How to Create a Character Profile [1]
I found that the following sentence confirms why it's so important for me to have strong, well developed and explored characters; 'One of the most important elements in a novel or short story is characterisation: making the characters seem vivid, real, alive'. The writer also states when talking about the support of character profiles, that they 'can help flesh out a cardboard character and even make you think about facets of his or her personality that you had not considered before', I have found this to be very true so far in my development, as I have asked myself questions about the characters in my research that if not, I wouldn't have even considered.The Character Profile Worksheet
The profile lists that I will be using come from source No.1 with my own additions of suitable questions, rewording and the removal of unnecessary questions for my characters. I also added subjects such as 'notable personality traits' and 'sense of humour' from the helpful resource of 'Questionnaires for Writing Character Profiles' [2], and subjects from my character development research that I feel are important [3]. The below character profile list will be my official Character Profile for each of my characters as I feel that the questions allow for short but insightful answers. I will also include a short description about the character in each of their profiles.
Here are my Character Profiles (subject to change in package creation), they are written as if they take place before the 2016 events of The Identity...
Lauren Daniels
Tatiana Maslany examples of Lauren Daniels
Character Description
Lauren is a strong, brave and intelligent young woman who has been craving adventure throughout her sheltered life. Her relationship with who she thought was her mother is turned upside when she finds out the truth about her past. This leads her on a journey of self discovery where she encounters love, loss and tragedy, all for the sake of finding out who she really is.
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Basic Statistics
Name: Lauren Daniels
Original Name: Amanda Porter
Character Type: Protagonist
Date of Birth: 2nd September 1989
Age: 27
Nationality: American
Religion: None
Hometown: Southwest Philadelphia, USA
Current Residence: Southwest Philadelphia, USA
Occupation: Diner waitress/server
Talents/Skills: Creative writer, athletic, intelligent
Siblings: None
Spouse: None
Children: None
Parents: Her guardian/surrogate mother is Helen Daniels, who she believed to be her biological mother until now. But her real biological parents are Frank and Kathleen Porter.
Grandparents: Evelyn Porter, mother of her biological father. She was unaware that she had any grandparents for most of her life.
Grandchildren: None
Friends: A small group of work friends who Lauren socialises with on occasion.
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Physical Characteristics
Height: Average height (5ft 4inch based on actress)
Weight: Thin (8st 5lbs based on actress)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Eye Colour: Hazel
Hair Colour: Brunette
Distinguishing Features: A bright smile and bright eyes
Clothing: Relaxed/casual, tomboy, dark colours
Mannerisms: Folding her arms, having her hood up, thoughtfully resting her hand on her mouth, side smiling
Habits: Drinking alcohol but not heavily, eating unhealthy food, eating small portions
Health: Healthy
Hobbies: Writing, socialising on occasion, running/jogging
Favourite Sayings: "Here we go"
Speech Patterns: Typical American accent, feminine voice, relaxed speech
Disabilities: None
Style: Tomboy / Grunge
Greatest Flaw: Tough exterior and sarcastic
Best Quality: Strong mindedness, caring
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Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes
Educational Background: Achieved above average grades at elementary, middle and high school. She did not go to college
Intelligence Level: Moderately high
Any Mental Illnesses: No
Learning Experiences: When her fellow classmates left for college, she realised she didn't know who she was or what she wanted to do in life.
Character's Short-Term Goals in Life: To discover herself and find out what she wants to do with her life.
Character's Long-Term Goals in Life: To go on adventures in the world, discover new places, people and explore. Then eventually have a family.
Character Sees Themselves As: Insignificant, characterless, trapped, bored
Character is Perceived by Others As: Sarcastic, witty, attractive, tough but vulnerable deep down, caring
Character's Self-Confidence: Low - she feels lost, but uses her tough exterior to pretend her confidence is higher.
Ruled by Emotion, Logic or Combination: Emotion
Notable Personality Traits: Strong-minded, caring, funny, intelligent, brave
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Emotional Characteristics
Strengths/Weaknesses: Strength - Caring and strong willed with high ambitions for life. Weakness - Vulnerable and feeling lost in life.
Introvert or Extrovert: Introvert but extrovert at heart and soon to become a physical extrovert.
How Does the Character Deal with...
Anger: Light physical aggression, such as kicking something or throwing an object. Her eyes well up if she is emotionally angry.
Sadness: Her eyes well up but she tries not to cry and tries to brush the feeling off.
Conflict: Bravery but sensible, she knows to try to avoid getting into a situation that's too dangerous.
Change: She secretly craves it and sees it as an opportunity.
Loss: This finally makes her cry, but her strong will helps her to overcome this.
What They Want in Life: To feel like she has an identity and a place in the world.
Would Like to Change in Their Life: Who she is, where she lives and where she's heading.
Self Motivation: Boredom of living in the same place and doing the same thing all her life.
Fears: Losing her family and never finding herself
Sources of Happiness: Writing, her mother, socialising, running
Sense of Humour: High, witty, sarcastic
Judgemental or Understanding: Understanding unless the limits are pushed too high
Generous or Selfish: Generous
Polite or Rude: Slightly rude if not in a good mood, polite otherwise
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Story Involvement
Character's Role: Main character
First Appearance: Episode One
Relationships with Other Characters:
1. Helen Daniels: Close mother/daughter relationship, involved in each others lives, have always lived together
2. Chris Hillman: A close relationship with this family friend, he's been there for Lauren her whole life
3. Ethan Briggs: Soon to meet him, she will find him annoying and intrusive at first, but begin to fall for his charisma and kind spirit
4. Amanda Porter: Soon to meet her, Lauren will be devastated that she was replaced by Amanda, and Amanda's paranoia will cause her to try to kill Lauren when she finds out her identity
5. Kathleen Porter: Soon to meet her, they will only meet briefly, Kathleen will show remorse over not searching for Lauren, Lauren will only react in emotion and anger. Eventually she will feel sympathetic for Kathleen
6. Frank Porter: Soon to meet him, Frank will want nothing to do with Lauren when they meet, and Lauren will feel resentful and angry toward him
7. Evelyn Porter: Soon to meet her, Lauren will be confused by Evelyn's confession of guilt and truth telling, and slightly saddened by her almost immediate death
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Helen Daniels
Felicity Huffman examples of Helen Daniels
Character Description
Helen is a good mother to her daughter Lauren, but lives a hidden life with her, terrified of being found or of Lauren learning who her real parents are. Although she has made terrible decisions in the past, she will do anything to protect her daughter, no matter what the risk to herself.
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Basic Statistics
Name: Helen Daniels
Original Name: Julia Drennen
Character Type: Round Character
Date of Birth: 14th December 1965
Age: 50
Nationality: American
Religion: None
Hometown: Seattle, USA
Current Residence: Southwest Philadelphia, USA
Occupation: Store Manager
Talents/Skills: Painter, sketcher, intelligent
Siblings: None
Spouse: None
Children: Lauren Daniels, her non biological daughter that she has raised and loved for 27 years.
Parents: Joyce Drennen, they had a caring and strong relationship until Julia (Helen) changed her identity and cut ties with her for her own protection. Helen never knew her father.
Grandparents: Deceased, but loving people towards Helen as a child
Grandchildren: None
Friends: Her closest friend is Chris Hillman, who she has known since they were teenagers, they see each other regularly. Helen also socialises with her neighbours on occasion.
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Physical Characteristics
Height: Average (5ft 4inch based on actress)
Weight: Thin (8st 9lbs based on actress)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Eye Colour: Blue
Hair Colour: Dark Blonde
Distinguishing Features: Middle-aged facial features
Clothing: 'mom' styled clothing, casual and relaxed but respectable
Mannerisms: Raising her hand to her head in stress, winking
Habits: Making spontaneous decisions
Health: Healthy
Hobbies: Painting, drawing, seeing her friends and family
Favourite Sayings: "Listen..." and "Lauren, sweetie" to Lauren
Speech Patterns: A typical American accent, well spoken with a warm voice
Disabilities: None
Style: Traditional
Greatest Flaw: She makes spontaneous decisions and acts impulsively
Best Quality: She's a great mum who loves her family
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Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes
Educational Background: Achieved high grades in a variety of elementary and middle schools, and in high school in Seattle.
Intelligence Level: High
Any Mental Illnesses: No
Learning Experiences: When Helen ran away with Lauren, her whole life completely changed, she gained a daughter, but lost her freedom
Character's Short-Term Goals in Life: To live a happy and quiet life with her daughter
Character's Long-Term Goals in Life: To see Lauren do well in life and never have to suffer the consequences of her actions
Character Sees Themselves As: Selfish in the past, secretive, a good mother
Character is Perceived by Others As: Selfish & despicable (by the Porter's), kind, caring, friendly, down to other (by the people who know her otherwise).
Character's Self-Confidence: Average
Ruled by Emotion, Logic or Combination: Emotion, although her actions have involved her using her intelligence
Notable Personality Traits: Strong, caring, loving, impulsive, brave
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Emotional Characteristics
Strengths/Weaknesses: Strength - family orientated with a strong mind. Weakness - she's made some very dangerous choices that she cannot undo.
Introvert or Extrovert: Introvert do to being in hiding, but with a confident personality
How Does the Character Deal with...
Anger: She raises her voice but manages to keep her anger under control
Sadness: She cries and caves in on herself, shutting the world out
Conflict: She tries to talk through it and find a resolution
Change: Reacts in fear and tries to stop it from happening
Loss: Similar to sadness, she falls apart and shuts herself away
What They Want in Life: To live a normal life with Lauren, without the past coming back to haunt them
Would Like to Change in Their Life: Being able to have Lauren as her daughter without have to have stolen her and ruined lives
Self Motivation: Protecting her family
Fears: Her relationship with Lauren, and Lauren's life being ruined if she finds out the truth
Sources of Happiness: Her daughter and art
Sense of Humour: Good, witty, light-hearted
Judgemental or Understanding: Understanding
Generous or Selfish: Selfish in the past, generous now
Polite or Rude: Polite
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Story Involvement
Character's Role: Surrogate mother
First Appearance: Episode One
Relationships with Other Characters:
1. Lauren Daniels: Close mother/daughter relationship, involved in each others lives, have always lived together, shields Lauren from the truth
2. Chris Hillman: Known him since they were teenagers, turned to him for help when she wanted to run away with Lauren, have been like family ever since
3. Frank & Kathleen Porter: Met through a surrogacy agency, built a good relationship and Helen became pregnant with their child, they have never heard from each other since Helen ran away
4. Amanda Porter: When Helen tries to help Lauren, she will walk in on Amanda attempting to kill her, and is caught up in the altercation, leading to a tragic mishap
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Amanda Porter
Katie McGrath example of Amanda Porter
Character Description
Amanda spent her life thinking that Frank and Kathleen Porter were her biological parents. She's a vulnerable young woman who never managed to receive the love and affection from her parents that she desperately craved. When she finds out the truth, she turns to all she knows, drugs, causing dark and paranoid feelings towards real daughter, Lauren.
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Basic Statistics
Name: Amanda Porter
Original Name: Unknown
Character Type: Antagonist / Round Character
Date of Birth: 24th July 1989
Age: 27
Nationality: British
Religion: Christian
Hometown: Hammersmith, London
Current Residence: Hammersmith, London
Occupation: Unemployed
Talents/Skills: Knowledge of medical practices, piano, intelligent
Siblings: None
Spouse: None
Children: None
Parents: Frank and Kathleen Porter illegally adopted Amanda as a baby from a Romanian orphanage, she has no knowledge of this. She has spent her life craving their love and approval but has not achieved this.
Grandparents: Evelyn Porter, Amanda doesn't have a relationship with her as Evelyn cut off contact with her family while Amanda was young.
Grandchildren: None
Friends: A group of people that she parties and abuses drugs and alcohol with but she doesn't know that well
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Physical Characteristics
Height: Average (5ft 5inch based on actress)
Weight: Slim (9st 6lbs based on actress)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Eye Colour: Green
Hair Colour: Brunette
Distinguishing Features: Bright green eyes, defined bone structure
Clothing: Casual, feminine clothes, slightly revealing and messy
Mannerisms: Rubbing her neck when she talks, fiddling with her hair, shifting on the spot
Habits: Drug and alcohol addiction, occasionally smoking
Health: Losing weight and health slowly deteriorating from abusing drugs
Hobbies: Partying with friends, escapism through getting high, chatting with friends
Favourite Sayings: "Hmm..." suspiciously
Speech Patterns: South English accent, feminine and confident sounding voice, well spoken
Disabilities: None
Style: Relaxed chic style
Greatest Flaw: Her addiction to drugs causes her to act irrationally and make dramatic decisions
Best Quality: Deep down she loves her parents and cares for them
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Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes
Educational Background: Achieved high grades at primary and secondary school in London, attended medical school but dropped out because of the pressure
Intelligence Level: High, but she doesn't act with logic when high
Any Mental Illnesses: Suffers with drug induced paranoia
Learning Experiences: The only time her parents seemed to show her love was when she got into medical school, but when she dropped out, they returned to being cold towards her. What she took away from this is that she'll never get the love that she wants.
Character's Short-Term Goals in Life: To better herself and get back on track
Character's Long-Term Goals in Life: To have the family that she's always wanted and live a happy life surrounded by loved ones
Character Sees Themselves As: Worthless, unloved, a failure
Character is Perceived by Others As: An addict, paranoid, fragile, lonely
Character's Self-Confidence: Very low, although she pretends that it's high
Ruled by Emotion, Logic or Combination: Emotion
Notable Personality Traits: Paranoid, irrational, unstable, lonely, desperate
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Emotional Characteristics
Strengths/Weaknesses: Strength - She is intelligent and if she kicks her habit, she could have a bright future. Weakness - She doesn't believe in herself and lets drugs and her desperate for her parents love control her.
Introvert or Extrovert: Introvert when alone in the day, extrovert when she's partying and getting high
How Does the Character Deal with...
Anger: Dramatically, kicking, punching and throwing things
Sadness: She shuts down and curls up and cries, often leading her to wanting to get high
Conflict: She plans a way to fix this, even if it means removing someone from the picture
Change: She doesn't deal well with this as she feels that all past changes have lead to bad results
Loss: She doesn't know how to react to loss, because the only thing she's scared of losing is her family
What They Want in Life: To be accepted into her family, be sober and happy
Would Like to Change in Their Life: A great deal, having her parents love, being back on track in her career path and being healthy again
Self Motivation: She lacks in motivation for this as her habit takes over
Fears: Losing her parents
Sources of Happiness: Escaping her thoughts by getting high
Sense of Humour: Low, dry
Judgemental or Understanding: Judgemental
Generous or Selfish: Selfish
Polite or Rude: Polite to strangers, rude when she feels threatened
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Story Involvement
Character's Role: The replacement daughter
First Appearance: Episode Two
Relationships with Other Characters:
1. Lauren Daniels: Soon to meet her, Amanda will find out that Lauren is her parent's real daughter and she is not. In her drug induced state, this will send her paranoia of losing her parents off the rails and cause her to try to kill Lauren
2. Frank Porter: Frank raised Amanda, with her unaware that he isn't her biological father. He was always cold, distant and inattentive towards Amanda
3. Kathleen Porter: Spending her life thinking that Kathleen was her biological mother, Amanda craved affection from her, but rarely managed to achieve this
4. Helen Daniels: When Amanda will try to kill Lauren, Helen will get in the way, and Amanda will make a huge mistake which causes her own safety to be at risk
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Ethan Briggs
Michael B. Jordan example of Ethan Briggs
Character Description
Ethan is a hard-working, upbeat and selfless young man, who has his life changed when he agrees to help Lauren Daniels on her journey to find herself. With their natural spark, he helps Lauren to break away from her tough exterior and reveal her true self.
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Basic Statistics
Name: Ethan Briggs
Character Type: Flat Character
Date of Birth: 18th March 1987
Age: 29
Nationality: American
Religion: Christian
Hometown: West Philadelphia, USA
Current Residence: West Philadelphia, USA
Occupation: Fraud Investigator
Talents/Skills: IT, business, American football, intelligent
Siblings: A brother called Anthony, who is eleven years younger than him, they have a close family relationship for siblings with a large age gap
Spouse: None
Children: None
Parents: Marques Briggs and Sheree Wade, he was raised in a loving home and has a close relationship with his family
Grandparents: With three of his grandparents still alive, his family have a tight family unit
Grandchildren: None
Friends: Ethan is a sociable and charismatic person who has a number of friends from work and from college
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Physical Characteristics
Height: Tall (5ft 11inch based on actor)
Weight: Muscular (11st based on actor)
Ethnicity: African-American
Eye Colour: Dark brown
Hair Colour: Black
Distinguishing Features: A small amount of neat facial hair
Clothing: Casual, relaxed, young and stylish
Mannerisms: Folding/tucking his arms, four figure leg crossing
Habits: Keeping fit and healthy, quietly singing to himself
Health: Healthy
Hobbies: His job, socialising, sports, working out and gaming
Favourite Sayings: "Uhhhh..." in a comical way
Speech Patterns: A typical American accent with a deep and masculine voice with relaxed speech
Disabilities: None
Style: Casual and relaxed, loose jock style
Greatest Flaw: He gets caught up in other people's drama, which could put him in trouble
Best Quality: He's trustworthy, selfless and caring
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Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes
Educational Background: Achieved high grades at elementary, middle and high school in Philadelphia. Excelled at college in Philadelphia
Intelligence Level: High
Any Mental Illnesses: No
Learning Experiences: Ethan has learned that working hard pays off, and that it's important to look after the people you love
Character's Short-Term Goals in Life: To work his way up in his career
Character's Long-Term Goals in Life: To achieve a lot in his career and one day have a family
Character Sees Themselves As: Loyal, family-orientated, trustworthy, slightly nerdy, funny
Character is Perceived by Others As: Kind, funny, positive, honest, trustworthy
Character's Self-Confidence: Above average, he is comfortable in his own skin
Ruled by Emotion, Logic or Combination: A combination of both
Notable Personality Traits: Compassionate, funny, caring, intelligent, honest
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Emotional Characteristics
Strengths/Weaknesses: Strength - he is reliable, caring and selfless for those that he cares about. Weakness - this quality can put him in harms way and put his own future at risk
Introvert or Extrovert: Extrovert
How Does the Character Deal with...
Anger: At his angriest he would raise his voice, maybe throw something, but he manages to stay calm
Sadness: He would tear up and turn to a loved one for support
Conflict: He believes in trying to find a calm and positive solution to problems
Change: He welcomes change in a positive way and looks forward to new opportunities
Loss: He has experienced loss in life and feels that the best thing to do is to have support from or support family and friends
What They Want in Life: To simply be happy and healthy and look after his loved ones
Would Like to Change in Their Life: Achieving more in his career and love life
Self Motivation: Knowing that he is a smart and good man and he has and will acheive a lot in his life
Fears: Losing the ones that he loves and letting people down
Sources of Happiness: His work, his family and friends, his hobbies and helping people
Sense of Humour: Silly, witty, fun, light-hearted
Judgemental or Understanding: Understanding
Generous or Selfish: Generous
Polite or Rude: Polite
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Story Involvement
Character's Role: The romantic interest
First Appearance: Episode One
Relationships with Other Characters:
1. Lauren Daniels: Soon to meet her, he agrees to help his workmate Chris Hillman and (without her agreeing) accompanies Lauren on her journey. He enjoys their banter and her sarcastic sense of humour, and falls her kind heart
2. Chris Hillman: Having known Chris as a good friend through work for five years and continuing their friendship still, Ethan will agree to help Chris when he needs him
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Frank Porter
Liam Cunningham example of Frank Porter
Character Description
Frank is a man who has lived through a lot of heart ache, and 27 years ago his unborn daughter was stolen. Now he deals with his problems by being controlling and stubborn to protect his family, although he struggles to show his wife and unknowingly adopted daughter the love that they deserve.
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Basic Statistics
Name: Frank Porter
Character Type: Antagonist
Date of Birth: 6th March 1958
Age: 58
Nationality: British
Religion: Christian
Hometown: Surrey, UK
Current Residence: Hammersmith, London
Occupation: Real Estate Agent
Talents/Skills: His job, golf
Siblings: Joan Porter, his older sister who died as a child, he and his family never overcame this tragedy and it changed their lives
Spouse: Kathleen Porter, whom he married when he was 25 years old. They used to have a healthy relationship before their unborn baby was stolen, now it feels as if they're together for companionship
Children: Their biological daughter Amanda was stolen while their gestational surrogate was pregnant. Instead of looking for her, they panicked and adopted a Romanian orphan who they named Amanda in replacement
Parents: Frank's father George died of heart failure a long time ago, being the only parent who still treated him with love, all he was left with was his cold mother Evelyn, who could never get over losing her daughter
Grandparents: Only knowing his grandmother and grandfather on his mother's side, he was close to them until they died when Frank was in his 20s
Grandchildren: None
Friends: He has a small group of people he associates with at work and plays golf with ocassionally
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Physical Characteristics
Height: Tall (6ft based on actor)
Weight: Average (approx. 11 - 11 and a half st)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Eye Colour: Green
Hair Colour: Brown / Greying
Distinguishing Features: Harsh looking eyebrows
Clothing: Casual but relatively smart and simple clothing
Mannerisms: Scratching his head when he's stressed
Habits: Smoking, drinking in moderation
Health: Healthy for a man his age
Hobbies: Golf, reading fiction, watching documentaries
Favourite Sayings: "Quiet!"
Speech Patterns: He has a South English accent, a deep and stern voice and well spoken
Disabilities: None
Style: Simple, middle-aged 'dad' clothing with a neat appearance
Greatest Flaw: He is a controlling person and can be very stubborn
Best Quality: He's strong-minded and aims to protect his family
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Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes
Educational Background: Achieved good grades at primary school and above average grades at secondary school, he got his degree with honours at university
Intelligence Level: High
Any Mental Illnesses: No
Learning Experiences: He has learned that while you can attempt to mend your family with a new family member, you can't replace what was lost
Character's Short-Term Goals in Life: To live a quiet and peaceful life
Character's Long-Term Goals in Life: To retire eventually and live the normal life that he has always wanted with his wife
Character Sees Themselves As: Strong, family-orientated, successful
Character is Perceived by Others As: Controlling, stubborn, protective
Character's Self-Confidence: Average
Ruled by Emotion, Logic or Combination: Combination
Notable Personality Traits: Determined, apathetic, controlling, stubborn
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Emotional Characteristics
Strengths/Weaknesses: Strength - He is a strong person who puts his family first. Weakness - This means ignoring the past, and rejecting anyone who wants to be involved in his family's life
Introvert or Extrovert: Introvert
How Does the Character Deal with...
Anger: He has an aggressive personality and is likely to shout when angry
Sadness: He bottles up his sadness and often covers it with anger
Conflict: Due to his stubborn tendencies, he avoids conflict by not allowing the other party to have their say
Change: As past experiences have shown Frank that change is often bad for him, it causes him fear
Loss: He has experienced a lot of loss, and this has driven him to not let it happen again
What They Want in Life: To forget and ignore the past and move on in life with his wife and daughter
Would Like to Change in Their Life: Never having lost his sister or his unborn daughter, but presently being closer to his family
Self Motivation: Knowing that he's already lost his family once before
Fears: Losing his family all over again
Sources of Happiness: Losing himself in a book, golf, or television
Sense of Humour: Low, dry
Judgemental or Understanding: Judgemental
Generous or Selfish: Selfish
Polite or Rude: Rude, polite to his real estate customers and colleagues
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Story Involvement
Character's Role: The biological father
First Appearance: Episode One (flashback)
Relationships with Other Characters:
1. Lauren Daniels: Frank loved his unborn daughter and was devastated when they lost her. Living in denial, he now can't handle the idea that she exists and doesn't want anything to do with her
2. Kathleen Porter: Once in a loving relationship, Frank now struggles to show signs of love to his wife after all of their troubles, but doesn't want to leave her and break their family
3. Amanda Porter: Frank instigated illegally adopting Amanda, but not long after he realised his mistake. He now struggles to accept her and cannot seem to show her the amount of love that a father should
4. Evelyn Porter: Frank was once loved deeply by his mother, but after his sister's death, she became cold towards him. The only act of kindness she showed towards him was hinting at the idea of him adopting a new baby and keeping this secret for most of her life
5. Helen Daniels: He trusted Helen with his unborn child and was betrayed, he is sickened by her ruining his life all over again
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Kathleen Porter
Olivia Williams example of Kathleen Porter
Character Description
Kathleen desperately awaited the child that she couldn't conceive on her own, and when she was taken by her surrogate, Kathleen let her husband take control and replace their daughter instead of searching. Spending her life filled with regret, she misses her real daughter terribly and struggles to show her adopted daughter true love.
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Basic Statistics
Name: Kathleen Porter
Character Type: Round Character
Date of Birth: 1st June 1963
Age: 53
Nationality: British
Religion: Christian
Hometown: Cambridge, UK
Current Residence: Hammersmith, London
Occupation: Doctor's Surgery Nurse
Talents/Skills: Medical practices, piano, intelligent
Siblings: None
Spouse: She married Frank Porter at the age of 20 and loved him dearly, after the heartache they've faced, he's all she has left of her old life, even if they're not the same anymore
Children: Kathleen, unable to conceive a child, excitedly awaited the birth of her daughter. But once she was stolen, she agreed to Frank's idea of adopting Amanda. She desperately wants a family and to love her daughter, but doesn't feel that she can
Parents: Her father Tom left when she was a teenager, raised by her mother Amanda, she had a loved childhood. Her mother passed away when Kathleen was 23
Grandparents: Kathleen's grandparents on her mother side died when her mother was young, and she lost contact with her father's parents once he left, leaving her with little family
Grandchildren: None
Friends: She has a very small amount of work friends but mostly stays home and keeps to herself
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Physical Characteristics
Height: Average (5ft 7inch based on actress)
Weight: Thing (8st 5lbs based on actress)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Eye Colour: Grey
Hair Colour: Brunette
Distinguishing Features: Ageing facial features
Clothing: Respectable, neat and tidy clothing
Mannerisms: Tucking her hair behind her ear, avoiding eye contact
Habits: Smoking when stressed, drinking in moderation
Health: Healthy
Hobbies: Reading fiction, occasionally socialising, watching television, playing piano
Favourite Sayings: "Sorry..." at the beginning of some sentences
Speech Patterns: Soft spoken, gentle voice, South English accent, well spoken
Disabilities: None
Style: Classic, respectable and simple
Greatest Flaw: She's inconsistent and a push-over
Best Quality: She has a kind heart and innocent personality
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Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes
Educational Background: Achieved high grades at primary and secondary school, achieved good grades at medical school
Intelligence Level: High
Any Mental Illnesses: Suffers from mild depression
Learning Experiences: Her trust in people has dramatically lowered since being betrayed by her gestational surrogate
Character's Short-Term Goals in Life: To feel happier in life and be closer to her family
Character's Long-Term Goals in Life: To eventually be reunited with her daughter, against her husband's wishes
Character Sees Themselves As: Quiet, saddened, family-orientated
Character is Perceived by Others As: Shy, controlled, isolated
Character's Self-Confidence: Low
Ruled by Emotion, Logic or Combination: Emotion
Notable Personality Traits: Gentle, inconsistent, kind, quiet
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Emotional Characteristics
Strengths/Weaknesses: Strength - she sticks by her family no matter what. Weaknesses - she doesn't stand up to her husband and make her own decisions
Introvert or Extrovert: Introvert
How Does the Character Deal with...
Anger: She rarely gets angry, and when she does, she becomes emotional and it turns to sadness
Sadness: She may quietly cry, and distance herself from other people
Conflict: She tends to try to avoid conflict by pleasing other people
Change: She struggles with change after living a structured life with her husband
Loss: She has suffered many losses in her life, and the fear hangs over her of losing more
What They Want in Life: To have a genuinely happy and close family
Would Like to Change in Their Life: Looking for Lauren and reuniting with her much loved daughter
Self Motivation: Her desperation to know if her daughter is okay motivates her, but her husband stops her
Fears: Never getting to see her daughter's face and losing what she has
Sources of Happiness: Seeing her family happy and enjoying past times
Sense of Humour: Low but light-hearted and occasional
Judgemental or Understanding: Understanding
Generous or Selfish: Selfish
Polite or Rude: Polite
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Story Involvement
Character's Role: The biological mother
First Appearance: Episode One (flashback)
Relationships with Other Characters:
1. Lauren Daniels: Kathleen has spent the rest of her life regretting not searching for Lauren, and would love to have her in her life again. When they meet, Lauren is angry, but all Kathleen wants to do is reach out to her and get to know her
2. Frank Porter: Devoted to her husband, she stays by his side, while she no longer receives the love from him that she used to, she refuses to give up her marriage and family
3. Amanda Porter: Kathleen tried countless times to show her daughter love, but felt as if she physically couldn't, as all she saw was the child that she lost when she looked at her. While she cares about Amanda (named after her mother), she'll never love her like her real daughter
4. Evelyn Porter: She never got to know Evelyn that well, as Evelyn kept her distance from the family, Kathleen feels that she is partly to blame for not looking for Lauren and adopting Amanda instead because of her suggestion to Frank
5. Helen Daniels: Kathleen has tried to forget that Helen exists, as she took away her only child, she will always be too devastated to think of Helen again
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Evelyn Porter
Vanessa Redgrave example of Evelyn Porter
Character Description
Evelyn is a closed off woman on her death bed, deciding to track down her biological granddaughter Lauren, she confesses the secret that her family have kept, starting Lauren on her journey before she passes away.
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Basic Statistics
Name: Evelyn Porter
Character Type: Flat Character
Date of Birth: 22nd January 1936
Age: 80
Nationality: British
Religion: Christian
Hometown: Surrey
Current Residence: Hospital in Dover, USA
Occupation: Unemployed
Talents/Skills: Crafts, homemaking
Siblings: Youngest of three, Henry and Ruth passed away approximately ten and fifteen years ago, they had grown apart over the period of decades due to Evelyn being closed off
Spouse: Widow to George Porter who died of heart failure at 53. They were in love until their daughter died, causing them to drift
Children: Daughter Joan died when she was hit by a car at 9 years old, this caused her to become cold and isolated from her husband and then 6 year old son Frank
Parents: Parents William and Mary Porter gave their family a loving home, and died at the ages of 72 and 79.
Grandparents: Evelyn was close to all over her family as a child and young woman, including her grandparents
Grandchildren: Her biological granddaughter is Lauren Daniels, whom she has never met. Her adopted granddaughter is Amanda Porter, who she has no relationship with due to cutting ties with her family
Friends: Evelyn no longer has any friends due to leaving her life behind and eventually becoming ill
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Physical Characteristics
Height: Average (between 5ft 4inch and 5ft 9inch)
Weight: Thin (between 8st 5lbs and 9st)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Eye Colour: Blue
Hair Colour: Grey / white
Distinguishing Features: A pale, ill and aged face
Clothing: Comfortable hospital gown
Mannerisms: Shortness of breath
Habits: Not having an appetite
Health: Dying of heart disease
Hobbies: Sewing, reminiscing about happier times, reading
Favourite Sayings: "Now..." at the beginning of her sentences
Speech Patterns: A feeble voice due to illness, South English accent, well spoken, slightly short of breath
Disabilities: Bed-ridden due to her terminal illness
Style: N/A
Greatest Flaw: She has allowed herself to become detached and cold
Best Quality: She wants to set things right and tell her granddaughter the truth
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Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes
Educational Background: She achieved average grades at primary and secondary school in Surrey
Intelligence Level: Above average
Any Mental Illnesses: No
Learning Experiences: She has now learned in hindsight that it's important not to dwell on the past, but to focus on the present
Character's Short-Term Goals in Life: To find her granddaughter and tell her the truth
Character's Long-Term Goals in Life: To feel guilt free and relieved when she dies
Character Sees Themselves As: A failed mother and grandmother, honest, alone
Character is Perceived by Others As: Cold, detached, lonely, honest
Character's Self-Confidence: Average
Ruled by Emotion, Logic or Combination: Combination
Notable Personality Traits: Reserved, strong minded, detached, independent
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Emotional Characteristics
Strengths/Weaknesses: Strength - She's survived a lot of tragedy in her life. Weakness - she turned away everyone she loved in the process in order to suffer alone
Introvert or Extrovert: Introvert
How Does the Character Deal with...
Anger: She isn't one to get angry, being quite reserved, her emotions are low key
Sadness: She no longer cries after the amount of heartache she's suffered, she deals with this in silence
Conflict: She usually runs away from her problems and avoids this
Change: After the path she's been on for decades, she now welcomes change in order mend things
Loss: No stranger to loss, she now feels that she has nothing left to lose
What They Want in Life: To confess her guilt and enlighten her real granddaughter of her past
Would Like to Change in Their Life: It's too late to make amends with Frank, but she has enough time to meet her granddaughter
Self Motivation: She only has a small amount of time left, making her determined
Fears: Not reaching out to her granddaughter in time
Sources of Happiness: Thinking back to her life before she suffered any loss
Sense of Humour: Very low
Judgemental or Understanding: Judgemental
Generous or Selfish: Selfish
Polite or Rude: Polite
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Story Involvement
Character's Role: The grandmother
First Appearance: Episode One
Relationships with Other Characters:
1. Lauren Daniels: Soon to meet her, she will be relieved that she got to tell Lauren the truth about her life before passing away
2. Frank Porter: She regrets how distant she was with her son after her daughter's death, and feels that she shouldn't have left him after they adopted Amanda, she will write him a letter making amends on her death bed
3. Kathleen Porter: Never building a relationship with Kathleen, Evelyn knows little about her, but understands that she cares deeply for her son
4. Amanda Porter: Amanda cut ties with her family when Amanda was a baby, never getting to know her. She doesn't regard Amanda as a part of her family
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Chris Hillman
Stellan Skarsgård example of Chris Hillman
Character Description
Chris is a kind-hearted and selfless person who puts his family first. When he helped Helen change her identity and escape with the unborn Lauren, he took them into hiding in Philadelphia with him and has no regrets since.
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Basic Statistics
Name: Chris Hillman
Character Type: Stock Character
Date of Birth: 30th April 1959
Age: 57
Nationality: American
Religion: Christian
Hometown: Seattle, USA
Current Residence: Southwest Philadelphia, USA
Occupation: Retired (formerly Fraud Investigator)
Talents/Skills: IT, business, identity fraud, intelligent
Siblings: Younger sister Linda, who he remains in contact with
Spouse: None
Children: None
Parents: Parents Richard and Rita Hillman, who he is estranged from due to a poor family dynamic as a child
Grandparents: He was close to his grandparents, but they have all since passed away
Grandchildren: None
Friends: He is an antisocial person, who only socialises with his closest friend Helen, and a small amount of work friends including Ethan
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Physical Characteristics
Height: Tall (6ft 2inch based on actor)
Weight: Slightly overweight (12st 8lbs based on actor)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Eye Colour: Blue
Hair Colour: Blonde / greying
Distinguishing Features: Ageing, tired facial features
Clothing: Homely, comfortable and relaxed clothing
Mannerisms: Clearing his throat
Habits: Drinking in moderation, eating poorly
Health: Moderately healthy
Hobbies: Seeing his family friends, watching television, reading fiction
Favourite Sayings: Calling Lauren "Laurie"
Speech Patterns: He has a central American accent, a deep and slightly raspy voice and relaxed speech
Disabilities: None
Style: 'Middle-aged' style, slightly scruffy
Greatest Flaw: He doesn't try to make new friends or meet new people
Best Quality: He cares deeply for who he considers to be his family; Helen and Lauren
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Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes
Educational Background: He achieved high grades at elementary, middle and high school and was successful in his college studies
Intelligence Level: High
Any Mental Illnesses: No
Learning Experiences: He learned when helping Helen in 1989 that nothing is more important than family
Character's Short-Term Goals in Life: To remain close to his family and small amount of friends
Character's Long-Term Goals in Life: To eventually meet someone that he can share his life with, even if it can't be Helen
Character Sees Themselves As: Old, quiet, family-orientated
Character is Perceived by Others As: Kind, caring, considerate
Character's Self-Confidence: Low
Ruled by Emotion, Logic or Combination: Logic
Notable Personality Traits: Reliable, intelligent, caring, resourceful
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Emotional Characteristics
Strengths/Weaknesses: Strength - He values the people in his life and they always come first. Weakness - He hasn't made enough effort in life to start a family of his own
Introvert or Extrovert: Introvert
How Does the Character Deal with...
Anger: He would raise his voice if angry but not lash out
Sadness: He would weep if sad and turn to a friend for support
Conflict: He feels that talking is the best way to resolve conflict
Change: He copes well with change as he has experienced this many times in his life
Loss: This is something that he fears, but tries his hardest to avoid
What They Want in Life: To live a happy and quiet life with his 'family'
Would Like to Change in Their Life: Having more people around him and wanting more for Helen and Lauren
Self Motivation: Watching them grow and change and seeing that Lauren especially craves adventure
Fears: Losing the ones that he loves
Sources of Happiness: Seeing his family happy
Sense of Humour: Silly, light-hearted
Judgemental or Understanding: Understanding
Generous or Selfish: Generous
Polite or Rude: Polite
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Story Involvement
Character's Role: The family friend / helper
First Appearance: Episode One
Relationships with Other Characters:
1. Lauren Daniels: He loves Lauren like a daughter and has watched her grow up, he will always want to help her
2. Helen Daniels: He has known Helen his whole adult life and has a small amount of feeling for her. Not wanting to ruin their relationship he will never tell her this. He doesn't have any regrets in helping her change her identity and run away in 1989
3. Ethan Porter: He met Ethan when he was new to his work's company and helped him out, they've remained friends and soon Chris will ask Ethan for a huge favour for Lauren
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Now that I have completed my full character profiles I can move on to explain why I feel that my selected cast are suitable for the character roles in my next post. I feel that this work has allowed me to learn a lot about my characters and bring them to life.
References
1. How to Create a Character Profile2. Questionnaires for Writing Character Profiles
3. Professional Pre-Production: Character Development Research & Creation
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