and find a character similar to the one I made?
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Suzanne Bronson thanks for that bit on how would I react if it was me, but one issue is the female characters! being I'm a guy.
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Gregory Barone Such a common trap, voice bleeding into every character. Try leaning into status: the princess speaks composed and measured, the tailor more direct and practical. Posting excerpts here could help too, an outside ear often catches 'sameness' fast. What's the scene about?
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Krenda Alice basically the tailor came to a castle to save the princess.
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Gregory Barone Great twist, a tailor instead of a knight already says a lot. Try letting the princess speak with practiced formality even in danger, while the tailor thinks in trade metaphors, measuring, stitching, patching a plan. Reinforces he saves her through cleverness, not swordplay. How far along is the script overall?
Krenda Alice it's done but I can do some small reworks on it. do you want to read it?
There are so many different types of characters. Each can have a different want or need in a scene. Some are protagonists and some are antagonists/villains. Ask what is the character's intention, why and obstacle. What do they want or need in the scene? Why do they need it? What will happen to them if they don't succeed and what is preventing them from getting it and what do they need to overcome?