I don't expect any of my books will ever make it to the screen but sometimes I find it very helpful to imagine who would play my characters on the television or in a movie. It is a great help in visualizing the voice and manner of the character. I use such character models from all through the media, including public figures, both from the present day and from those long since dead.
I did that when I began writing in 1st person point of view for each of my characters. It helped in situations where there was a physical description used, helped me keep a strong mental image. These are who I imagined as my characters (though some of the physical attributes were changed for my character's individuality sake): Sabby: Rachel Bilson (Heart of Dixie) Warden: Sebastian Stan (Kings) Bentley: Til Schweiger (King Arthur/ Inglorious Basterds) Taren: Jane Levy (Suburgatory) Felix: Dante Basco (as he looked in 1991's Hook, as Rufio) Eve: Tatum O'Neal (Rescue Me) Pogo: Robert LaSardo (Nip/Tuck// Death Race) What can I say? I have an all-star cast
When that should happen with my book I would want none other than Johnny Depp to play the lead role of Adam Kadmon, and Anthony Hopkins the famous clairvoyant Clifford Bias in "The Hierophant Of 100th Street."
I've used people I know (one of them was too irresistable not to, he's a hoot) Ordinarily I would make them a composite of various people I know real life or from films and such..
I usually draw and composite various features to make my characters. Sometimes they do end up looking like actors or people I know though. I'd hate for my story to ever be live action. My main character's 13 and it's rare to see good child actors, haha.
I do this a lot. Not all the time. Sometimes the character has a look that I don't exactly have a clear picture of in my head, but can't find a visual match for. Sometimes I find somebody who is really close to what I want or is good enough to totally rewrite my look. Sometimes I create a character around an actor. lol But yeah, I visualize all my writing as movies/tv shows and it really helps me to get into it. I probably should expand my actor pool more. lol And it DOES make it awkward when a character is raped/murdered/expose/etc. lol (Not that any actor is really involved but it's still awkward. lol) But yeah, it seems to be a popular technique. Not for everyone, but it's something.
Oh man, I love thinking up stuff like this. I'd have Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, William Shatner, Mark Harmon, Cote de Pablo, Christian Bale in a mosh pit of gloriousness. Maybe I should finish the dern thing before I dream up actors that can be in my novel-adaptation, eh?
My God Shatner? Don't make me listen to his cover of bohemian rhapsody again... Horrible. And I have no idea who to cast, bad asses?
John Cusack as either Ben Carver, protag of the piece I've had in mind for aaages (which started out as a film idea but graduated to novel idea), or protag of the other piece I've been working on as Stephen Wortham. He'd also make a fucking spectacular Robert Time.
who'd play my main character? When I first started thinking of Kate Almir, I pictured her looking like and being somewhat like Yancy Butler's Sarah Pezzoni from Witchblade. Kate's grown into her own and I see this: Kate Almir: Alexis Davalos (Kara from Chronicles of Riddick) Jennifer Loving: Magda Apanowicz (Caprica) Doctor Thomson: Allesandra Torresani (Caprica's Zoey Chief Bradly: Alex Kingston Admiral Reyes: Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica) some of the other character's would be negotiable. Those are the big ones. CK
Mine would be... Eli - A young Marion Cotillard Aelith - A young Natalie Dormer (with blonde hair) Aland - Tom Hardy Leuwin - Jamie Bell (maybe) Garrow - Rufus Sewell (maybe) Cyren - Jamie Campbell-Bower Caederin - James McAvoy (maybe)
my third book which I have running around in my head has Richard and Judy in it. havent decided on the others yet.
aaahh, I do this all the time! Really helps with my writing. But I keep flitting about from actor to actor!! I don't know who to base my bad guy on at the mo, I'm torn between Richard Armitage, David Boreanaz and Bradley Cooper ;/ Who do you guys think would be more evil? I've based so many characters on movie stars, Hugh Jackman and Tom Hardy have got to have made my two favourite characters of all time ^^ Tom Hardy . . . .
i have been thinking about this one all afternoon because i acctually dont know who could play my characters now adays i've based my story on an old film in which some actors have died and the rest are too old to be in the right age catagory. Frank-:Enrique Iglesias(maybe) Jolene-Emma Watson Luigi-:Russell Brand or Johnny Depp Diana-:Katy Perry theres would be lots more actors in it but i havent got a clue who the others could be i really dont. Its a bit Marlon Brando is dead he would have made a perfect father for Frank lol
Ben Johnson - Will Smith Hailey Johnson - My daughter Gospol Salone - Samuel L. Jackson Jason Espy - Garrett Hedlund Markus Aeron - Cillian Murphy Vorgan Pryde - Paul Bettany, with Jennifer Connelly as his fiancee, Grace (minor character) Charity West - Jessica Biel Audrey West - Lena Headey Sarah White - My wife Jonathon Mrez - Ian McKellen My dream cast.
For my latest sci-fi piece I'd have to say; Chris Banks - A 21 year old street smart drug dealer/urban business man - Main Character: Scott Micheal Foster i.e Cappie from Greek Brody Adams - A 21 year old UCLA Drop out Tech Geek: William Moseley i.e Chronicles of Narnia movies Ethan Hawke - 40 year old, captain of the Xeon (The ship it is based around) from Newcastle - Robson Green i.e Northern Lights Dani - 25 year old pilot, hot, takes no crap - Jessica Alba like when she is in Machete. Steve - 30 Year old engineer, quiet, methodical - Elijah Wood Stanislav - 40ish russian ex-mercenary - Garry Daniels i.e 2010 Tekken Movie as Bryan Fury. They all seem to fit the bill. That would be a sick movie.
For my "Project Supercar" series (if it were to be a TV series, then all the main characters from three of my car story series would have to return)... Veronica Kurosawa (Supercar 1) (DOB: 06/22/86): 25-year-old quiet clerk in a Seattle shopping mall, has a passion for cars. She has a sense of adventure and won the first tournament. My choice: Jamie Chung (Samurai Girl) Calandra Davies (from same series) (DOB: 12/31/84): 27-year-old FBI agent who came from Scotland called in to investigate evil mega-corporation SpiraTech Industries, but constantly runs into Veronica. My choice: Romola Garai (Vanity Fair) Zachary "Zack" Atwood (Supercar 2: The Worldly Newcomers) (DOB: 01/12/86): 25-year-old struggling comic book artist moving to Los Angeles from Denver, Colorado. He won the second tournament. My choice: Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) Amanda "Ryan" Lively (from same series) (date of birth unknown): Young woman that thinks she's a teenager. She was originally going to be named Alyssa Blanchard, an online motoring show host. My choice: Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) Draven "Ryan" Wheeler (Supercar 3: The Timeline Warriors) (DOB: 04/09/year unknown): A stuntman taking online classes at Stanford University in California who only knows his name after bumping into his mentor's Chevrolet Camaro Z28 at a race track, suffering amnesia in the process. He goes missing from a movie lot only to find himself in the tournament. He learns that legend has it that the white and burgundy racing suit he wears on the track is cursed. Rumor has it he has trained all over the world. My choice: Either Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl) or Evan Peters (American Horror Story) Jade "Melissa" Overton (same series) (DOB: 07/25/year unknown): For the first time in the series and my near 20-year writing career, an androgynous woman who has the same hair and eye color of actor James Lafferty from One Tree Hill and appears to be attracted to Draven. She enters the third tournament to rub out Amanda. My choice: either Shantel VanSanten (same TV series as Lafferty) or Margo Harshman (Fired Up!) Alli "Amanda" Pearson (same series) (DOB: 05/05/year unknown): An androgynous woman who has a hairstyle similar to Cavalist (a band out of San Diego, CA) frontman Weston Gardner, but with French braid ponytails. Rumor has it she was tested by scientists at a very early age. She is a close friend and rival of Jade that has trained along with her. My choice: either Evan Rachel Wood (Thirteen) or Katie Cassidy (Melrose Place) These are all the main characters who the story series centers around...
