Planning Characters ***

What is the purpose of having characters?

The term representation can be defined as; the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way or as being of a certain nature. When creating a narrative, it is important to plan the characters that will be involved. The representation of who the characters are is a vital element of the narrative itself, as the character must have a purpose to efficiently act the narrative. This representation is created through characterisation; a method in which the audience understand the character more through specific details about them being told. In our own narrative, only one character is shown to the audience, which is Grace, the protagonist. Below is the depiction of Grace’s life which may impact the affect she has on the audience.


Who is the central character in your opening?

Name - Grace

The name Grace is representative of elegance and refinement. This therefore suggests to the audience that Grace is highly innocent and will consequently build a relationship between them so that the audience can sympathize with her and become involved within the film.


Age - 17

As the victim is 17 years old, her age is representative of her vulnerability as she is of an age of growing up however is still young. The audience can relate to as our target audience is 15-24 and therefore can easily imagine themselves in a similar situation. For example, if our main protagonist is aged 50 and the target audience are 15-24, this may impact the ability to relate to the protagonist and therefore the audience become disengaged from the narrative.


Gender - Female

Conventionally, the victims in the thriller genre are often blonde female. As the victim is a blonde female, this represents to the audience her inferior position against the male antagonist in which she is under threat. This therefore portrays her innocence furthermore to the audience to make them sympathize with the victim more so.


Background - Divorced Parents

The victim's parents have recently divorced and this is shown in the opening when she says 'My Mum is out on a date'. This is representative of her life involving imperfections, which effectively will allow the audience to relate to her and therefore sympathize with the emotions she displays. This detail also increases the realism of the narrative as this is a sufficient reason for her mother to be out which therefore lead to her being home alone, thus increasingly vulnerable to the antagonist. This is also a detail that some of the audience can relate to, and therefore does not cause confusion within the audience as it is deemed ‘normal’.


Purpose to the Narrative - Target

It is important that characters have a purpose to the narrative so that the audience understand why they are there, thus making the narrative easier to understand. The opening establishes that Grace’s purpose is that she is a target or victim. However, it is not clear why she is a target yet which creates an enigma to keep the audience guessing. As mentioned previous, the victim's parents are recently divorced and as a result Grace now lives with her Mother. Consequently, her Father is left hurt and infuriated and therefore takes this out by stalking their shared daughter and possibly acting as a potential threat of violence.


How is this character conventional to the thriller genre?

Grace is a conventional character often found in the thriller genre, particularly because of her gender. Females are often portrayed as the victims in thrillers, who are victimised by male antagonists. Conventionally, the male antagonist is portrayed as threatening and powerful whereas the female victim is represented as weak and vulnerable, thus heightening the audience’s empathy for the protagonist, leaving them feeling on edge. An example of this is the film Prom Night where victim ‘Dianne’ is being stalked by a male antagonist who threatens her life. Another example is the film Scream, where ‘Casey’ is murdered by a male antagonist which reinforces the conventional roles typically found in the thriller genre.


How will your character appeal to the audience?

Background knowledge of the character allows the audience to have a deeper understanding of her, which in turn should increase her appeal as they become more attached to her. The victim is a similar age to the audience and therefore it will be easier for them to relate to her. Therefore they will be able to imagine themselves in a similar situation which engages them in the narrative, as well as increasing their vulnerability as a result. The age of the victim will appeal to them for this reason. Furthermore, her gender will reinforce her vulnerability as female victims are conventional to the thriller genre due to the implied inferiority in contrast to the male antagonist. By conforming to this convention, the audience will feel an increased attachment to the protagonist as her vulnerability as a victim is reinforced through her gender. The audience will assume she is weaker and less powerful than the male antagonist and therefore her appeal will be shown through her weaknesses. Furthermore, Grace has a background that most of the audience will be able to relate to; her parents are divorced. Divorced parents imply imperfections in her life, which increases the realism of the characters and therefore the audience can relate to this, as she appears believable. Her appeal as a victim is portrayed through her conventional characteristic such as her gender and age, however is also portrayed through her realistic qualities such as divorced parents which therefore increases her appeal, allowing the audience to relate and empathize with her.