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4/10 questions

July 6, 2011

A recent EPIC find for storytellers of all kinds, but particularly comic creators and animators, is the Paper Wings Podcast by Chris Oatley and Lora Innes (The Dreamer). They just published the second part of a Character Design Series, which I highly recommend you check out. Lots of valuable advice, resources, and a growing community of amazingly talented people!

The first in the Character Design Series had ten questions to ask your characters, and I thought I’d share my answer to the first four here. Some stuff has been removed because *SPOILERS* and then you’d know all my secrets. Which means I wouldn’t be able to torment you with cliff-hangers anymore, which is just WRONG.

So for the rest of the questions, or for just awesomeness (ESPECIALLY you dramatic writer folk) you can listen to the Paper Wings Podcast or read the Blog here!

1.) What do you want more than anything? How do you act when this is threatened?
Tama wants freedom…from pretty much everything. Convention, expectations, and responsibilities in particular. He wants the freedom to learn and do whatever he wants, and hates to deal with consequences. When any freedom is threatened, whether by a situation that stops him from doing what he wants, or by a command or duty he is supposed to obey, Tama becomes very hostile. He accuses, threatens, lectures, and otherwise lashes out at people, whether verbally or physically. He will often pick fights, even those he has no hope of winning, in the attempt to regain control over the situation so he can then escape it. If attempting to hold his temper, it will manifest physically. Tama is inclined towards throwing things, knocking things over, or other swift, dramatic moments. Preceding these sudden movements, Tama will often ball his fists up, shoulders tense, and tremble with contained emotion. If a fight doesn’t accomplish his goal, he’ll usually storm off. Door slamming is definitely not out of the question.

Mizha wants to make people happy. When the harmony of a situation is threatened, she’ll either try to smooth things over with pleasantries. She often becomes overly expressive with her hands in these situations, fiddling with her hair, making expressive gestures, or touching the other person (if she’s very familiar with them). If this fails to relieve the tension of the situation, she will often fold in on herself, looking down and away while nervously rubbing the back of her right calf with her left foot and gripping right forearm with her left hand.

Zhiro wants to be valued. When he feels that he isn’t valued by someone he cares about, he turns resentment towards himself. This will typically manifest in an intense lethargy, to the point that he will slouch or lean against something as though his body has become too heavy to bear. If he feels undervalued by someone outside the circle of people he cares about, he will become defiant and confrontational. He tends to puff out his chest, stand straighter, and make very direct eye-contact. Normally, Zhiro tends to avoid direct eye contact and has an even-keel demeanor, so such an assertive posture and behavior is an indication of stress.

2. What is your worst memory? What is your best memory? How do you act when someone asks about it?

Tama’s worst memory is *SPOILER* If someone acts about it, Tama will become a brooding, iratable lump of self-loathing, and probably storm off to do something with his hands or violently defend people from perceived threats. His best memory is sneaking out of the castle with Zhiro when the two of them were teen-agers. Tama was 16, Zhiro 13. They wandered the city together, Zhiro watching Tama’s back while the two of them got into fantastic amounts of trouble. It was the first time Tama ever felt connected to his people and, paradoxically, free of his obligations as the High Sage Scion. If someone asked him about it, he’d just smile quietly to himself, and then follow-up that expression with a random act of generosity.

Mizha’s worst memory is a recent one. The slow decline of her mother’s health, followed by the discovery of her apparent suicide. If asked, Mizha will probably would smile weakly and assure you that, while it was very difficult, she’s quite fine, all the while hunching in on herself a bit and gripping her arm nervously. Following this pronouncement, she’d likely retreat into a silent, melancholy listlessness. Mizha’s best memories are of when they were all children, specifically when Tama was 12, Mizha was 10, and Zhiro was 9, when they all were getting along and had yet to grow into adult responsibilities or teenage awkwardness. She particularly recalls their games in the garden fondly, playing tag and climbing trees. If asked about it, she’d likely become quite bubbly, happily reminiscing and reaching out to hold hands or hug those around her that she felt comfortable with.

Zhiro’s worst memory is *SPOILER* If reminded directly, Zhiro will become resentful and irritable, taking polite, but stinging verbal jabs at the cause of his past sorrow. If reminded indirectly, he may become self-loathing and depressed, followed by frantically energetic. Zhiro’s best memory is Koruval’s declaration of emancipation for Timu in Itsuri. If reminded of it, Zhiro draws strength from the memory, along with a strong desire to be the perfect son to his adoptive father. He’ll stand a little straighter, and face whatever challenge that is before him with more confidence and purpose.

3. What is your favorite outfit? Why is that important to you? Is it?
Tama loves comfortable clothes, the plainer, the better. He likes the level of anonymity that it brings him, allowing him to walk the streets as a normal person, rather than as the Scion. It makes him feel safe, hidden from responsibility, and adventurous, as though the outfit gives him total freedom to live as he wishes, with limitless possibilities.

Mizha loves flowing outfits that are not too restrictive to movement and comfort. She particularly likes colorful silks and iridescent cloth. She doesn’t think too much about her clothing, other than she likes feeling pretty and enjoys the color. She also likes to feel like she can emulate her mother’s grace and poise when in fancier outfits. She doesn’t really have a favorite outfit, but particularly enjoys styles that remind her of something in nature, as it appeals to her already overactive imagination.

Zhiro is proud to wear his Shadow Monk uniform, and works very hard to keep it clean and mended. It is very important to him, as a symbol of the skills and abilities he has learned, as well as his education. Without it, he’d feel foolish about his hair and tattoos, but with it, he feels as though he is in a superior class above the average Timu. It also makes him feel more useful, and he wears it as a badge of pride that his connection to Dream Eater can be used to serve his Lord and father figure.

4. What are you most afraid of? What do you do to avoid this coming true?
Tama fears entrapment. He avoids commitment of nearly every kind, including becoming seriously dedicated to education, occupation, or relationship. Tama is friendly with many people, but isn’t friends with anyone. The only people he maintains any loyalty to are his siblings, Zhiro and Mizha. Tama also fears causing entrapment, which is why he works so hard to look past social and racial barriers, and why he’s so afraid of becoming High Sage. He doesn’t want others to suffer for his mistakes, and he knows that no matter the decision, there will always be someone to pay for it. Tama’s tendency to hop from place-to-place, job-to-job, and person-to-person is a reflection of this fear.

Mizha fears dying without having done anything worthwhile with her life. She “avoids” this by fantasizing about all the things she is going to do, or reinventing the past in her mind about what she has done. Living in a bubble of self-delusion allows her to avoid facing her lack of self-assurance, training, or further education.

Zhiro is afraid of rejection. He pushes himself to live up to Tamakepe societal ideals, trying to achieve perfection in learning and demeanor, even if he can never escape the circumstances of his birth. He also avoids expressing his feelings about much of anything, preferring to act rather than talk about something, hoping that those he cares about will understand his intentions without him having to declare them.