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The James Lipton Questionnaire: Create Characters Like a Pro Actor
- Published: March 25, 2024
- Updated: March 25, 2024
- Leave a Comment
Interviews with famous actors allow us to see the people behind the roles. Interviewing your characters is a great way to get to know them, too.
The James Lipton Questionnaire is modelled on questions the famous actor and drama teacher would ask accomplished performers. As a template, it will help you delve deeply into how your characters think and feel. Read on to learn more.
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What is the James Lipton Questionnaire?
This set of ten simple yet thought-provoking questions was used by host James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio. This was a long-running, televised non-credit class for actors during which Lipton interviewed accomplished actors and filmmakers.
Lipton’s questionnaire was modeled after one used by French TV host Bernard Pivot, who adapted his questionnaire from a list of 35 questions made famous by French writer Marcel Proust.
In other words, this group of questionnaires has a history of sparking great character insights!
The James Lipton questions:
- What is your favorite word?
- What is your least favorite word?
- What turns you on?
- What turns you off?
- What sound or noise do you love?
- What sound or noise do you hate?
- What is your favorite curse word?
- What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
- What profession would you not like to do?
- If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
In Plottr, you can find the full questionnaire as a character template and use it to flesh out detailed character profiles.
3 Reasons to Use the James Lipton Questionnaire
It’s always a good idea to find ways to get to know your characters better. The James Lipton Questionnaire is an informative and yet fun way to do that.
Here are three reasons why this is an excellent character template to use in Plottr:
- You’ll know your characters better. James Lipton’s questions were popular with viewers because they revealed unexpected sides of enigmatic famous figures. Your readers, too, may be curious to know what professions your characters wish they had chosen, their favorite words, and other intimate details. You don’t have to include every answer in your story, though.
- Your characters’ answers will deepen their development. You’ll create more three-dimensional characters when you really know your characters. You may even find new ways to build out your plot, sparked by your characters’ answers.
- Find contrasting personalities and relationships in your story. Each member of your story’s cast will answer the James Lipton Questionnaire differently. When you’re thinking as each character, you’ll answer the questions uniquely. This will help you pinpoint where characters are similar and where they differ sharply, so that each character is distinct.
In fact, when you have all the answers to the questions on the questionnaire, the answers may even steer you in a different story direction than you originally intended. Keep reading for examples using the Plottr template.
The James Lipton Questionnaire Character Template in Plottr
The James Lipton Questionnaire consists of ten questions for your characters. In the character template in Plottr, you’ll find space to note your characters’ answers.
Here’s that full list again, along with some examples of answers to get you started:
- What is your favorite word? “Joy” or “Blood” as answers could reveal completely different things about two different characters.
- What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally? If your hero answers with “People who work hard to help others,” that might suggest they’re an empath. Maybe they knew someone as a child with this quality, who left a positive lasting impression.
- What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? If your character feels trapped in a boring career, they might secretly wish to be a ballet dancer, for example, or a tour guide in France.
- What sound or noise do you love? Ocean waves or rain on a tin roof might be the answers of someone who likes the seaside, water. What sounds would a soldier, musician, or visual artist love?
- What is your favorite curse word? Maybe your heroine has been a kindergarten teacher for so long that she has a stable of made-up curse words, like “Fancy Fudgesicle”.
- What is your least favorite word? One of the most popular answers to this question on Inside the Actors Studio was “No.” Why might this be your character’s answer? What “No’s” in their life have been the most disappointing to hear?
- If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? What would it say about your character if the answer is “Buster has been waiting for you,” knowing Buster is the name of their childhood dog?
- What sound or noise do you hate? The answer could be squealing tires or breaking glass if they lost a partner in a car accident. It might be a loudly ticking clock if they spent a lot of time alone in an empty house as a child.
- What profession would you not like to do? If your character is very introverted, you might answer ‘customer service’ or ‘party planner’.
- What turns you off? If someone grew up in the public eye, they could be turned off by people who don’t respect others’ privacy.
Example Using Plottr’s James Lipton Questionnaire Template
Now that you’ve seen several ideas of how you can answer questions in the James Lipton Questionnaire, let’s take a look at an example for one character.
We’ll interview Gaston from Beauty and the Beast for this one. (Do you know the story well? Before you read on, pause for a moment and consider how you think he’d answer each question!)
- What is your favorite word? Gaston, of course.
- What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally? When others sing delightful songs of praise in my honor.
- What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I bet I would make a devilishly handsome king of some lucky country.
- What sound or noise do you love? A crackling fire in my home after a full day.
- What is your favorite curse word? I prefer spitting.
- What is your least favorite word? Never.
- If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? You fought the good fight and you won, Gaston.
- What sound or noise do you hate? The fading steps of a good stag getting away from me on a hunt.
- What profession would you not like to do? I’d make a terrible priest, for obvious reasons.
After reading through this list of questions and answers, you probably have a good idea of Gaston’s pompous self-importance and some of his key interests. That shows the power of the James Lipton Questionnaire.
How to Use Plottr’s James Lipton Questionnaire Character Template
If you’re ready to get started using the James Lipton Questionnaire in Plottr, you will need to first purchase Plottr or sign up for a free trial.
When you have Plottr set up on your computer and are ready to start utilizing the James Lipton Questionnaire Character Template, follow these easy steps.
- Step 1: Open Plottr and either start a new project or open an existing one
- Step 2: Once the project is open, navigate to the Characters tab along the top and create a new character (or edit an existing one) by hitting the + button next to Characters on the left of your screen. Once you do that, New Character will show as Uncategorized until you begin filling out those details
- Step 3: Click +Add Template and select James Lipton Questionnaire from the template menu
- Step 4: Click the green Choose button. This will apply the template to the character you’re working on. Then, start filling in the details for your character
Can you believe it’s that easy? You can even use additional character templates to build out your cast. Combine the James Lipton questions with:
Keep Asking Character Development Questions
Whether you use the James Lipton Questionnaire Character Template alone or combined with other character templates, Plottr will help you flesh out characters fast.
Not yet a Plottr user? Start your free trial today. If you already have Plottr, give this character template a try. After, let us know what you think and comment below!
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