What is meant by well-rounded characters? How do you measure the concept? It's such a totally judgmental idea that it's incredibly difficult to quantify. I think it comes straight down to: can I understand the motivations, can I describe their personality in simple terms, and can I connect any of my own life experience with what the character is demonstrating? Now, this doesn't necessarily mean you equate yourself with the character (certainly not with most villains), yet you do grasp who they are at a fundamental level. At the very least, we understand why they're doing things.
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| Our hero ... Emmet. |
For instance, in "
The Lego Movie" we are introduced to a generic hero (Emmet)--a character who is a complete follower, has no original thoughts, and is mindlessly happy about everything. Not exactly someone we'd want to know, yet we relate to these qualities and form a fast connection with him, which only grows stronger as we witness purpose thrust into his life. We watch the character change and grow (otherwise known as a "character arc"). Despite beginning as perfectly ordinary, we understand Emmet's goals and what he thinks about them.
Something I've noticed in a lot of recent movies is the desire to quickly dump character information onto the viewer. This results in what is commonly referred to as "cardboard characters" who blithely go about the story with barely a hint of motivation. Audiences may not rebel against this style, but they sure don't like it. Take the time to properly flesh out your character's motivations and everyone who absorbs the story will thank you for it.
- M
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