AtTheFaire.com Article - 2/10/01: How to Develop a Ren Character Part 2

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HOW TO DEVELOP A REN CHARACTER PART 2
by Mark Davio, ATF Staff Writer

Character Attributes

Now that you have worked on the last exercise, let’s start on your character’s attributes. Your attributes are the distinct qualities that set you apart from your self. Your character must be everything you are not. I am not referring to an altar-ego, or schizophrenia, but simply to become someone you are not. Let’s go back to our fictitious person from the last article, John the Knight. We saw that he did not have any distinction between himself and the person he was playing. Remember, although you have everything to look the part, you need depth in your presentation. You might imagine for a moment, John saying, ”Well at least my knight character wears clothes that I don’t wear, and speaks differently then me, what else do I need to separate myself from him”? Well, I think the best way to explain character attributes is to help John with his character. I will build a character for John and when I am done we will ask two questions.

Do we have a better understanding of his character?
Using this information, how can John use these qualities in his presentation?

John’s knight name is Argyrols, named after his Great, Great Grandfather who fought with the Romans during the war with the Britons. The son of Gondomht, an English blacksmith. He is the oldest of 5 sisters and 3 brothers. He was educated by his mother at home in the arts of healing and tannery as well as the reading and writing of the King’s English. His father taught him all about blacksmithing where he took a special interest in sword making. At the age of 12 he began helping his father’s brother at the king’s stables. His uncle, Werht, was the lead squire for a very famous knight. This so intrigued Argyrols that he became a squire on his 14th birthday. His mother died that spring of the fever and along with her, two sister and all of his brothers died that fall. After his baby sister, Krynn, age 5 was kicked and killed by a horse that Argyrols was shoeing; his father went mad and sunk into a deep depression and died in the bleak mid-winter. Living with this regret he vowed to care for his only 2 sisters all the days of his life. He was 19 when he was knighted for valor and with great admiration when he at risk of his own life he saved the princess from a bear after she was thrown from her horse. He was given title and
lands along with his house. He now has 5 maidservants and 7 menservants who he cares for as his own. His two young sisters live in comfort along with him and his dog…kuib.

With this paragraph of information, we could develop a thousand different story lines.

Though vague in content, do we have a better understanding of this knight?
- I believe we do, there is depth of this fictitious person to help us make him
  real. It’s the actor’s job to continue to live this story.
How can John use this material in this presentation?
- Now we need to assimilate all this into the Knight named Argyrols.

Character Assimilation

Now that we have a good base to build from… we now have to make John’s character real and believable… when an actor assimilates a role, they are transformed into that role to the point there is nothing of themselves left. John has to see himself in this person, feel what he feels, behave like he would behave, think like he would, react to all types of situations like the Knight would. John must become this fictions knight equip to do so with only the shell that we gave him.

One of my favorite movies is Brave Heart. When you see Mel Gibson in the role of William Wallace, you are very soon lost in his character; you forget that he was the insane comical sidekick in the Lethal Weapon series, or the Australian speaking Mad Max. You are watching a great actor totally assimilated into William Wallace. Mel put a tremendous amount of time of research into his role and as the results of that is William Wallace on the big screen not Mel Gibson.

Now let me say here, if I were working on a real character, I would not have been so vague in my list of attributes. The character development would have been more extensive… however due to time and space I needed to shorten the procedure. But I think we can work with what I have and do it justice.

The next step is to put the meat on the bones…so to speak.

Argyrols is a good-natured man…he was taught love from his loving and caring mother.
He is broken because of the hardship and loss in his life; it causes him to have a heart
of graciousness in dealing with others and never with contempt.
He speaks well and treats people with respect due to his station in life.
He is a defender of the weak, being the oldest of nine he always was watching out
from them.
He is a romantic and a flirt; he is not married. But he is first in protecting a lady’s honor
and dignity.
His heraldry is the bear which he wears upon his helm and shield granted to him by the
King.
His colors are red and green; red because of the blood he shed in saving the Princess,
granted to him by the king, green because it was Alpena’s favorite color. (His Mother)
His skill with the sword is excellent from his days of making them.
He can weave a good tale because of the traditions and stories told to him and his
brothers and sisters around the hearth at night.
As Lord he is a provider and thankful to his God for all that he has.

With this shell outline John has a good start on his costume, background, behavior, bearing, and attitudes towards others. In short his over-all persona. We’ve justified the colors in his existing costume; we have given him his purpose and the reasons to conduct himself a good fashion. Can you see this knight in your mind's eye...? Can you see him in action? If so you now have the tools, the imagination it takes to do this for yourself. Remember you are an actor, playing a role. It is your job to make your character come alive.

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