Every time you introduce a character in your story, you have an opportunity for humor. Quirky characters are familiar, engaging, and create memorable moments in presentations. Darren is joined by Television Writer & Producer Chris McGuire to discuss the people in our stories and how to make them unforgettable.
SNIPPETS:
• Use quirky characters to create memorable moments that enhance speaker relatability with the audience.
• Character traits are the qualities that make a character memorable. (Brave, smart, loyal) Quirks are exaggerated, unusual or unexpected qualities that add humor or intrigue to stories.
• Base your characters in reality and avoid making logical jumps that lead the audience to “crazytown.”
• Use the following quirks to make your characters memorable: Distinctive habits, ususual interests, eccentric speech patterns, exaggerated fashion and physical traits.
• Good joke formats for explaining quirks include “They were so [QUALITY]m that BLANK.” Or, “They’re the type of person who [GIVE EXAMPLE OF QUIRK]
• Use comedic twists to introduce quirks
• Quirks usually involve something the characters in your stories don’t know about each other.
• When using twists, you set expectations and then subvert them.
• Use sparingly or risk the audience noticing the “magic trick.”
