What are the best ways to create a character that is relatable to a specific audience?

For anyone who's been privileged to work in a culturally diverse company, it is easy to hone the ability of finding common ground for communication within a colorful group. This skill could very well be useful in storytelling when you wish to reach a maximum of human receptors or a specific group. While globalization has undoubtedly bridged gaps, making movie characters more universally relatable, there remains room for screenwriters and filmmakers to refine their approach and tailor narratives for particular audiences. The crux of audience relatability in cinema, and storytelling in general, lies in fostering empathy with the characters. Thus, a fundamental first step involves a thorough study of the audience's behavior.

Demographic Research: Investigate preferences, values, and challenges of the target audience. Engage in Feedback Collection: Use surveys, interviews, or focus groups for direct audience feedback. Tailor Character to Audience: Create a character reflecting audience's needs, interests, and aspirations. Incorporate Audience Insights: Utilize research findings to inform character traits and storyline elements. Cultural Relevance: Ensure the character aligns with the cultural context and audience preferences. Consistency with Film Theme: Ensure the character seamlessly aligns with the film's overall theme. Emphasize Relatability: Make the character relatable by incorporating familiar experiences and traits.

DO NOT overthink, overcomplicate or “stuff” your character. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that make a character relatable- words they use, foods they eat, daily routines, the way they unapologetically carry poo-pourri in their purse. Try not to cast an extremely wide net, you’ll miss the mark. Diversify that writers room and don’t be afraid to get a consultant onboard. Let people read the script and watch for their reactions.. be okay with some of the smaller more nuanced pieces of your character *the girls that get it, get it* Good luck, little ducks!

I believe knowing your audience should be perhaps limited to the point where their expectations or likability do not meddle with your writing. Sometimes thinking too much about the audience unknowingly leads your writing and the story remains on the surface because writers just add the embellishments to characters without adding any real meat. So know your characters to the point where you have a sense of their understanding or contexts. For example a character based in Europe would understand the nuances of Europe more than the one based in Asia. Having said that, I would also like to add that ultimately human emotions are universal and transcend boundaries.

Focus groups can be very helpful, but they are expensive, and selecting certain types of audiences might not be doable. I've been behind the scenes at hundreds of them. If I needed better understanding of a group I would go meet them and interview them. Ask questions and have good listening skills. Ask them questions about their mores, culture, attitudes toward things. You will hear a lot. I have a friend who spent three days travelling with OJ Simpson just before his trial. It was an experience. He also lived with the homeless for a couple of weeks to get to know them. I personally have work experience in several fields so I know the people.

A keyword that screenwriters ought to keep in mind when building a character is 'change'; it is the force that shapes the arc of a character throughout the story. It is important to remember that characters are not necessarily conscious creatures; they could also be places or machines. Change could either be an upgrade or a downgrade, and sometimes both, in the sense that characters could lose a baggage of personality traits and gain others towards the end of the story. Of course, the evolution of a character must match events and predicaments to have a realistic plot. The story should also be imaginative and original but never falsify the truth about human nature.

After reading the script, making notes about the story structure and doing your scene-by-scene analysis, the next part of the Director's pre-production homework is figuring out the development and objectives of the characters through detailed Character Analysis. To find the "heartbeat" of any script, a director needs to understand the "subworld" of the characters by discovering every character's backstory, scene objectives, internal and external traits, strengths and weaknesses and their relationships to the other characters. The first thing you should do is create a Character Breakdown List for all the characters in the script who have speaking roles (not extras) by listing the main characters first and the secondary characters next.

In "Forrest Gump," instead of Forrest narrating his love for Jenny, we see him patiently waiting for her bus, expressing his emotions through his hopeful gaze. It's a visual portrayal that resonates more deeply than words alone. In "The Shawshank Redemption," Andy's escape through the tunnel in the pouring rain speaks volumes about his determination and freedom, saying more than any verbal declaration could. These cinematic moments illustrate the power of showing over telling in creating emotional connections. These examples showcase how showing, through subtle gestures and actions, can make characters more complex and reliable by allowing viewers to decipher their motives organically.

After a profound study of the targeted audience's behavior and what they relate to, it becomes easy to build a sympathetic character. This does not mean a hero must be nice or flawless; on the contrary, some of the most likable protagonists in cinema have been sociopaths with questionable morals. Relatability in this sense does not only come from a feeling of being understood, but also from accomplishments that the audience aspires to achieve. Characters then intervene to offer a sense of comfort or satisfaction when solving the unsolvable. This is what movie analysts refer to as imaginative/experiential identification, wherein occupying the character's perspective for a few hours, makes it your own.

Characterization is a method used by writers to develop a character and they create these characterization by choosing a variety of "personality traits" that make fictional characters seem life-like including the character's personal appearance, actions and thoughts. Character traits are the attitudes and behaviors that describe a person's personality. Most personality traits can be discovered by observing how a person acts around you or how they act and respond in certain situations. Everyone has character traits. Some character traits are Good (honest, happy, faithful, devoted, loving, patient) and some character traits are Bad (dishonest, rude, greedy, cruel, selfish, angry.)

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Avoiding stereotypes and clichés in cinema or TV leads to more authentic characters. In "Breaking Bad," Walter White defies the stereotypical mild-mannered teacher by evolving into a complex antihero. Similarly, in "The Pianist," Wladyslaw Szpilman challenges conventional portrayals, offering a nuanced depiction of survival and resilience during the Holocaust rather than relying on common Holocaust narratives that may simplify characters into heroes or victims. In contrast, the man's struggles, vulnerabilities, and moments of despair are portrayed, offering a more authentic and individualized view of survival. By defying clichés, characters become more genuine, offering fresh perspectives and resonating more deeply with audiences.

How can you write a character that is likeable to a certain group of people? Simply the one that feels true. Research about the background and use the facts as clothing but find the soul deep inside yourself to find the real motivation of the characters. A simple trick could be breaking down every action in basic instincts and relating the situation with your experience or imagination. First find the emotion right then actions automatically pave the way to an organic path of the story.