In a series characters probably change a little over the course of each story, but if they
change too much, then their relationships have changed, and you no longer have that same
series. You have to watch out for that.
For television keep your characters simple, something you can establish (without detail)
in a speech or a half page of script. Your characters should have only two or three major
attributes. Keep them visually simple as well (see figures 5.1 and 5.2). A simple character
makes a better stuffed toy. The character animates more easily and ends up looking nicer in
a TV series because the artists can draw or model him better and quicker. Every detail and
extra color adds pencil time or modeling time during the animation process, adding up to
increased animation expenses. When designing, think three-dimensionally for toys and for
animation because the character must be drawn or modeled and seen from every angle as
she moves.
As you’re designing these characters, you’ll want to show what they look like from all
angles (front, back, and side, and possibly from a low angle and a high angle as well). You’ll
want them drawn in action and flaunting an attitude, showcasing their personality. You’ll
want them posed so that we can see easily what they’re doing if we can only see a silhou-
ette. We want to also see them in relationships with one or more of the other characters,
preferably in typical backgrounds of the series or film.
Okay—now you’ve developed your characters. Is a character missing... someone to set
off the other characters, set sparks flying, take the plot off in another direction? Try creat-
ing a situation in which your characters have to react. The way they react is the way you get
to know them and test their relationships.
Any character who is similar to another character shouldn’t be there. Remember that
characters should be as different from each other as possible to keep interest, provide con-
flict, and comment on the theme. Their traits and visual appearances should be different;
they should contrast in values, attitudes, lifestyles, and experience. A comedy, especially,
requires that each character contrast sharply with each other character to provide the
humor.
Let your characters evolve as you work with them. Changing one part of the puzzle
usually means adjusting others. This is a process; do some research of your own. Try out your
characters on your own kids, on your nieces and nephews, on a youth group. You might test
them at children’s wards in hospitals or as mascots. Make up a story about them to tell
your kids at bedtime. Watch reactions, ask questions, and make developmental changes
accordingly.
Keep your characters consistent. They must remain true to their core traits and to what
has made them who they are. Keep their choices consistent with their values.
Put your best character in the right concept for him. The concept and the character
should be a tight fit. Stories should stem from the personalities of the main characters.
Your Character in a Story
If you’re creating characters for a feature or a short as opposed to a series, then you want
to develop your characters to best tell your specific story. Characters have conflicts in dramas
and do funny things in comedy because they are so different. So their values in life must be
different. Your characters must be created with personalities that best express a conflict in
70 Animation Writing and Development