Building 3-D Character

Scientists recognize the light primaries of red, green and blue.

Red, green and blue dots of light are creating the image. Where red and green overlap, you'll see yellow. Each color has its own attributes, but when they are joined together, a complete image is revealed.

A similar process can be discussed in character building in screenwriting. Each character has 3 different attributes (physiology, sociology and psychology)that when properly combined, create a three dimensional character. This concept is revealed in Lajos Egri's book "The Art of Dramat!c Wr!t!ng". More information on that book is at the bottom of this page.

Alan McKenna led The TSA as we examined this theory.

First we examined

Sheriff Freddie Heflin

Physiology

Sociology

Psychology

Hearing Impaired
(His first line of dialogue is asking for something to be repeated.)
Out of Shape
(Gone are the days of the washboard stomach, a beer belly in its place)
Slow Witted
(Throughout the opening, Freddie never seems above drunk)
Sloppy
(His wrinkled, unmatched clothing hangs from his frame)

Lower Middle Class
(He gets drunk at a seedy cop bar)
He's a Pinball man
(Another cop labels him a pinball man, not a video games man)
Not invited places
(He reveals that the bar is empty because everyone else is at a bachelor party across the river)
Others know they can get away with things around him.
(They feel if Freddie witnesses a suspicious exchange he won't act)
Can be turned to Dark Side
(When Freddie runs short of quarters for Pinball, he opens up a parking meter.)

Turns a blind eye
(corrupt cops make a suspicious exchange in the bar and he turns the other way.)
Looks for distraction
(Freddie turns to drink in a good game of "Lethal Weapon" pinball to keep his mind off of his problems)
Longs to be a real cop
(While driving, he hears a big police bust over the radio taking place just over the river. He looks over longingly.)
Introvert
(tends to operate inside his head)
Aware of his standing
(With his bum ear, he knows he can't be a 'real' cop, but that doesn't mean he needs to be happy about it.)

And when the three attributes or colors are combined

We have a three dimensional character.

Freddie Heflin would like to be a "real" cop like the others he admires.
By films end he must learn that those others are corrupt and he needs to be a "good" cop.

Phil Connors

Physiology

Sociology

Psychology

Dresses for Status
(Surrounded by wind breakers and truckers jackets, Phil wears long twead coats and scarves)
Expressive with his hands
(Like any good weatherman, he uses his hands to help for communication)

Sarcastic
(Most of Phil's comments to others are sarcastic and often attempt to put someone in their place below him.)
Unhappy with position
(Feels he belongs in a bigger market than 'local' weather. Always upwardly mobile, he offers up that he may be leaving to a better station.)
Big fish in small Pond
(He likes to be the bigshot, calling the news anchor "hairdo" and everyone else "the help")

Extrovert
(Works out his issues vocally at everyones expense)
He is nowhere
(His first line in the film says he'd want to be right here, pointing to a empty spot on a blue screen used for weather maps)
Know-it-all
(Phil works to keep everything all about him, having the loudest opinion about everything.)
Burnt Out
(He can no longer hide his distaste for his job, even when on the air)

And when the three are combined

We have a three dimensional Phil Connors.

Phil begins the film as a self-centered individual who, by films end, needs to learn to appreciate others and ultimately experience love. It is only appropriate that the first time he sees the woman he falls in love with, she is innocently playing around in front of the blue screen - his territory!

In THE ART OF DRAMAT!C WR!T!NG, literary characters are given three categories for ease of description. Here is a breakdown that can help flesh out 3-Dimensional characters:
Physiology	Sociology	Psychology
Sex Age Height / Weight Hair Color, eyes, skin Posture Appearance Defects Heredity	Class Occupation Education Home Life religion Race Nationality Place in Community Political Affiliation Amusements and Hobbies	Sex Life/Moral Status Personal Premise (Theme) Ambition Frustrations, Disappointments Temperaments Attitude Toward Life Complexes Extravert/Intravert/Ambivert Abilities Qualities I.Q.
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