
This course is made for screenwriters and ghostwriters and has been designed to focus entirely on how characters are built for movies and books.
My name is Christopher Makavelli, the creative director of the 18th Studios and I will be your guide on this course you're taking.
External Conflict: An external conflict which can be referred to as a character's wants is an external goal a character must achieve by the end of the movie or novel.
Internal Conflict: An internal conflict which can be referred to as a character need is essentially an internal struggle that a character is dealing with internally. Once he/she can overcome this, the goal is then made possible to achieve.
Identify a character's wants as external conflicts and needs as internal conflicts to drive pursuit of the ultimate goal, guiding you in building memorable characters for film, novels, and theater.
Explore techniques of characterization, from physical description, height, hair color such as purple, and clothing style, to dialogue, thoughts, actions, and interactions that reveal motives, conflicts, and relationships.
Create believable, well-developed characters who drive the plot with clear goals and obstacles, evoke emotion, and illuminate themes like identity, power, and morality.
Explore effective characterization across Hamlet, Harry Potter, and A Song of Ice and Fire, examining internal struggle, relationships, backstories, and moral dilemmas shaped by dialogue, actions, and interactions.
Analyze how Shrek's external goal to reclaim his swamp evolves into rescuing Princess Fiona, driving the quest and shaping his character development.
Explore Jack Dawson's external goals on the Titanic: board the ship, survive the voyage, protect Rose, rescue her from her engagement to Carl and oppressive life, and endure the sinking.
Discover the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relatable, and Time-bound) technique for establishing mg a clear and achievable character goal and external wants.
Explore how character goals drive plot, analyze wounds, and measure goal attainability and time-bound constraints. Practice identifying wants, external conflicts, relatability, and how these feed a clear, well-structured characterization.
Explore how internal conflict pits competing desires and fears in a character, driving their arc as ambition collides with loyalty, guided by Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Explore how internal conflicts drive character development through growth arcs, self-discovery, and emotional depth, revealing the philosophical and psychological underpinnings that make characters relatable and compelling.
Explore Frodo Baggins's internal fears and ring burden, Elizabeth Bennet's clash with societal expectations and prejudice, and Walter White's identity and moral compass driving his descent into crime.
Practice establishing three internal needs for each character's wants across genres, from Detective Jane Parker to Captain Elena Rodriguez, to reveal motivations and moral stakes.
Explore the essential elements of character profiling and apply practical guidelines to build real, believable characters that evoke empathy in readers.
Character profiling maintains continuity and believability by keeping behavior consistent, while motivations drive the plot and conflicts arise from clashes with external circumstances; detailed profiles add depth and three-dimensional complexity.
Craft obstacles reflecting a character’s goal and growth, resonating with desires and fears. Layer complexity with solvable challenges, raising stakes toward redeemable outcomes that advance the plot.
Characters serve as imaginative constructs that encapsulate and portray aspects of real-world individuals, offering fictionalized interpretations that reflect human complexities, behaviors, and emotions. Through their narratives, characters become conduits for exploring universal truths, societal issues, and personal experiences, providing audiences with insights into the human condition in ways that resonate deeply with our own lives.
This course delves into the philosophical foundations that underpin the creation of compelling characters in literature, film, and other forms of storytelling. It explores how concepts such as identity, ethics, authenticity, and existentialism shape the development of characters that resonate with audiences. Through philosophical analysis and case studies, students will gain insights into the complexities of character creation and learn to apply these principles to enhance their own storytelling abilities.
This course offers an in-depth exploration of the philosophical theories and principles that inform the creation of memorable and impactful characters in various narrative forms. Characters are not merely constructs but vehicles through which authors and creators explore profound themes and human experiences. Understanding the philosophical underpinnings of character development enriches the depth and authenticity of storytelling.
In storytelling and character development, the interplay between external goals and internal conflicts forms a cornerstone of narrative depth and philosophical exploration. External goals represent tangible objectives that characters pursue within the plot—such as achieving a mission, obtaining a prize, or overcoming an antagonist. These goals drive the external plot and provide structure to the story.
Conversely, internal conflicts delve into the character's inner turmoil, dilemmas, and emotional struggles. These conflicts often stem from deeper philosophical questions about identity, morality, purpose, and existential concerns. Internal conflicts shape the character's decisions, motivations, and growth throughout the narrative, adding layers of complexity and realism to their development.
This course merges these concepts into a cohesive unit by examining how external goals and internal conflicts intersect and influence one another within the broader framework of philosophical inquiry. By exploring characters through a philosophical lens, students gain insights into how external actions are informed by internal beliefs and motivations, and vice versa. They learn to analyze characters not only in terms of their plot-driven objectives but also through the lens of philosophical theories and principles.
Through lectures, discussions, case studies, and creative projects, students will explore how characters' external journeys reflect their internal struggles and philosophical dilemmas. They will critically examine how philosophical concepts such as ethics, existentialism, authenticity, and identity shape characters' decisions and narrative arcs. By merging external goals with internal conflicts, the course aims to deepen students' understanding of character development and enhance their ability to create compelling and resonant characters in their own storytelling endeavors.