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Lesson 5

We will finalize our portrait of a central character for our proposed movie in the Movie Character Tool, describing the character’s arc and backstory in relation to the story spine we have outlined. We will learn and think about the concepts of protagonist and antagonist and begin to plan other characters that will play important roles in our movie. We will then prepare for the Section Diagnostic task of writing and presenting a character sketch of our central character, which will become a component of our movie’s pitch packet.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I critically assess stereotypes and prejudices reflected in the movies I analyze?

  • Can I summarize the main arguments and conclusions in the documentary Half the Picture?

Texts

There are no texts for this Lesson.

Materials

Tools

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Discuss

We will read about protagonists and antagonists in our Filmmaking Glossary and discuss these character relationships in movies we have seen.

Step 1

Access the Character Development in Movies section of the Filmmaking Glossary, specifically the entry for protagonists.

Read, annotate, and discuss key ideas from this entry in relation to what you have already learned about character development in movies.

Make an entry in your Vocabulary Journal defining the word protagonist.

As a class, discuss example characters from movies you have seen, and how they exemplify what the term protagonist means.

Share examples of the central characters you have developed for your proposed movies and discuss how they are the protagonists within the stories you have outlined.

Step 2

Now, access the entry for antagonist in the Character Development in Movies section of the Filmmaking Glossary.

Read, annotate, and discuss key ideas from this entry in relation to what you have learned about character development in movies.

Make an entry in your Vocabulary Journal defining antagonist.

As a class, discuss example characters from movies you have seen who serve as antagonists and how they are important to the development of the protagonist and the plot.

Activity 2: Write

We will complete the Movie Character Tool we have developed for our movie’s central character, thinking about our character’s backstory, arc, and relationship to the story’s antagonists.

Using the story spine you have developed and other notes, complete the Movie Character Tool for your central character, the protagonist.

As you describe the character’s backstory and arc, include information about the antagonists your character may conflict with, and how those conflicts figure into your protagonist’s character arc and your movie’s story spine.

Activity 3: Read – Discuss

We will review the section 4 diagnostic checklist to understand what will be expected of us.

Access the Section 4 Diagnostic Checklist. With a partner, read and annotate the task description.

As a class, discuss the bulleted list of expectations for the task, especially the item about presenting and describing your character’s arc in the present tense, as if it is happening in a movie you are watching.

In developing your character sketch, be sure to do the following:

  • Briefly introduce your character, including a sentence or two about their role in your movie’s story.

  • Describe your character’s external and internal traits, as if you are showing an introductory picture of who they are.

  • Analyze what your character wants and needs, explaining how these characteristics take them somewhere within the movie’s story.

  • Tell your character’s backstory, indicating how a movie audience might learn about these details.

  • Present a narrative character arc that describes what happens to the character within your movie’s three-act story spine; include obstacles and conflicts faced by your character and how they are resolved.

  • Write the descriptions of your character and the events of their arc in the present tense.

  • Form a claim about how and why your character is central to your movie’s concept, theme, and message.

Ask any clarifying questions, and make a list of what you will need to do to prepare for writing your sketch in Lesson 7.

Activity 4: Write

For homework, we will prepare to write our detailed character sketches for the Section Diagnostic by reviewing our Movie Character Tools, drafting trait descriptions and character arcs, and forming claims about the character’s importance.

For homework, thoroughly review the Movie Character Tool you have developed for your movie’s central character.

Think about how you will introduce your character, describe their external and internal traits, and present their backstory. Free-write an introductory paragraph that you can work from when writing your final draft.

Think about how you will tell your character’s story arc in the present tense, as if it is happening before the audience’s eyes in a movie. Free-write a narrative of the story that you can work from when writing your final draft.

Determine how your character is important in developing your proposed movie’s concept, theme, and message. Form a claim that explains how the character is central to your movie.

Plan to use at least five terms from your Vocabulary Journal in your response to the Section Diagnostic.