1. Elgaisma

    Elgaisma Contributor Contributor

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    Do movie/tv/singers inspire your characters?

    Discussion in 'Character Development' started by Elgaisma, Aug 9, 2010.

    I was thinking about this today. Do you have any people that you based your characters on?

    My Main character is a cross between Prince Adam from HEMan and a young Michael Ball (Musical Star)

    His grlfriend is a bit like Lena (German popstar won Eurovision this year)

    His brother was inspired by John Barrowman (Torchwood/Dr Who) and his brother's partner is David Tennant (10th Dr Who).

    I have another character who is a cross between Mark Harmon (Gibbs NCIS) and Derek Jacobi (Cadfael)
     
  2. Zane

    Zane New Member

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    Yes, it happens. It´s not my intention to copy, to create a character that´s exactly like the ones I enjoy from movies/games...

    My main character, was a bit inspired by Roxas from Kingdom Hearts II
     
  3. Phlogiston

    Phlogiston New Member

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    Absolutely. I just submitted a story about a character entirely inspired by a Nick Cave song. I had the song on repeat for about 4 hours while I wrote. Excellent stuff.

    Even as a lyricist, Cave has to be one of my favourite writers ever anyway. Check out the Curse of Millhaven, Red Right Hand, Into My Arms and O'Malleys Bar as examples of superb lyrical story telling.

    Plus Nick Cave gives me my very favourite song lyric based on ethics and philosophy. Goodness knows how he shoehorned it into an album, but it cheers me up that he did.

    And he screamed, "You are an evil man"
    And I paused a while to wonder
    "If I have no free will then how could I
    Be morally culpable, I wonder"
     
  4. Elgaisma

    Elgaisma Contributor Contributor

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    Only the David Tennant one is deliberate. It happened today when I realised the other Character is John Barrowman with Charlie from Numb3rs hair lol (the hair was a deliberate choice) I was watching a music video, and I thought hmm thats him. Not surprising really he was all over the TV in the UK last year. David Tennant and John Barrowman have a fantastic chemistry so they make a good couple:)

    I just adore Michael Ball he was my teen crush and one of his song's Someone Elses Dream inspired the story. And my kids were constantly watching He-man when I started writing the story. I love Nick Cave as well
     
  5. Show

    Show Contributor Contributor

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    TV inspires my characters all the time. TV is much more helpful to me than any book ever could be. It's definitely helped to shape my characters, IMO, into real people. It's not the only source, but it works, and it works well, for me anyway.
     
  6. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Everyone I meet or see inspires my characters. But I do not make my characters clones of people in my life experience. I draw upon the pool to construct composite characters. Rarely do I recognize my characters' specific origins ("Well, he's 60% James T. Kirk, 30% Robin Williams, and 10% Tori Amos.")
     
  7. Manav

    Manav New Member

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    Yes, sometimes when I am watching TV dramas, a character trait or a scene or a gesture by a char can spark ideas for my character.... but I don't make my chars copycat chars. Right now I am watching "The Moment of Truth" on TV and I am picking up so many things from that programme which I can use to create my characters. And song lyrics inspire me.
     
  8. Unit7

    Unit7 Contributor Contributor

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    I would like to say that it doesn't happen all the time. But the truth it is. Usually its just a small details I take from various characters. Sometimes I borrow from their backstory and add it to my characters.

    Sometimes its just a few items they carry around that I will have my own characters own. I even had Goth character similar to Abby from NCIS. Only my character was a Lawyer and bisexual. lol

    But yeah. It happens. *shrugs*
     
    1 person likes this.
  9. Elgaisma

    Elgaisma Contributor Contributor

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    ooh Abi is about my favourite character ever. Ok now I want to read your book:) I've got Gibbs in my book except I split him between two characters.
     
  10. erik martin

    erik martin Active Member

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    Yep, draw on whatever source you deem appropriate.
     
  11. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    in a word, 'no!'... though i've sometimes based characters on people i've known...
     
  12. Mantha Hendrix

    Mantha Hendrix New Member

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    Not really, a lot of them aren't really... "characters".
     
  13. Alex_Hartman

    Alex_Hartman New Member

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    I don't know why, but I've never been inspired by fake people. ESPECIALLY from anything on TV. But I also don't watch much of it. Song lyrics don't effect me much either...
     
  14. Kio

    Kio New Member

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    The protagonist of one of my main projects is inspired by Joan Jett (or at least her persona), an 80s rock star. She is also inspired by woodland creatures.

    Her best friend is inspired by Krishna, an Avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series, and James Bond from the James Bond movies.

    Another one of her close friends is inspired by the Greek goddesses Aphrodite and Artemis as well as Kitsune, Japanese foxes said to have the ability to shapeshift in order to trick human beings.

    However, they aren't entirely based on these characters and/or stars, hence the word "inspired".
     
  15. afrodite7

    afrodite7 New Member

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    i do get some inspiration.i've got an alien vampire in my novel who's hair looked like davey havok (from AFI)did in he video 'miss murder'(and he happens to be a singer but an underground one).i also came up with his character when listening to the leaving song pt 2 (by AFI) .he also wears his hair long too and has a piercing but his is in a different spot.(he has crazy hair powers!).
    so yes,inspired by davey havok i guess in appearance a litle bit (my characer's taller and other things)

    but personality wise,he's himself.i don't rip personalities from tv.
     

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