If you’re getting notes that readers don’t believe in your characters’ actions or that you don’t understand a certain region or culture or fail to master the basics of a character’s occupation, it’s time to do some research!
Here are three quick ideas to keep in mind when researching your characters for screenplays.
1. Research can derail your plans. And that’s okay. Sometimes, we create a character because we need him to generate a complication or execute a plot twist. Then, when we start doing our research, we learn that reality doesn’t match our pre-conceived ideas. Don’t panic. It’s part of the process. Deepening your understanding of the character will serve your story in the end and you may realize a new wrinkle to a slightly different plot twist that’s even more compelling than the original idea.
2. Record it. Legendary screenwriter Mardik Martin famously tape recorded real prostitutes, pimps, and cab drivers to create authentic dialogue in Mean Streets and subsequent films. Don’t settle for your idea of how people talk – however brilliant. Grab a recording device, start a conversation, and listen. The unique dialect and perspectives of real people might eclipse your ideas for idiosyncratic characters.
3. Start watching YouTube. Envy might awaken generations of writers from their graves. We have access to wide-ranging subcultures with a click and a few minutes of our time. Take advantage. If you’re writing about a group of people unfamiliar to you, there’s almost certainly a YouTuber who can speak to lived experience from that group. One important caveat: some personality types would never make YouTube videos, so you won’t get a truly representative sample of people, but it’s a damn good start.
Hunter goes over these and options for character research in our latest video, even during the pandemic and gets specific in terms of research with this upcoming film, using a librarian character as an example of why research is important and how to get started.
To check out the video, please check out the screenwriting section of our members-only Patreon page.