The Halloween Costume Test

I know I should save this post for Halloween, but since I’ve started work on my new pilot, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I create characters.  So, what is this “Halloween Costume Test” you ask, and what does Halloween have to do with creating characters?

Nothing!  Muahaha!  Oh wait, just kidding...I had a point...

I went to a talk a while back for some screenwriting workshop/class thingy where the speaker stressed the importance of creating “character conceits."  But, what's a "character conceit?"  If you break down those words the term makes no sense, but from what I could gather, it was just a fancy way the speaker used to describe extremely memorable characters (Latka on Taxi, Kramer on Seinfeld, Urkel on Family Matters, and Sue Sylvester on Glee just to name a few).   Basically, the speaker was emphasizing the idea that writers should strive to create these types of characters since they stand out and can make hit shows.

Uh…duh, right?  Make an amazing character people latch onto, have a hit show.  I’ll get right on that.

And yet, I shouldn’t roll my eyes too much.  After all, who wouldn’t want to write a hit show?  So, I decided I’d go ahead and try to write a “character conceit” but how would I know if I was actually, you know…doing it?  Well, I think I’ve found one way and that is…you guessed it, the Halloween Costume Test.

What do all those characters I mentioned have in common?  I think their uniqueness and instant recognizability makes them all pretty good Halloween costumes.  Ergo, if I want to know if I’ve really created a memorable character (or “character conceit” as it were) I’ll just ask myself if people could easily dress up as my character for Halloween.  If the answer is yes, I just might have something good…or er…popular (Jersey Shore…huge hit, and the cast members were the most popular costumes from last year).  Heck, just look at some of the biggest music stars in the world at various points in time (Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga)…all are Halloween costume worthy.

Now, I don’t think this means a script would suck without one of these "character conceits" and I’m sure some people will say this idea puts too much emphasis on creating a bizarre look for a character for no reason, or promotes the writing of catch phrases rather than meaningful content.

But, I don’t think it has to be that at all.  I think keeping this idea in mind could help writers hone characters and force them to get really specific and create a person a reader has never seen before rather than "pretty doctor #1" or "handsome lawyer #3."  And hey, I think Don Draper, Joan Harris, Dr. House, and Dexter, would all make totally sweet Halloween costumes, and all are from shows with a lot of critical acclaim.

Now obviously, I understand that iconic looks for characters are brought to life by talented costume, hair, and makeup departments, and that the right actor can also take a role to a whole other level. Would Sue Sylvester be as easy to imitate without her Adidas tracksuits, megaphones, and Jane Lynch’s deadpan delivery? Maybe not. But she wouldn’t be Sue at all without her snarky comments and absurd one liners.