Library / Identity & look
Character lock sheet
Create a reusable character reference that separates identity anchors from permitted changes, with a concrete continuity check for every new shot.
character · lock · face · bible · consistency
Film Lock / Working resource / v1
Make the decision. Keep the record.
Create a reusable character reference that separates identity anchors from permitted changes, with a concrete continuity check for every new shot.
Download worksheet (.md) ↓Includes instructions, a worked example and a blank worksheet. Edit in any text or Markdown editor. Save your copy with your project files; it does not sync to the shared demo.
How to use it
- Choose a character ID and one approved reference set. Use images you have permission to use. Describe visible features precisely instead of relying on a celebrity name or vague style words.
- Separate what never changes from what can change with the scene. Record wardrobe layers, distinctive props, posture and voice behavior so a collaborator can reproduce the same person.
- Fill the blank worksheet, then review a wide, profile and close-up against it. Document intentional departures as a new version instead of quietly replacing the reference.
Review before locking
- Anatomical left/right is clear and cannot be confused with screen direction.
- A wide, profile and close-up share the same face, wardrobe and prop state.
- References are available, permitted and approved; missing references remain explicitly unresolved.
Fictional worked example
The Last Signal
An original teaching example, not a customer result. Reference filenames are illustrative; no source media is included.
- Character and story role
- CHR-01 / Mara, relay technician. Wants to get home but cannot abandon the people below. Checks the window before every radio call.
- Identity anchors
- Adult with close-cropped dark curls, broad cheekbones and a small notch in the left eyebrow. The eyebrow mark remains on her anatomical left, even in reverse angles.
- Wardrobe and props
- Slate work coat over a cream crewneck; coat zipped halfway; copper repair patch on right sleeve. Black corded microphone is held in the right hand after the decision beat.
- Performance and voice
- Weight forward, elbows close. Short practical sentences with pauses to listen. Fear shows as a held breath, not frantic movement; resolve lowers her voice rather than increasing volume.
- Allowed changes / forbidden drift
- Allowed: sweat, stronger wind and a newly damp sleeve as the storm advances. Reject: longer hair, mirrored eyebrow notch, a different coat patch or the microphone changing hands without action.
- Reference and approval record
- Fictional example: mara-front-v1.jpg, mara-profile-v1.jpg and mara-coat-v1.jpg are planned reference names, not supplied files. Permission and director approval must be recorded before use.
Preview the blank worksheet
The download includes these prompts plus project, version and approval fields. Duplicate rows when you need more coverage or episodes.
- Character and story role
- Give the character an ID, name, dramatic want and the behavior that reveals it.
- Identity anchors
- Describe distinguishing visible features and which must remain consistent across angles.
- Wardrobe and props
- Record layers, colors, wear, fastening state and the hand or side used for props.
- Performance and voice
- Describe posture, gesture, speech rhythm and emotional limits, without impersonating a real person.
- Allowed changes / forbidden drift
- Distinguish story-driven changes from identity errors that require a correction.
- Reference and approval record
- List reference filenames or links, their permission status, version, reviewer and unresolved choices.