How Writers Develop Characters With The Defining Moment - Christopher Riley [FULL INTERVIEW]

0:00 - How A Writer Can Deeply Understand Their Characters
14:30 - The Emotional Work It Takes To Write Great Characters
28:07 - 9 Key Moments That Define A Character
40:50 - No Writer Is Smart Enough To Come Up With 20 Bad Ideas In A Row
51:16 - Why Writing A Story Is Messy
59:37 - What Screenwriters Can Learn From Forrest Gump And Twister
1:14:26 - How To Use Your Pain To Write Powerful Stories
1:29:26 - Job Of An Artist Is To See Then Show
1:37:22 - 20 Character Questions Every Writer Should Know
1:51:26 - A Story Is A Hero's Struggle Against An Obstacle To Reach A Goal
2:04:49 - How To Write An Antagonist That Matters
2:15:26 - Every Character You Write Starts At Zero
BUY THE BOOK - THE DEFINING MOMENT: How Writers and Actors Build Characters (by Christopher and Kathy Riley)
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BUY THE BOOK - THE HOLLYWOOD STANDARD: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style - amzn.to/3MNIdbO
Christopher Riley is a professional screenwriter who co-wrote with his wife Kathy Riley the award-winning German language courtroom thriller After the Truth. The Rileys have written scripts for Disney’s Touchstone Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Mandalay Television Pictures, the late Sean Connery’s Fountainbridge Films and Robert Cort Productions. Christopher produced the independent action-thriller Red Line and executive produced the web series Bump+. He is the author of the classic screenplay format guide The Hollywood Standard, now in its third edition, and teaches screenwriting at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Riley's latest book is The Defining Moment: How Writers and Actors Build Characters (through Michael Wiese Productions).
MORE VIDEOS WITH CHRISTOPHER RILEY
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MORE MICHAEL WIESE PRODUCTIONS AUTHORS
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[@miraclewalkerproductions]

This is so powerful, not just for being a writer but as a person reclaiming their own life story and inner power. Thank you for sharing your process so vulnerably and authentically

[@melindaoschmann6129]

I’ve listened to this video twice, & I’ve gotten something new from it each time. Christopher is very real with his feelings & the k owl edge he’s learned through self exploration & experience.

[@javajayakar]

Extremely good and insightful interview. Powerful learning and just a genuine conversation. I love the book as well. Thanks for this video. Just superb!

[@mageprometheus]

Wow. This was so good. I was so engrossed while taking notes it's now 4 am.

[@filmcourage]

Get some rest!

[@mageprometheus]

@@filmcourage I slept in until gone 11!

[@Arabic4Beautiful]

Quite the impactful and touching conversation. Many gems here! Thank you!

[@danieljackson654]

Wow. So much on the table here. How Wonderful. This requires viewing many times with pen and paper taking notes. Thank you for this marvelous piece of affirmation.

[@filmcourage]

We love this one with Christopher! Great to see you finding such value here Daniel! Thank you for your continued support!

[@roselassi]

Excellent interview. So many gems and such a genuine, heartfelt discussion. Had me in tears a few times. Eye opening!

[@RDSimpson]

Epic conversation. Much to take in and use. Well done.

[@arzabael]

Just him reciting the main scene in blood diamond was jaw dropping

[@kayskreed]

That was a superb interview and discussion. So many insights to gather, I will definitively have to rewatch some parts. In terms of identifying and linking defining moments in our lives to that of our characters, I am a bit concerned with how to keep things from unconsciously transitioning from fiction to something autobiographical, if fiction is the goal. How close before it's too close? And if it's purposefully unrelatable, then do we lose that impact? I am a hobbyist, been writing on and off for a while but have yet to make something that resembles a story. I either get sidetracked by details, or change my mind as I progress. Still, today, it seems like I have no idea what I am trying to say, although luckily I am managing to communicate some things. I'm still in the process of trying to pinpoint recurrent patterns (both on the page and within myself). It's still baffling to me, I feel I know less and less, and yet I am compelled to keep trying no matter how many times I say that I'm giving up on writing (for a while). That in itself fascinates me. Like a Sisyphean "itch" of sorts.

[@babavee100]

Excellent advice. Let us all follow it, and not break the rules which may make some writers who don't follow the'norm' Give up on their work, which may deprive us something inovative and different.

[@toluwaniobayanworks]

Such a rich an heartfelt interview. Thank you so much to everyone involved! Looking forward to getting the book.

[@filmcourage]

Love this one! Thank you for this comment. Hope you enjoy the book as well.

[@SeanWCunningham]

Excellent interview. 🙏

[@manosmehedee]

This interview gold to me, thank you so much Film Courage and Mr. Riley.

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

Thank you so much for the comprehensive information. It’s always a pleasure.

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Dovie!

[@agingflowerchild]

With other people, we see the outside -- we see the best show they are capable of performing in that moment. But inside ourselves we see the secret mess. Behind the scenes, everyone else is vulnerable too. What they say may be polished, but they come to it at a price. So when 2 characters speak, there is always some degree of emotional subtext running alongside.

[@jbchannel88]

Both of his books are excellent!

[@MrBrothasky]

I've always enjoyed the arc of Stevo in SLC Punk.

[@ryanhowell4492]

I love this one

[@filmcourage]

Best film or television character ever written and why?

[@lpsloveroflight3020]

I loved the Character Lou Bloom from the film Nightcrawler. He is played by Jake Gyllenhaal and the film is directed by Dan Gilroy. Although, I didn't love Lou because he was a good person as he was very far from that. But because he is such a captivating character to listen to and watch. In the script, Lou is described in a small sentence as being like a hollow, hungry coyote that's desperate for success no matter the cost. Everything he says is superficial and scripted as if he practiced in a mirror for hours on end before the real thing, it's void of true emotion and humanity. He does some horrible things yet the film is a success story, and you can't help but root for him even though he the bad guy. I hope other people feel the same way that I do and go and watch that film. It's amazing.

[@filmcourage]

Agree, the film is brilliant on many levels. Also love the dynamic between Renee Russo's character and Jake. Many interesting truths about the media in general covered here. Thanks for the comment!

[@elm889]

This is not that popular, but to me, I really loved Angela Bennett on The Net. I really felt for her! Sandra Bullock did a great job.

[@filmcourage]

That's a good one too. VR.5 series is also similar (ft. Lori Singer) and has 90's technology. Thanks for watching!

[@BooksForever]

It’s hard for a brief movie character to stack up against the sweep of an extended television arc, and so I’m not ashamed to put forth the characters Walter White or Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman as exceptionally good examples. But in film, I suppose a character that comes to mind is the one played by Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July. Ed Norton’s character in American History X also comes to mind.

[@albongo3949]

God bless Peter

[@reneeshort2049]

Writers or would-be writers who say they don't have or didn't have negativity in their life are in denial. They need to dig deeper. You can't live a life without disappointment. Some don't want to share those things but that's why fiction is beautiful. You can tap into the disappointment without it being a memoir.

[@commandoslayer]

Can the advice from this channel also be applied when writing a novel?

[@filmcourage]

There are a good number of novelists who visit this channel. Please note that nothing here is gospel. These are just thoughts, experiences and teachings from all different perspectives. Pick and choose the stuff that works for you. Here is our playlist on novel writing - bit.ly/3xCGcsI

[@twxx460_]

From my experience, yes. The videos on character and story structure are universal. It’s only the videos about the movie industry that aren’t useful to novelists.

[@johnphares3358]

Drama is full of defining moments and growth. Everything is in service to the next defining moment. Maybe some comedy is more about what happens in between defining moments. A comedy doesn't have to explain a characters defining moment, and it can even make it funnier. A defining moment happened before the movie that isn't explained, explaining it would be too serious. They are crazy people, doing absurd things, stuck in the time between growth... Then near or at the end, they finally have a defining moment. Step brothers- never really explains why they are grown kids Groundhogs Day- never really explains how Phil became so self centered. Dumb and dumber- maybe they huffed too much gas? That's not funny. Ha.

[@WiLyO8]

🎬🌲✨

[@xant99]

really great interview, thank you (btw. i wrote you an email and eager wait for you to get back to me)

[@arzabael]

He will watch that DVD of Ordinary People he’s left under wraps. He will, and he will get what he did not want, it will disappoint him. Unless, he can somehow find it in himself to not do what we as humans are programmed to do, self destruct, and maybe, just maybe, he really never will open that fateful DVD.