When it comes to storytelling, characters are at the heart of what keeps viewers engaged. Alex Flippin, Gray Television Executive On-Air Trainer explains, “Characters are the reason that we watch any story. They make us care, and help the viewer connect to the story.”
The essence of a good character lies in their relatability, “That character is the person sitting at home; they’re not that different. The audience can relate to that person,” he continues, “Or maybe there’s just something about the person that sparks the audience’s interest and increases our opportunity to engage the viewer.”
But how do you determine whether a person is a good character for your story? Flippin proposes a simple checklist to ensure that the character is someone the audience can relate to:
- The person being interviewed should not be speaking in an official capacity
- It needs to spark the audience’s interest
- Reporters must be able to explain why the person is in the story
He provides an example, “Let’s say you’re covering a story about the city trying to determine whether they’ll start charging for downtown parking. And that’s causing some confusion among residents. So we go downtown and start talking to a juggler. He’s a street performer, and he hasn’t heard anything about the proposed parking charge. He does not own a vehicle, so he doesn’t even have to park. So, can he be a character in our story?”
Flippin reviews the checklist, “Is he speaking in an official capacity? Well, he didn’t even know about the parking charge. So, no, he’s not. Does he spark interest in our audience? He’s a street-performing juggler—that’s kind of interesting. Let’s say yes. Can you explain why you’re interviewing him for the parking story? I think I can utilize this person as a character.”
“Then add that fourth step in of spending those 10 minutes shooting video of that person. And when you write your package, explain what the audience is seeing in the video,” he added.
Although there is no formula to writing a story he suggests starting by introducing the character, “Tell us why you’re talking to them, tell us what they’re doing, and then go in to explain the conflict of the story. Then, talk to some officials, and at the end, come back to the first character just to wrap it up.”
Nonetheless, Flippin emphasizes that characters don’t always have to be deeply invested in the topic of your story.
Another aspect of character-driven storytelling is the use of sound bites. “Let the characters you interview talk about their experience, feelings, and unique perspective. Choose sound bites from your characters that aren’t just facts,” he mentions.
The best stories, “Have less of you and more of them. If your track outweighs your sound bites, maybe take another look and see if there’s a way to cut back on what you’re saying. That naturally helps those emotional sound bites shine.”
Flippin also highlights that while characters are crucial, they are not always necessary. “In the end, what we do is the news business, what we do is urgent, what we do is important,” he continues, “So we need to get information out to people, and we have to get information out to people, and there are plenty of stories that are gonna be breaking news and just things that have to be covered.”
However, when characters are included, the goal is to evoke emotion and create a connection with the audience, “I want to evoke emotion. I want to make my audience care and relate to this,” Flippin added. “That’s where the character comes from—once we find this person who’s just speaking about their unique experience, who’s just speaking about their opinion or whatever it is that only they can tell us—that’s where the character comes from.”
Additionally, not all characters in a story need to be people. Sometimes, unconventional characters can become the focal point of a narrative. It’s not just about who or what the character is, but how that character connects with the audience and draws them into the narrative.
Flippin recalls an example about a tree called the Magic Tree in mid-Missouri, “It was always decorated in lights, and it was a form of therapy for the guy who owned the tree. In this case, it was almost like the tree was the main character, and the guy was the supporting character. It really could have been written either way.”
“The art of storytelling lies in finding those unique individuals who, through their personal experiences and perspectives, bring life to the stories we tell. Whether it’s a juggler oblivious to a parking charge or a tree that’s become the centerpiece of a community, the right character can turn facts into a narrative that resonates with viewers,” he concludes
