What is an engaging character?

Whether you think of characters like “The Dude” from The Big Lebowski or Hannibal Lector in The Silence of The Lambs, there’s one thing all great characters have in common…

They captivate us. 

Whether that is because of their carefree, happy-go-lucky attitude or their cold, sadistic inner world it doesn’t matter.

Even though you may not have much in common with your average super villain, I’m sure at one point or another you found yourself thinking…

“You know, I kinda get where they’re coming from.”

You don’t agree with how they do it but on a base level you understand how they came to their conclusion.

So how do we create characters that demand attention? Here are four quick ways to help develop and create engaging characters.

Step 1 – Name Your Character 

Darth Vader. Ellen Ripley. Donnie Darko. Snake Plissken. 

You want a simple, cool name that isn’t over-the-top but packs a punch. 

There’s lots of different factors to take into account, where your character lives, what they do for a living, their familial background… 

Nobody hires an accountant named Ace Ventura — but a rodeo clown named John Thompson would raise a few eyebrows too.

If you can’t think of anything good, steal something better. 

Here’s a list of five places I’ve found character names in the past. (Don’t judge me.) 

1. Facebook
2. Phone Books
3. Obituaries (Morbid, I know…)
4. Family Ancestry
5. College Graduation Programs 

Just mix and match until you find something you like. 

You can also look up name meanings that match the theme of your story.

Maybe it’s a comedy about a woman winning the lottery. 

The name Felicity means “luck or good fortune”, might be a cool easter egg for people paying attention. 

Step 2 – Find Your Character’s Voice

Nobody wants to watch a film where everybody sounds the same. 

A good test to determine whether there is enough diversity in your dialogue is to remove the character names from above the dialogue in a conversation. 

You want to be able to know who is speaking without being told. 

Here’s a quick example from Breaking Bad: 

“Three entire bags of Funyuns?”

“What? Funyuns are awesome.” 

“God.” 

“Hey, more for me.”

“How about something with some protein maybe? Something green huh?”

“Man, I’m not getting no service.”

“How are you even alive?”

This is a very basic scene but you can still pretty much tell which character is which because of the unique way they speak. 

A great book to check out on this subject is: 

How To Write Dazzling Dialogue: The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript

Another thing to keep in mind is that characters should always have a goal and intention in each and every scene. 

No matter how small of a goal it is, dialogue should be driving action and moving the story forward. 

But people don’t always say what they mean so remember not to be too forthright and make use of body language and expression. 

Don’t forget you’re writing these words for an actor, who acts for a living. 

This means most of the time, you don’t need as many words as you think to convey the correct emotion. 

Sometimes silence is the best dialogue. 

Step 3 – Dress Your Character 

Some people dress to express themselves and convey an image — others dress purely for comfort or utility. 

However, an outfit always says something about the person who’s wearing it. 

So when you’re planning your characters think through their wardrobes, where they shop, and what their attitude is towards style. 

Say you see a person who’s wearing a Tom Ford suit, has a bluetooth glued to their ear, and pulls out a gucci wallet. 

You’re probably going to assume different things about them — as opposed to someone wearing neon crocs, cargo pants, and a tie-dye shirt. 

Wardrobe can also contribute to the theme of a film. 

Say a character feels invisible, what better way than to see them walking in a crowd of people all wearing similar outfits? 

Maybe they’re an odd duck, so you make sure their style is in contrast to everyone surrounding them in their scenes.

Even if your character’s wardrobe is generic doesn’t mean that you’re not making a statement. 

So go ahead and think it through before you tell your actors to wear whatever. 

Step 4 – Build Out Their Environment

(This is the last one. You can do it!) 

Lastly, I am going to talk about your character’s environment.

Specifically the ones that they have created themselves. 

Try to picture exactly what your character’s world looks like through their eyes. 
What kind of vehicle do they drive?

Do they hang a specific type of art on their walls?

Maybe there is a favorite meal they like to cook for themselves.

Is their house squeaky clean or disorganized? 

Do they have any keepsakes they keep with them at all times? 

All of these things can have a major influence on your character building.

These can also be reversed to find ways to apply pressure to your character.

They might be a control freak and anytime something is out of order it causes them to panic. 

Or they don’t really have anywhere that feels like home so you surround them with foreign environments where they’re unrelaxed.  

Every single aspect of your story and it’s environment can reflect aspects of your characters.

So before you create another John or Jane Doe remember…

You can do better. 

About the guest writer

My name is Adam Petrey. I’m a filmmaker and the founder of the Film School Sucks newsletter. 

(Even if you went to film school, you can still subscribe. I promise I’m not that mean!)

Every single Tuesday, I send free educational and motivational content to support indie filmmakers along their creative journeys.

Click here to sign up for my always 100% free newsletter

YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @FILMSCHOOLSUCKS FOR REALLY AWESOME TIPS, TRICKS, AND INFOGRAPHICS.