How To Describe Characters in A Screenplay

Do you know how to describe characters in a screenplay? When you’re writing a screenplay, it’s essential that you describe your characters in a way that is effective. If your audience doesn’t connect with your characters, then you’re not going to have a successful script.

In order to ensure that you’re able to write about your characters as well as possible, we’re going to outline a list of tips that will help you to know how to describe characters in a screenplay better. By the end, you’ll be a pro at describing your characters in a screenplay.

Let’s get started!

Here are Some Unique Ways to Better Characterize the Characters in Your Screenplay

1. Figure out their posture and their mannerisms

The first tip on how to describe the characters in a screenplay is to figure out their posture and their mannerisms. This might seem like a small detail, but it will transform the trajectory of your screenplay. You’ve got to figure out how each character conducts themselves, and this is as simple as figuring out how your characters walk and hold themselves.

There’s a big difference between a character that always slouches their shoulders and a character that stands up straight and confidently. The way that your character moves is a reflection of their personality. When you’re introducing another character to your audience, you have to think about the nuances of their behaviors and mannerisms.

Is the character cocky? Is the character proud? Is the character kind? Is the character shy? Is the character angry? No matter what traits your character possesses, there’s a way to convey it, through their mannerisms.

Pay attention to the details. They’re important. 

2. Think about their hygiene habits

When you are writing each character, think about their hygiene. Whether this refers to the way they trim their nails or the way their do their hair, think about the details of the character, that relate to their personal hygiene.

You might have some characters that are pristine and clean, while having some characters that are notoriously dirty and smelly. This doesn’t have to apply to their personal hygiene, though. You can think about how characters keep their home, the cleanliness of their car, and more.

For example, you might have a character that is known for keeping their bedroom really messy, and keeping their hair and self really clean. This funny dichotomy might become a point of character development in the plot of your screenplay. Whether you’re interested in writing

characters that are clean or dirty, you’ve got to think about the hygiene of each person in your screenplay.

3. Consider their emotional and physical reactions, or lack thereof

Some characters are going to be prone to being incredibly emotional, and some characters are going to be more likely to be stoic and quiet. But you’ve got to be thinking about how to convey their emotions.

Consider this: let’s say that you have a character that is confronted by another character. In this instance, you’re going to have to decide whether or not the character that is confronted is going to fight back or not. Sometimes, certain characters will choose to lash out on other characters physically, and sometimes, certain characters will choose to bottle up their emotions and hold it in.

The difference between a character hitting another character and staying quiet, will transform the trajectory of your story. So, as a writer, you’ve got to ensure that you’re paying attention to the nuances of your character’s behavior.

Another thing to consider here, is that it’s always a good idea to have a shock factor in your scripts. So, let’s go back to the example we just described. Let’s say that you have a character who is confronted by another character, and they’re faced with a decision to either lash out or not lash out, in response.

If the character that is confronted is usually kind, shy, and timid, then it’s unlikely that the viewers would assume that this character would lash out. So, as a writer, you could make the character lash out in response to being confronted, in order to shock your audience. To make things coherent, you might reveal details later, that explain why the character would do something out of character.

These twists and turns will make things more exciting for viewers, but to be a successful writer, you’ve got to understand why your characters are behaving a certain way. Take a moment to think about the personalities of everyone in your screenplay, when you do, you’ll be able to make more sophisticated decisions in your writing.

4. Consider the habits and activities of each person in the screenplay

When you’re characterizing each person in your screenplay, think about the little things that they do each day. For example, you might have a character that is known for habitually going on a walk each day. While you might have some characters that are known for habitually eating a certain food every day. No matter what habits your characters have, you’ve got to think about the things that they do on an everyday basis.

If you have a character that loves to walk, maybe something goes wrong on a walk one day, to enhance the plot of your screenplay. If you have a character that is known for blowing bubble gum obnoxiously every day, maybe one day another character comments on this habit.

No matter what it is, think about how the habits of your characters can transform your screenplay and create an interesting plot point. Even the most everyday habits can turn into something interesting and exciting to watch. So, let your imagination take control.

5. Pay attention to what your characters pay attention to

Every single character in your screenplay needs something. And a part of your job as a screenwriter, is to either make those needs fulfilled or leave those needs unfulfilled. Let’s say that you have a character that is fixated on a romantic partner. As a writer, you can either choose to have that character find a partner, or you can choose to have that character go without a romantic partner.

The plot of your screenplay will depend on that decision.

If your character is paying attention to a certain boy in math class, you might decide that this certain boy in math class is going to move across the country. Maybe, from there, your character can decide to move across the country to follow the boy from math class. This plot point might seem crazy, but if you’re in touch with the things that your characters care about, you’re on your way to finding unique ways to develop your story and your characters.

6. See who each character spends time with

Your characters are going to develop a personality based on the groupings of people that they spend time with, every day. So, if a character is known for hanging out around a group of people who are incredibly smart, and then, they decide to change crowds and hangout with a bunch of people who aren’t so studious, this will change the way your character behaves.

Maybe a plot point in your screenplay will be the change that comes when this character changes crowds. Maybe a plot point in your screenplay will be that your character helps to make these non-studious characters care about school.

Whatever happens, you’ve got to understand that your characters develop their personalities, because of other people. So, as a writer, you’ve got to be in touch with who each character spends time with.

7. Think of unique facts for each character

The last tip on how to describe the characters in a screenplay is to think of unique facts for each character. When you’re writing, you need to do whatever you can for your audience members to remember information about your characters.

So, maybe one character is known for being born on New Year’s Day. Maybe one character is known for having conjoined toes. And maybe one character is known for knowing how to say the alphabet backwards, really quickly.

If you give your characters little quirks that are memorable, your audience is more likely to connect with them. For example, if a certain character is known for knowing a lot about dinosaurs, then people who like dinosaurs in real life, will connect with the character.

Or, maybe a certain character is known for thinking that dinosaurs still exist. Of course, this is a crazy thing for a character to think, so in a different way, people will connect with the character.

If a character is known for being silly or out of the loop, people will resonate with the character in a joking way. Whatever you decide is best for each character that you’re writing, be sure to have unique facts and traits that correspond with all your characters.

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