CVD - Character Voice (Lesson)
Character Voice
Introduction
"When I first started writing in Chicago, a couple of people that worked in the newspaper said, 'Oh, this guy just takes a tape recorder and goes onto the bus and records people,'" he says. "I thought, 'Well that's a pretty high compliment.'" -David Mamet
David Mamet is a Tony-nominated playwright known for his spontaneous-sounding characters. He suggests that the writer let the characters write the dialogue. His plays include Glengarry Glenn Ross and Oleoanna.
Writing specific character voices in your dialogue takes time but can be achieved with the right amount of character study and research. After taking the time to get to know your characters in detail, the voices flow more naturally.
"Enter the minds of your characters. If you've done the requisite character development, you should be able to too, and an over-reliance on plotting might sabotage the potential chemistry when your invented personalities meet." - David Mamet's Top 9 Tips for Writing Dialogue
In this lesson, you will explore various ways to study your character's inner life for the purpose of creating a unique and justified character voice.
Character Voice
A characters’ speech helps illustrate the character's personality. A pitfall for young playwrights is that all the characters in a play sound the same (often like the playwright). In the presentation below, we will look at some methods for establishing character voice.
Click HERE Links to an external site. to access a list of some common aspects of character dialogue that contribute to character voice that was discussed in the presentation above.
Researching Character Voice
The best way to learn more about what makes someone’s speech sound natural and unique is through research. In the presentation below, you will learn how to research the world around you for a character's voice.
Character Analysis
In order to have clarity for who your character is and what your character wants, you need to make some decisions. One place to start is with a quick character analysis questionnaire. Actors use these frequently to flesh out the unwritten aspects of who their character is. In the presentation below, you will be introduced to a sample character analysis questionnaire.
Click HERE Links to an external site. to access a sample character analysis questionnaire that was discussed in the presentation above.
Guideposts
We all wear different masks with different people. Michael Shurtleff’s Auditions provides actors with 12 guideposts that help the actor create specific choices about a character in a timely fashion. Writers can also get a great deal out of looking at some of Shurtleff’s guideposts. In the presentation below, you will be introduced to eight guidepost questions to answer as the character to help clarify how the character will function in the world as well as hone the internal monologue.
Click HERE Links to an external site. to access a copy of the guidepost questions for the character discussed in the presentation above.
Metaphorical Character Choices
There is another exploration to consider in metaphorical character choices. Sometimes the tone or approach of a character is enhanced by focusing on a metaphorical understanding of the character. In the presentation below, you will be introduced to some common character metaphors.
Generating a Character Voice From Scratch
All of this research will help to define a character for a story that is in the early planning stages, but sometimes you simply need to practice creating characters. The following exercises are great ways to explore generating character and character voices from scratch.
Opening Lines
This is an exercise that allows the playwright to attempt to create a clear relationship without using any names or labels (“Mom,” “Grandpa,” “Teacher,” etc.). In the presentation below, you will be introduced to a set of sample lines you could use for an opening scene.
Click HERE Links to an external site. to access a copy of the list of opening lines discussed in the presentation above.
Characters from Photos
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but only the person that puts it on paper decides which ones. Writing from photos is a great exercise or journaling practice that allows the playwright to explore the research of imagination based on visual prompts. In the presentation below, you will see how to generate a character's voice using photos and guidepost questions.
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