Hi Reader,

Last week, I talked about how character contradiction can make your screenplay characters richer, more layered, and more human.

But I realized I didn't cover the other side of it: how writers get it wrong.

And that's so important, because contradiction is a great tool, but only when it feels intentional. Done well, it adds depth. Done badly, it creates confusion.

Honestly, I’ve seen this go wrong in a lot of scripts (and movies).

A writer knows they want a character to feel complex, so they make them do contradictory things… but without enough emotional logic underneath it. The result?

Instead of feeling layered, the character just feels inconsistent.

A quick recap: what is character contradiction?

Character contradiction is when a character has qualities that seem to clash - but in a way that feels true.

A tough guy who’s deeply lonely.
A caregiver who becomes controlling.
A leader who inspires people but is wrong about the mission.
A villain who commits terrible acts in the name of love or justice.

When done right, it creates realistic tension, both internally and externally. But it has to come from somewhere real, like:

• backstory
• fear
• need
• pressure
• growth
• circumstance

Without that, it just feels random or forced - and audiences can feel that a mile away.

The biggest mistakes

In my new video, I break down 7 common mistakes writers make with character contradictions - and how to avoid them - including:

• making the contradiction feel random
• confusing contradiction with inconsistency
• giving every character the same type of contradiction
• explaining it instead of showing it
• creating confusion instead of depth
• forcing contradiction into characters who don’t need it
• and forgetting that the contradiction should actually affect the story

That last one is the big one. Contradiction should not just live in your notes.

It should affect:

• choices
• conflict
• relationships
• dialogue
• and the arc itself

If it doesn’t change how the character behaves, then it’s not really doing much work.

The real goal

A good contradiction should make the audience lean in.

It should make them curious.
It should make them feel like there’s more going on under the surface.
It should make the character harder to reduce to one simple label.

That’s what we’re after. Not confusion. Or chaos. Or a bunch of random traits that don’t belong together.

We want tension that feels honest.

If you want the full breakdown, with movie examples and all 7 mistakes in detail, check out the new video here:

🎥 Watch it here: 7 Ways Movies Get Contradictions Wrong​

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And if you want help strengthening the characters in your own script through clearer arcs, stronger motivations, or more believable emotional tension, I can help there too:

👉 My one-hour coaching calls are great for brainstorming, outlining, character work, and solving story problems early: Book Your Session today!​

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👉 My coverage packages are a great next step if you need meaningful developmental feedback before diving back into the draft: Click here!​

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👉 Rewrite to Greenlight is my ongoing developmental editing program for taking a script from almost there to funding- or production-ready: Click here!​

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Remember, depth comes from truth, and it all starts with character!

Stay creative!

Neil

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P.S. Check out my feature film, Spin the Wheel - out now on Tubi!

Click here to watch for FREE: https://tubitv.com/movies/100030151/spin-the-wheel​

Learn more about storytelling, screenwriting, and filmmaking:​ www.neilchasefilm.com.

Looking for in-depth help with your script, story or film? Check out my one-on-one coaching services here.

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