How to Develop Dynamic Characters

What do Get Out, Breaking Bad, Pulp Fiction, and Friends have in common? Each of these stories has memorable, multi-dimensional, and dynamic characters. You might have an unforgettable story with a compelling hook, but you also need to build complex characters and relationships that audiences connect with and invest in.

In this four-week course, you will take a deep dive into the inner workings of your characters with exercises designed to help bring them to life - from their backstory to their behavior and dialogue. Whether you are writing a feature-length screenplay or a television series, this course will provide you with tools to flesh out your cast of primary and secondary characters, which will ultimately help strengthen your story.

What you bring to the course:

• An interest in learning how to create characters from the ground up.
• A character, screenplay, or episodic idea that you would like to develop (you do not need to have a screenplay or pilot to participate).

What you’ll get from the course:

• An understanding of what makes a well-developed character
• Approaches to develop your characters and create turning points in their journey
• Exercises to give characters a life of their own through behavior and dialogue

This course will:

• Provide tools and techniques to apply to any project.
• Connect you with other creators via a discussion board where you can discuss core concepts and share your work.
• Highlight successful screenplays with dynamic characters

For an additional fee of $150, you may elect to meet with your Instructor for a 45-minute 1-1 session during the course term. You would submit work in advance and then in this 1-1 session, your Instructor would provide feedback on one of the following documents:

• A character breakdown (no more than three pages)
• A synopsis of your story (no more than three pages)
• A selected scene from your work (no more than five pages)

A limited number of need-based scholarships are available and are considered on a rolling basis as they are received. Those who apply earlier will have a greater chance of getting support. To apply for a scholarship, please complete the registration form and follow the instructions on the left side to fill out a scholarship application.

Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Accommodations and services are designed to meet the needs of each participant. Please email us at accessibility@sundance.org to arrange for services.