Four Steps to Structuring Character

If you’ve been following my 4-part series on the transformational arc, today you’ll receive my final installment and learn the steps to structuring character transformation.

If you missed last week’s Part 3, read about the Protagonist’s Statement of Transformation here.

In addition to having a concrete goal, a protagonist may also have a so-called “need”, which is a subconscious psychological desire to embrace a character trait that they are lacking. Maybe they are lacking courage, or kindness, or in the case of the character Thelma in the Hollywood classic “Thelma and Louise”, a sense of independence.

The first step in creating a character transformation is to define the polarity shift.  In other words, how will your character change?  From aggressive to passive?  From self-absorbed to generous?  In the case of Thelma, she moved from passive housewife to assertive outlaw.

The second step is to set up the midpoint scene.  Screenwriters use the term “midpoint” to mean many things; I am referring to a crisis that brings forth the first sign of character transformation. As screenwriting teacher Louise Rafkin has pointed out, at the midpoint of “Thelma and Louise”, Louise sleeps with a hooker (played by Brad Pitt) who steals her money. This causes her to take control of her life and leads to her first bold robbery.

The third step, going back to the polarity concept, is to define that initial character trait, that is, the early “self”, in one to three scenes that happen prior to the midpoint. For example, you may recall Thelma cowing to her husband’s demands in a phone call.

The fourth step is to then craft a couple scenes after the midpoint that show incremental change toward the new character trait.  By the end of the film, your protagonist should face their most daunting task, one that calls forth a supreme effort and solidifies the “new self” they have been creating.

Of course, applying these screenwriting concepts to documentary films takes storytelling chops, but directors Andrew Jarecki (Capturing the Friedman’s), Brian Knappenberger (The Internet’s Own Boy) and Joe Berlinger (Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) show us masterful possibilities.

You can learn more about character transformation in my online seminar The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary.

Here’s what director Jen Burke said about the seminar:

“Karen Everett’s course was more informative than I could have imagined. It transformed my thinking and approach to making my documentary. Anyone with a story to tell or an idea to explore would benefit especially if they took the course before shooting. It helps with planning and prevents filmmakers from wasting time and funds.”