The Defining Moment: How Writers and Actors Build Characters

Aimed at both the head and the heart, The Defining Moment plumbs the depths of the most memorable characters ever to appear on the screen, the stage or the page. The book focuses on those moments so pivotal in a character’s formation that they create a distinct boundary of before and after, moments without which the character couldn’t exist and moments through which characters can transform before our eyes. Writers, actors and storytellers of all stripes will discover a powerful new key to unlock any character they seek to develop, write or portray. They may even unlock a deeper understanding of themselves.
Features:
The first in-depth study of the essential principles that will redefine the way storytellers understand their characters and themselves.
Essential insights into the forces that create character
Dozens of examples of character-defining moments from film, television, theater and literature
An exploration of pivotol moments: birth, death, discovery, decision-making, injury and healing
An examination of how writers and actors employ defining moments in their deepest and most unforgettable works
Insights into how directors, editors, cinematographers and composers dramatize key moments
Practical exercises for defining and redefining character
Tips for discovering the moments that matter most
Deeply personal stories from the authors’ lives to illustrate the variety of moments that define us.
For every storyteller, no matter their medium, The Defining Moment will redefine the way they understand their characters and themselves.

Christopher Riley is a professional screenwriter who co-wrote with his wife Kathy Riley the award-winning German language courtroom thriller After the Truth. The Rileys have written scripts for Disney’s Touchstone Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Mandalay Television Pictures, the late Sean Connery’s Fountainbridge Films and Robert Cort Productions. Christopher produced the independent action-thriller Red Line and executive produced the web series Bump+. He is the author of the classic screenplay format guide The Hollywood Standard, now in its third edition, and teaches screenwriting at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Kathy Riley co-wrote the award-winning feature film After the Truth. In addition to her work as a writer for Touchstone Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Mandalay Television Pictures, Fountainbridge Films and Robert Cort Productions, Kathy holds a master’s degree in public health and has worked extensively on behalf of families of children diagnosed with brain tumors. She also holds a certification of professional achievement in narrative medicine from Columbia University.