Transcript
We as storytellers, when we tell stories, what we want to do is we want to give the viewer identification and in order to do that, we’re going to use emotions because that is what we all know and everybody of us went through emotions in their lives. So when we actually describe it or have a character, you know, that goes through certain emotions that’s how we attach the viewer to [the] a certain character or to the certain story. And the more this attachment, the more we get to the so-called, Aristotelian process of where we do cleanse ourselves.
Also because we are so emotionally attached that something starts moving within us and then we have to think about what is going on. You know, why am I so emotionally attached to this? I do believe the strong drive of all the storytellers to actually get something moving within the viewer. There are different approaches to [the] kind of topic on how to trigger deeper emotions. For me what is very very important is authentic and truthful. And that comes out of you, the writer. So whatever it is that you have experienced, whatever emotional way that you look at the world is the one that you have to approach your characters and your story.
In order to do that, you know, to really figure out what is going on in your world. You have to trust yourself. Listen to what other people tell you, listen to what is written in books, what are the tricks, what are the trades to really get there. But the moment that you figure out who you are and what you are doing, you will find your way in order to portray these emotions through the characters. And I want to give you an example of how I see it. There is a quite recent series out there called Fleabag.
And what we do is we watch a character, basically, a female character, which has a lot of neurosis going on, very complex character. And through her emotions and whatever state she is in, you know, she’s acting on it. So we do get along through the story just through her as a character and her emotions. And this is a very different approach, you know, other than to have a certain plot and then, you know, things happen just like this and the characters then act, you know, sometimes in that way and the other times in this way. And then you’re not really convinced about the emotional part that is going on there. And I do believe it comes really from just trusting more you also as a female being, where am I coming from? Where am I going to? And not let the outer world so much try to explain to you who you are and how you have to handle that, especially as a writer because that’s your material and that you’re taking out of it.
And I think what’s also interesting or where there was a little bit of a turning point in general when we’re talking about character-driven stories for me it was Breaking Bad and because even though it was still an action-filled TV series and what happened here is that we also have one character and this character has certain character traits and was pushed into a situation and then kind of stumbled from one moment into the next and it felt a lot more authentic. It felt a lot more than it comes out of the character. And I think this was also what drove the people so towards it because they could over a very long period of time actually watch the character, watch the emotional situations, understand why he’s acting like that, rather than just watch him acting like that.
And for me, that was a little bit of the turning point and we’re getting more and more and more also in the direction I do believe where we have female characters and where we have their situations and their lives being observed like this. And it’s really exciting to right now see what’s going on out there. So I really just want to encourage you. Think about what the story that you want to tell the character that you want to develop and then just go with it.
