Character Development

Rita Hayes

Age: 26

Appearance:

Similar height to Johnny, mousy brown hair, thick dark black eye liner, red lipstick.

Expression:
Beautifully uneasy

Clothing:

Fur coat, red evening gown, red heels, possible white dress also.

Hairstyle:

Hollywood curls

What do you know about her that she does not yet know?

Her boyfriend's going to be murdered, she's going to be stalked/followed. She will embody the vision of a femme fatale and overcome the higher power and kill to get there.

What would she never admit?
She doesn't live or have the picture perfect life.

If she could change her identity, who would she be?
Marilyn Monroe- Utopian lifestyle. 

In who does she have the greatest faith?
Her parents, more so her father.

Favourite article of clothing?
Red shoes.

Does this character have a vice?
Naivety in belief of her social class. 

What is her secret wish?
To have stronger female rights.

What is this character's proudest achievement?
Winning Prom Queen at her Senior Prom.

Most embarrassing moment?
She mistakenly married Johnny at a very young age, she realised her mistake too late when he turned up to the wedding drunk.

What is this character's deepest regret?
Marrying too early and being stuck in a loveless marriage.  

Johnny Ritchie 

 

Age: 27

Johnny struggles with alcohol, he needs it to escape his dystopian lifestyle. Johnny has control issues, sometimes he lashes out in an attempt to gain immediate control of a situation.

What do you know about this character now that s/he doesn’t yet know?

Johnny’s drastic actions are going to get him killed.

What is this character’s greatest flaw?

Johnny has an uncontrollable desire for purity and utopia. The desire causes him to have an obscure perception of the consequences of his actions.

What do you know about this character that s/he would never admit?

Johnny would never admit that he couldn’t see situations clearly.

What is this character’s greatest asset?

His loyalty to someone or something he cares for, whether it is a cause, person or object

If this character could choose a different identity, who would s/he be?

If Johnny had the opportunity to change his identity he would become the poster boy for the US Army, instead of fighting on the frontlines away from home, he could have been caring for his mother who passed away whilst he fought overseas. Furthermore, he could have been enjoying the glitz and glamour of being a well-decorated and well-respected military spokesperson.

What music does this character sing to when no one else is around?

Love Letters – Perry Como, My Heart Is Taking lessons – Bing Crosby, Mona Lisa – Nat King Cole, Cry –Johnny Ray, A Woman In Love – Frankie Laine, Song of Songs – Perry Como, Night and Day – Dick Haymes, You Made Me Love You – Al Jolson, Unforgettable – Nat King Cole, On A Slow Boat To China – Dean Martin, T’ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do – Fats Waller, Jeepers Creepers – Louis Armstrong, Broadway – Count Basie, I’m Confessin’ – Perry Como, Jealousy – Frankie Lane, My Old Flame – Charlie Parker.

In what or whom does this character have the greatest faith?

Johnny has set his faith in one woman now, a woman he believes will be his true love and he is searching for her because he believes she will set him free of all his guilt.

What is this character’s favourite movie?

The Red Shoes (1948)

Does this character have a favourite article of clothing? Favourite shoes?

His trouser braces.

Does this character have a vice? Name it.

Johnny’s vice is his heavy drinking. He drinks to escape his dystopian life.

Name this character’s favourite person (living or dead).

Johnny’s favourite person is his mother, Angela Ritchie. She died whilst Johnny was fighting in the war and this broke his heart.

What is this character’s secret wish?

To be loved, loved unconditionally and appreciated. 

What is this character’s proudest achievement?

Johnny performed a heroic action whilst fighting the Japanese that result in him saving his squad and earning a medal of the highest honour.

Describe this character’s most embarrassing moment.

Johnny had a crush as an adolescent who broke his heart. She led him on and invited him to a party but then kissed another boy in front of him and all his friends. He felt exposed and embarrassed and had issues trusting girls for a long time.

What is this character’s deepest regret?

Johnny’s deepest regret is fixing his trust issues with girls. If he had done he may have been able to avoid the lifestyle he has now.

What is this character’s greatest fear?

Johnny’s greatest fear is dying without having the pleasure of loving another person the way he loved his mother.

Describe this character’s most devastating moment.

The day he received mail telling him his mother had died.

What is this character’s greatest hope?

Johnny’s greatest hope is to escape his dystopian life by finding the woman of his dreams and running away with her.

Does this character have an obsession? Name it.

Johnny has an obsession with the colour red.

What is this character’s greatest disappointment?

Not finding the right road in life.

What is this character’s worst nightmare?

He is living it.

Whom does this character most wish to please? Why?

He wishes to please the memory of his mother.

Describe this character’s mother.

Angela Ritchie was a kind and loving woman.

Describe this character’s father.

Felix left his mother when he was born and he never knew him.

If s/he had to choose, with whom would this character prefer to live?

The woman of his dreams.

Where does this character fall in birth order? What effect does this have?

Only child.

Describe this character’s siblings or other close relatives.

His mother was the closest person to him. He had no other siblings; his Aunt Marie would visit every now and then. Aunt Marie was Angela’s older sister.

Describe this character’s bedroom. Include three cherished items.

Medals – Honour, Value, Respect. Notepad – Contains deepest thoughts. Camera – Producing images of people and places that interest him whether it be for a case or for personal reasons.

What is this character’s birth date? How does this character manifest traits of his/her astrological sign?

He was born in the winter, the coldest and toughest season to endure in Chicago.

If this character had to live in seclusion for six months, what six items would s/he bring?

Pen, Paper, Baseball,

Why is this character angry?

The person he loved the most died when he was fighting for his country and when he returned from the war, his country gave him nothing in return. He trusts no one and has no contact with his comrades

What calms this character?

Alcohol, but the effects don’t last long.

Describe a recurring dream or nightmare this character might have.

Dark memories from the war.

List the choices (not circumstances) that led this character to his/her current predicament.

His mother was living in fear during the war, Jewish? Why did he go to war?

List the circumstances over which this character has no control.

His desire for the perfect woman.

What wakes this character in the middle of the night?

Nightmares of the war.

How would a stranger describe this character?

Reserved, strange, mysterious, anti-social, boring, alcoholic.

What does this character resolve to do differently every morning?

Wakes up with the small hope today will be better than the day before, another day another chance to find the perfect candidate to run away with.

If this character knew s/he had exactly one month to live, what would s/he do?

Commit suicide, make a final statement.

How would a dear friend or relative describe this character?

A comrade from the war would describe him as brave, intelligent, deeply troubled. Before his mother dyed his was true to the cause an outstanding soldier. After her death he lost his grip on things and began taking risks and killed to feel something.