Episode 16: Writing Screenplay Characters 

I so appreciate your videos Mr. Guerdat! As an aspiring writer I want to understand the craft of storytelling--not just structure. You never let me down. Please keep uploading videos!

Finally you are back 🎉

Mr. Andy Guerdat, by far to me u are one of the BEST!

Thank you from Saudi Arabia.

To me this is miracle that I can learn from such a genius and experience mind in the business from other side of the world without leaving my bedroom. Thank You sir...

I've watched all the lessons. I knew that the content was good by just watching the first minute of your first video. Thank you

The difference between what you teach compared to others is that after watching your videos I'm inspired to take what I've learned and write. Most everything else I watch is a regurgitation of the usual textbook fodder, but with you I always learn something new. Thank You.

I thought you quit!!! 😂😂😂 Class back in session!

Great stuff ❤

Thank you Andy this video comes at a crucial time in my rewrite and cannot thank you enough how helpful these tips on character building are. The choice of clips and your treasure trove of knowledge is awesome. I totally agree with you when you say choose Character over Plot cause only that helps in connecting with the character as well as the story. Loved the part where you explain how characters can be made to look,sound and behave differently. Eagerly awaiting the session on Dialogue. Thank you Sir 🙂

Mr. Guerdat, I honestly cannot describe how great your videos are! You put so much value into in them! I especially like to rewatch some parts before the writing sessions, keeps my motivation up 🔥 I really do believe that thanks to your hard work there will be more great and well written movies in the nearest future ❤ please continue with your RU-vid project 😊

Fantastic, thank you Andy

Loving it. Loving it! LOVING IT!!! 💯

Your lectures are a revelation. The insights and theories you provide as a professional working writer are invaluable. I'm definitely looking forward to the next session on dialogue. Thank you Andy!

I gotchu Andy! I’ll make that movie you want to go see all thanks to you!

I love this channel. I have no idea why it's not bigger. I'm ALWAYS learning something in your videos

Uncle Andy! Always glad to see you again... By now, I think I should just share credits with you given how much of my screenplay I changed due to your precious advice. CHEERS!!!

Thank you from Ukraine!

Excellent, as always.

¡MUCHAS GRACIAS DESDE ESPAÑA! Great that you are back. Fantastic teacher, please, keep up the good work.

You’ve inspired me to wear more Hawaiian shirts 😎

It's so wonderful how easily you break down and explain these methods. Every time you make a video it inspires me to take another look at my scripts. Would you do a video on focusing on thriller/horror, similar to how you did comedy?

"I promise you, I had nothing to do with it", Great.

Thanks Andy!

31:30 I think there are exceptions to this rule. If we're talking about the main characters: if you make two characters identical at the beginning of the story, you can then show how identical individuals under the pressure of different circumstances choose different paths. I.e. a story with the message that circumstances choose us, not we choose circumstances. If we're talking about secondary characters, then two identical characters can, in terms of the internal mechanics of the piece, be like one character. Partner cops in comedies, who play the role of a minor antagonist to the same partners of the protagonists. Their identity emphasizes the presence of personal problems in communication between the two protagonists. Or you can also introduce "identical" characters to show how different the main character is. The White Crow. That would work in a teen drama. I.e. a student striving for knowledge, justice or something positive surrounded by students thinking only about consumption and fun. Everyone would look different but act the same. Or in a dystopian movie like Equilibrium. 47:30 I think any mentally healthy person with a lot of personal experience should be able to put themselves in the other person's shoes. At least if he wants to do it. If a person is unable to put themselves in another person's shoes as a high school student, it's probably just youth, but if a mature person is unable to do so, it's a mental disorder.

thank you for these videos, great information, very smart!

I was literally looking at your socials, Andy to find out why this channel hadn't posted for some time. Soooo glad for this newest video!!!

33:54 what do you think about the method of creating and differentiating characters based on their perspectives revolving a premise, theme, situation, etc? For a theme: How many opinions or perspectives could be had about this? Motivations? Then turn each opinion into one person. For a general plot idea: What’s it about? What moral, emotional, or philosophical issue might the people in your world argue about? The people on either side of that argument = your cast. No matter your starting point, you always will have a cast of characters orbiting something. And since they have differing perspectives, these characters are going to be in conflict with each other. Differences set the characters up for conflict and conflict = story. Another thing, you want them to not only have different attitudes and opinions, but also different “souls” (core beliefs, coping mechanism to trauma that effects every part of my life).

Fan from india

So the character is the collection of themed motivations and actions?

You can tell force majeure was a European film. In an American film the dad would have just said to his family "Aw cmon guys I was totally messin' with you. Of course I love this family, group hug!" and they'd move on to the REAL story lol.

one thing I learned by watching your videos back-to-back was that the writer has way more control( and responsibility) of how the scene turns out than I originaly had thought. But when it comes to let actors know how to play something, do you ...direct them a little bit( "Sorry," he said touching her hand softly) or perhaps using ( what I avoid when writing a novel) adverbs and expect the actor to "show"( "Sorry," he said sympathetically)?

.....make them different or get rid of somebody.------- YES great

I have two pairs of mirror characters. The first is a pair of bickering (Roman) senators, who despise each other but are forced to work together. I can see how making them different enhances this conflict. The second is a pair of Germanic recruits. I put them in for reaction shots to say "These Romans are crazy". It makes sense to me that they are a couple, and it makes sense that they are almost identical. Is this very wrong?

when the protagonist was walking down the street, you used an attractive girl and a homeless person as examples. you could of used anything and/or anyone as examples. how do you know which examples to use, when writing ? does the protagonist cross paths with people that are in the script ? how do you pick the specific people and/or things the protagonist walks by ? thank you.....your channel is amazing....

No. This is a horrible advice. if you have to choose between character and plot choose plot, but hey.. if any of you are capable of understanding that, or even understanding what constitutes a point of friction between two things that are so tightly linked .. you would have become successful writers already.. instead.. you are going to think.. " A random youtube comment VS a working Hollywood writer with a youtube channel. I would take the Hollywood writer" Good luck. btw David Mamet famously said that there is no such thing as character, there is nothing but the plot and its all what you should think about when writing.. but he doesn't have a youtube channel so take what he says with a grain of salt.