Screenwriting : Sometimes, the hardest scenes are the quiet ones. by Tomás Daniel

I really like that perspective, Tomás. For me, what makes a character feel truly human is the tension between their choices and the consequences that follow. A character can make the right decision and still lose something important, and I think that is where the emotional truth of a story often lives. M’Kora sounds like a character carrying that kind of weight.

Hi, @Tomás. A character's actions, choices, the consequences of those choices, their personality, their appearance (clothes, hair, accessories, etc.), having a life goal(s), their hobbies, and other things make the character feel truly human to me.

You feel like you met them.

I guess for me it’s their flaws which often inform their choices and actions. Bonus points if it’s a flaw many people are guilty of but don’t want to admit it (my favourite being hypocrisy).

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh I completely agree. I think flaws become especially interesting when they’re connected to something the character genuinely believes is right. Sometimes a character can make a choice that seems completely justified to them, while the audience can already see the consequences coming.

That’s something I’m exploring with the characters in Zamora — their strengths can also become their weaknesses, depending on the situation. And I agree, hypocrisy is a fascinating flaw because it can be so difficult for a character to recognize in themselves.

Thank you for sharing this — it gives me another question to ask when developing a character: “What flaw might be influencing this choice without them realizing it?”

David Taylor That’s exactly what I hope to achieve with my characters, David. I want them to feel like people who existed before the story began and will continue to exist after it ends.

For me, the most interesting part is giving them different beliefs, flaws, fears, and ways of seeing the world — and then putting them in situations where those differences affect their choices.

That’s especially important in Zamora, because the conflict isn’t only about war. It’s also about people who have known each other, lived together, disagreed, loved, and carried their own history long before the larger conflict begins.

Thank you — “you feel like you’ve already met them” is honestly one of the best compliments a writer can receive.

Maurice Vaughan Absolutely. I agree. I think all those details work together to make a character feel like a complete person rather than just someone who exists to move the plot forward.

I especially like what you said about hobbies and everyday details. Those small things can reveal a side of a character that the main conflict never would.

That’s something I’m trying to explore with the characters in Zamora. Their choices are shaped not only by the war around them, but also by their personalities, relationships, ambitions, fears, and the lives they had before the conflict began.

For me, the goal is that when the audience sees them make a difficult choice, they understand why that particular person would make it.

Thank you for sharing this, Maurice. It’s a great reminder that even the smallest character details can have a purpose.

You're welcome, Tomás Daniel. And speaking of accessories, they can impactful scenes. A woman who has a purse can wear it on her shoulder while her hands are free to do other things. It's a small thing, but it can change how the character does things and how the scene plays out.