I was watching a video essay on Youtube yesterday, where the essayist came to the conclusion that Hollywood continues to make safe, passable movies because the average movie goer is cinematically illiterate. I was taken aback. There was a firestorm of debate in the comments section between those who agree; that the general viewing audience does not understand what makes a good movie; and those defending the likes of Paul Blart 2: Mall Cop, saying sometimes you want to unwind with a “turn off your brain” viewing experience.
I can empathize with both sides of the argument, however, I believe understanding the building blocks of narrative will not only help you separate the good from the bad, it will help you appreciate better than average movies, find the value of a movie without relying on reviews, and have a viewing experience that is worth your time and money.
So for our first filmic re-education lesson, let’s learn about character.
The first thing to understand about character, is that characters aren’t real people – they are constructs. They are metaphors for human nature; and our ability to perceive them to as real comes when we identify parts of ourselves in how they think and how behave. Robert Mckee says, “[Characters] are designed to be clear and knowable.” Without being too predictable, we can map out a character’s psychology and understand the motivations behind the choices they make. As an exercise, imagine any character you’ve ever seen and put them into a random situation. If they are well designed, you should be able to predict how the character will react, and what attitudes he will have.
The next thing to understand is that character can be broken down into 2 main parts. Characterization and True Character. I like to think of characterization as the first layer. It is the sum of all the observable qualities: like mannerisms, style of speech, age, IQ, personality, choice of home, choice of car, choice of clothes, values and attitudes. For example, Frank Underwood from House of Cards (2013-), is the Democratic Majority Whip for the United States. He was born in Gaffney, South Carolina, and has a wife but no children. He has no patience for weakness and is driven by power. He is a ruthless, lying, conniving hypocrite. One of the best quotes comes from one of his asides where he says, “In Gaffney, we had our own brand of diplomacy, shake with your right hand but hold a rock in your left.” A telling quote about how he is untrusting, but also how he himself is untrustworthy,
However, these “cosmetic” elements only show the mask of the character, and true character is only revealed in the second layer, in decisions the character makes under pressure. The greater the pressure, the truer to that character’s inherent nature. In the Harry Potter franchise, Professor Severus Snape’s characterization is as follows: He is the Potions Master, He has long black hair and wears black robes. He has an uncommon speech flow where he pauses before key words, stretches out “s” and “g” sounds and cuts “t” and “c” sounds. He is the head of the house with the worst reputation, holds an unknown grudge against the protagonist and plays favourites with the protagonist’s rival.
A great revelation of true character comes at the end of the third film where even after being attacked by the protagonist, Professor Snape protects them from danger, literally putting himself between the them and a threat. In that choice we learn Snape is a brave person, we learn he is a great teacher putting the safety of his students before his own, and we learn he is willing to set aside grudges of the past to shield the innocent. For all the personal victimization and villainy in the previous films, his decision to defend the main character in a high stakes situation in a moment’s notice is a revelation of true character.
So those are the basics of character. Next time you watch a movie or T.V. show, see if you can actively engage and find out if the writers have used these fundamentals.
Stay tuned for the next blog!
