Central Character question

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  • Central Character question

    I'm in the midst of an idea. But I'm having problems identifying my Central Character.

    There's bascially three characters:

    #1 - Person getting framed for murder, he dies later while in Police custody.
    #2 - The person framing Character #1, who follows him, and then kills people and plants evidence.
    #3 - The detective who is assigned the case, and tracks the bad guy.

    I can't see using Character #1, since he will be killed half way through the story.

    Character #2 is the bad guy, and a great deal of time is spent following him around doing the killing and framing.

    Character #3 is the hero, but we see him a bit less and not in the first 10 pages.

    So is it Character #2 (the bad guy) that is my central character?
    Writer / Director available for your project.

  • #2
    Re: Central Character question

    well, from what you just said there I'd say you don't have one. really.

    A good story isn't just shoot-outs and car chases. It's about the time that X person, your protagonist, changed forever.

    Your protag needs to appear in the first ten minutes of the piece. The story is about Character 1, we don't have to see all that other stuff going on. we need to know about Character 1, his life and all the conflicts that are dormant in his life right now.
    What the antagonist, or the police do, are only relevant as they affect the protagonist.

    Write about your Protag, it's his story. Let him show it to us.

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    • #3
      Re: Central Character question

      Whose story are you telling?

      That is your Protagonist.
      If you donâ€TMt have one then you might want to rethink the whole thing.
      Faster would be better! ~ Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

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      • #4
        Re: Central Character question

        Who is the protagonist in PSYCHO? You have the same issues, different circumstances. Who's the protagonist in FALLING DOWN? Okay - Michael Douglas, but it is a bit tricky and shows that your villain and protagonist can be one in the same.
        Joan: What does the "T" stand for?
        Jack: Trustworthy.

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        • #5
          Re: Central Character question

          I think your story is about the cop's struggle to solve the crime --(preferably, IMHO, in the nick of time to prevent the falsely-accused guy from dying in police custody.)

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          • #6
            Re: Central Character question

            You can use the antagonist actions to force your protag to react. But still, the first ten pages are crucial. Write out back story on protag then write what became of him as your opening.

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            • #7
              Re: Central Character question

              Thanks... I was struggling with this, when it really is quite simple. My bad guy is the Protag, and my good guy is the antagonist.
              Writer / Director available for your project.

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