Horror Film Acting - What is My Character's Motivation?

Ah, character motivation. This is one of my personal favorite topics when it comes to developing and cultivating a realistic character for film, TV or stage productions. Character development and character motivation for horror movies is strikingly similar to any other form of acting; however, the motivation found within a horror movie character is typically more raw, desperate and dynamic.

Unlike comedies or dramas, horror movie characters are faced with unlikely situations. These situations, such as trying to circumvent a mass murdering clown or outrunning a demon who craves the flesh of humans, are quite different than the majority of us have ever experienced. When trying to configure the motivation of your character, you must delve into the script and spend time thinking about the inner conflicts within the character.

Use Your Script

Obviously, when you're seeking out the motivation behind a character in a horror movie, you must first turn to the script to gain motivation cues. To uncover the true motivation of a character, you must pay attention to his dialogue and actions from the very beginning of the script - not just in the dramatic moments. Every character has a core motivation. This is the objective that drives him throughout the entire movie. For example, at the beginning of a script, your character is having a conversation about the love of his life and how he is going to purpose to her. However, he is suddenly pushed into life-and-death situations. Thus, one of his motivations is to make it out alive so he can see his lover once again.

Core Motivation

Just like every character has an emotional core, he also has a motivational core. This is the motivation that drives his movements, his speech and is the foundation that all other motivations are built upon. Think of the core motivation as the base of a pyramid. This is the strongest type of motivation; however, every level of the pyramid represents another type of motivation. To uncover the core motivation within your character, you must search for clues within the text as well as create a detailed character biography. His core motivation may not be specifically spelled out in a script. For example, in a script your character hints he was abused as a child. While this could be disclosed in a single line, throughout your character development you can discover that his main motivation within life (as well as within the horrific points of the film) is to survive. He strived to survive as a child, and this desire bleeds into his adult life and into the unworldly circumstances he's encountering.

Momentary Motivation

Think about your daily life. We all wake up with our core motivation driving us. For some, this core motivation is to be successful, for others it is to overcome the traumas of their childhood. However, throughout your day you encounter momentary motivation. For example, your boss approaches you with a project that is due in two hours - your new motivation is to finish the project. Another example, you're playing video games with your friends, thus your momentary motivation is to play as best as you can so you may win.

In a horror film, characters are often introduced into situations where they must take action. It is within these scenes that your core motivation can become overtaken by a momentary motivation. For example, you are pushed down into a dark hallway. Your momentary motivation changes from finding your friends who mysteriously disappeared to now escaping from the hallway.