Thinkpiece Thursday – Vulnerability

I talked about vulnerability in a recent Blade Runner post.  The sequel movie, to me, falls flat emotionally.  I did not feel moved although I did admire the technical and visual accomplishments of the film.

Audiences are moved because of a character’s vulnerability. A character’s vulnerability is always built on some kind of loss which challenges him or her emotionally and not just physically.

A character is most vulnerable – when he/she faces:

1. Jeopardy – loss of physical safety or the physical safety of others close to you
2. Terror – loss of emotional or psychological safety
3. Horror – loss of hope
4. Neglect – loss of nurture or care
5. Loneliness – loss of companionship
6. Unfairness   loss of fair play or impartiality
7. Kindness- loss of support or sympathy or human comfort
8. Injustice- loss of justice or equity
9. Rejection – loss of acceptance or inclusion by others
10. Abandonment –  loss of connection or support or help from others
11. Humiliation – loss of self-esteem or dignity or stature/status
12. Frustration – loss of achievement or purpose or potential
13. Insecurity- loss of security or stability or a sense of grounding
14. Misunderstanding – loss of communication
15. Betrayal – loss of trust or not being believed when telling the truth
16. Shame – loss of  self-esteem or sense of worthiness

Set up situations or circumstances where your character experience these key vulnerabilities.  The more vulnerable your character is,  the more human he or she becomes. The more human your character seems, the more the audience will care about and embrace him or her.

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