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

[@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.

[@KnightOwlSC]

It was nice to hear him mentioning when characters say something we weren't expecting. I love when this happens as it's always leads to an interesting insight into the character that was hiding in the back of my brain.

[@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!

[@roselassi]

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

[@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!

[@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!

[@Felix-z2r]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

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

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Dovie!

[@jbchannel88]

Both of his books are excellent!

[@manosmehedee]

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

[@arzabael]

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

[@Quantumfuturestrader]

Nice insights. Humans are so very interesting! So interesting as well to try to convey their traits visually. Thank thank you for this wonderful upload!

[@MrBrothasky]

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

[@SeanWCunningham]

Excellent interview. 🙏

[@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.

[@ryanhowell4492]

I love this one

[@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.

[@albongo3949]

God bless Peter

[@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.

[@friendlyone2706]

Works better for a novel than a movie. You can have a series of defining moment, each twisting a character's life into an unexpected directions.

[@troymedley752]

Not one thumbs down, not one?

[@WiLyO8]

🎬🌲✨

[@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.

[@friendlyone2706]

I hope he does open the video and watch it some day. It will mean that teen within him will have finally stepped into adulthood. It's a tough step. He fears the subject of suicide as a reaction to stress. And he fears the cold mother is more like the the abused women terrified of love, but needing love -- She could not survive loving the 2nd child if that son, too, took his own life. He doesn't want to have sympathy for the terrified-into-stoniness mom because that would make him question his own parenting. He's obviously a good parent -- but in our heart of hearts no parent ever judges himself good enough. We try. We fail. When we are children we can judge our parents -- and then we learn the hard way we have no right to judge, we haven't a clue what demons lurk in their past.