Main content
Pixar in a Box
Course: Pixar in a Box > Unit 2
Lesson 2: Character | 2- Introduction to character
- Warm up activity
- Internal vs. external features
- Activity 1: Internal & external features
- Wants vs. needs
- Activity 2: Wants vs. needs
- Obstacles
- Activity 3: Obstacles
- Character arc
- Activity 4: Character arc
- Stakes
- Activity 5: Stakes
- Advice on characters
- Glossary: Character
© 2023 Khan AcademyTerms of usePrivacy PolicyCookie Notice
Introduction to character
Welcome to our lesson on character development.
Want to join the conversation?
- what other ways can you use to help with creating a character besides the elevator method?(19 votes)
- Hi Ceecee1234,
For me to develop my own characters as a writer I often put my own emotions and the people I know of into characters developing a character can be difficult often at times many use characters from our favorite movies and TV shows etc. to help us start writing a story once the story's become stronger then you have the ability to develop your own think of it as Lego each piece helps build your own creation(character).(30 votes)
- love that!to 3:00"I sure hope my next passenger is a tidier character." LOL. You do that deliberately, don't you? 3:08(31 votes)
- was nuts! Also I'm pretty sure they do that. 3:00(2 votes)
- Get Me Out Of Here!! That lady was to funny. LOL(19 votes)
- That lady was imaoo to the max. Lol(2 votes)
- Did they really throw down that iPad? Was some of this impromptu?(17 votes)
- why she throw it?!
If she don't need that, let me have it.(4 votes)
- LOL
"I hope my next character is a tidier character."(11 votes) - They were trying to hard not to laugh(11 votes)
- Can we make mini movies that are crazy and creative.(7 votes)
- I wonder what Sonic would have done in that situation. Have any of you seen the new Sonic movie 🎥 yet? It's awesome!👍 #catchsonic(7 votes)
- Is this exercise simply about knowing your character well enough so that you can tell what they'd do in an elevator crash? or is there a different purpose to it?(5 votes)
- Well, I think it's trying to show their flaws. Since, as we know the audience loves flaws; for a good reason. When we resonate with characters we feel we can also defeat the demons and tyrants of our life(2 votes)
- what happens if you use the elevator method but your character still feels boring?(4 votes)
Video transcript
- Hey Aphton! - Hey Louise! - Whatcha doing? - I'm working on this character lesson. And honestly, I'm struggling a bit. How do you make an audience
care about a character? - That's a really hard one. You ever heard of The Elevator Test? - No, what's that? - So, when you're struggling
with your character. And you're trying to figure
out who they really are, it helps a lot to put
them in an elevator and, (elevators crashes) What was that? - Okay, it's okay. Louise, how about you tell me about the elevator thing. - Okay, yeah, so when you're trying to figure out your characters. It helps to trap them in an elevator and see how they'd react in a crisis. Get me out of here! Hey, are you out there? The elevator's stuck. Really, really stuck. - Let's try this one. Okay, lights, we have lights. Okay, what's next? Okay, we're late for meetings. Someone will notice that we're gone. Breathe in. Must be a trapdoor somewhere. Breathe out. (cries) - [Louise] It's not working! - Okay. Louise, are you okay? - I'm fine! (light instrumental music) - [Robotic Woman] Hello, have
you completed the exercise? - Ah, yeah, get us out of this elevator. - [Robotic Woman] This is elevator. Did my exercise help you
think about your characters and how they might behave when they're in difficult situations? - You've got to be kidding me? Let us out of here! - Well, hang on Louise. I think it actually worked. I got good insight into what people actually do in a crisis. How about you? - Oh, well I. - [Robotic Woman] Clearly
the exercise worked. And you discovered something different about each character. And as a bonus, you've discovered that entertaining characters
are often deeply flawed. Don't worry, those flaws can also be the key, to why
audiences care about them. Your characters will be the people, rats, fish, cars, or robots, that we follow through the whole story. The lessons they learn,
the challenges they face, and the feelings they feel, will be shared by the audience. And when you are struggling
to create a character that the audience cares about, there are many other
exercises you can try. - Right on, elevator. That's what this lesson is all about. Playing with character. - [Robotic Woman] And
remember, I'm always here to help you take your
storytelling to the next level. - Bye elevator. - Bye elevator. - [Robotic Woman] I sure
hope my next passenger is a tidier character.