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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.
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:
In Plottr, you can find the full questionnaire as a character template and use it to flesh out detailed character profiles.
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:
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 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:
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!)
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.
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.
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:
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!
© Fictional Devices, 2024. All Rights Reserved.
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