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How To Develop Backstories For Your Characters

  • All levels
  • 16 and older
  • $199.99
  • Earn 2,000 reward points
  • Live Online
  • 118 hours & 45 minutes over 5 sessions

Start Dates (0)

  • $199.99
  • 118 hours & 45 minutes over 5 sessions
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Class Description

Description

What you'll learn in this screenwriting class:

The creation of characters begin with well thought out psychological back stories. Developing backstories for characters involve many decisions on the part of the writer. Whether your protagonist has a personality disorder, mental illness, or just a loveable quirk can make all the difference in selling your script. Character flaws are what make your characters believable and relatable. All psychological flaws can be traced back to childhood and environmental conditions one grew up in. These flaws are then exasperated with the stresses of adulthood and are what make your characters jump off the page and onto the screen.

At the conclusion of this course you will have gone through the process of developing psychological backstories for your protagonist and supporting characters. You will also have created an environment in which your characters come to life as their personalities either mesh with their environment or thrive in spite of it.

In this course you will learn from a professional with production experience:
  • How to find and identify the best character flaws for your characters.
  • How to peel back layers of a personality and carefully introduce seeds of a disorder.
  • When to have that disorder present itself in the most believable way, serving your story.
  • Where to find resources to a plethora of personality flaws, whether they be little quirks, emotional/psychological conditions, or full blown personality disorders.
  • How to assign character flaws to supporting characters and enhance relationship drama.
Note: Our courses do not have a set time because the instructor is available the entire day for each day the course is active.

Remote Learning

This course is available for "remote" learning and will be available to anyone with access to an internet device with a microphone (this includes most models of computers, tablets). Classes will take place with a "Live" instructor at the date/times listed below.

Upon registration, the instructor will send along additional information about how to log-on and participate in the class.

Refund Policy

We’re absolutely confident that you will enjoy and benefit from your online workshop experience, and your paid registration guarantees a place for you. Because that place cannot be filled after the registration cut-off date, if circumstances do force you to withdraw, the following refund policies apply:

  • If you cancel before the start of the workshop, or if the school cancel or reschedule a course, you are entitled to a full refund.
  • No refunds will be given after the start of the course.
In order to cancel your registration, you must notify us by email at [email protected] refund calculations will be based on the date/time the email is received by us. Your email message must include: your full name, registered email address (if different from the address you are emailing us from), and the name and date of the course you wish to un-enroll.

Failure to submit assignments or “attend” the course DOES NOT constitute an official cancellation. Notifying the instructor will also not result in a withdrawal. You must contact our customer service team using the email address above.

Refunds take 4-6 weeks to process, and will only be given via the same form of payment you used when registering.

In any event where a customer wants to cancel their enrollment and is eligible for a full refund, a 5% processing fee will be deducted from the refund amount.

In the event that an instructor or the school needs to cancel at the last minute, students will receive a refund less a 5% non-refundable registration fee.

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Screenwriters University

Whether you're completely new to writing screenplays or you're an experienced screenwriter looking to add a new skill, Screenwriters University has courses for you. Our award-winning instructors will guide you through the entire screenwriting process from Fade In to Fade Out, while also sharing insider...

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