Activity

Activity refers to the various actions your characters carry out.

A man you present alone holding a whisky bottle is probably alcoholic. A woman you present at home punishing her son is a strict mother and a boy you show working at his desk is a conscientious student.

Activity also allows you to reveal your characters’ or the hero’s personality. When he/she does something, is your hero efficient, rapid, precise and relaxed or to the contrary nervous and aggressive?

It is as simple and as complicated as that. Think in terms of Pictures.

Example Sophie loves to spend hours in the bathtub listening to classical music. When her mother knocks on the door, Sophie sinks down into the foam. Irritated to see the bathtub hasn’t been emptied, the mother is about to pull out the plug. Sophie shoots out of the water like a jack in a box. Her mother jumps, as usual, and as usual, Sophie bursts out laughing.

EXERCISE 12 Define the characters’ Activities and how they go about them.

Do this for every one of the characters in your film.

HELP Observe the people around you. What does their behavior reveal about their personality? (Verbal tics or twitches, glasses they compulsively take off and put back on, the way they keep checking their watch, body language, etc.)