Character Profiles

[Tiff]

What exactly do you put in character profiles? I have 8 characters that I have to profile and I don't know what else to put in there, except their ages...Can anyone help or advise me with this?

[life_boy]

I've never done one before but I imagine you'd put personal information about them (like a resumè of sorts)?  Their past, their plans, etc.  Again, I don't know exactly but that's kind of what it sounds like it means.

[Recce]

One thing that always helps me. This'll sound stupid and obvious, but whatever. You put your characters name in the center of a page and draw out branches, explaining things about him(ex.: he's divorced, he has a sister, etc.) From there, you develop the character more and more. It helps a lot, I find. Once you've done this and have enough info, you can write up your character profile. It'll make it much easier.

[kotte]

One great tip if you're trying to come up with a character is to write a letter from him/her.

Just pretend you're that person who's writing a personal letter. If you have ideas about the character they will flow onto the page.

Chris

[ReelHotGames]

As for content of a profile, it's so wide open, but things to stick with are key background pieces, from how they were raised in their environment to schooling and growth etc... Plus anything that will be key leading up to the emotions of the script itself

One thing to remember is that people can be irrational, people snap, but what leads them to that snap at that moment, that's part of their profile. Or why is this person cold and callous, did it start at age five age 16 what was it that turned them off, that's part of the profile.

Basically anything that has made the character who they are today, andything big or small that feeds into their psyche and background and job and how they got where they are when you begin your story.