Portfolio Project: Character development

Chapter 3 

Reading this article, I learned essential keys to creating a character. When developing my character, I will focus on the character, how all these small factors will contribute to building one big story of a person. The background, tone, flaws, relationships, uniqueness, everything about this person must be represented clearly and united to create the protagonist. 

Focusing on making my character somewhat relatable to my audience, building a connection with my viewers by making them part of the characters’ journeys. By including routine elements, I will create a sense of relation between the audience and characters on screen. Utilizing realism will be an indispensable component.  

Everything that comes before this moment shown on screen will be how the audience understands the character. Their, the character’s, background affects everything that happens, it contains their history, flaws, likes, dislikes, and essentially everything that makes them themselves. Whether the character came from wealth or poverty could affect their style choices. 

Flaws build character, they build complexity contributing to the interest of the character. The protagonist’s flaws, along with many other factors, will be shown throughout the film. The more the audience views the film the more they learn about the character through their interactions, tone utilized, the vocabulary choice, accents, all these components will play together to develop a distinctive personality. 

Creating Catalina 

Rose, formerly known as Catalina, will be the main character, the film will revolve around her life. I chose this name because I thought it created irony seeing the name Catalina originally means pure, whereas she isn't particularly involved in the purest business. A powerful businesswoman with dangerous past. She comes from the big city of New York where she ruled before having to flee. She was involved with dangerous people and was forced to leave everything but herself behind. Now moving from the big city to a small town in hopes of starting over, she realizes her unfinished business follows. 

Catalina comes from a wealthy family in upstate New York. She typically dresses elegantly in more neutral tones or when trying to make a statement she can be seen in bold dominating colors such as red. Along with her clothes she wears accessories like jewelry, diamonds, and purses reinforcing the idea that she is from the upper class. 

 

I created this Pinterest board using various images I found on Pinterest. This board represents Catalina’s fashion and style along with some aspects of her background, like growing up in New York. 

She is well spoken, which is another indicator she has a quality education, with a slight New York accent. Her tone is powerful yet gentle, it is not doubtful but assertive. When interacting with others she is polite and mannerly, in the film she will communicate in correlation with this description.  

Applying pressure to my “hero,” AKA Catalina, I will achieve this by creating a clock. Set up a problem that must be resolved within a given time, setting the timer that will create suspense. The situation will give my hero the opportunity to rise to the occasion and let her personality shine through, making my audience want the character to succeed rooting for my character while getting to know her. The viewers will be waiting to find out what is next, if the character made it, allowing my audience to stay interested throughout the entirety of the film.