Two basic ways I know of two create humanity.

(1) Show a character fail. Either by accident or on purpose. Have them feel bad about it. Everyone screws up, this will generate sympathy of the character isn't a jerk about it. Example: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARC. Indiana Jones jones gets a gold idol through almost superhero means, then loses the idol and barely escapes with his life. When he talks to Marcus at the Museum it's clear he feels terrible about it and we sympathize.

(2) Show their motivations are real. I'm not sure how to describe this but people put on acts when dealing with other people. Show the real person behind the act and the motivations of why the act in the first place and you have humanity. Example: Star Wars, A NEW HOPE. Han Solo comes off as a ball-buster when he first meets Luke (who's gonna fly it, you kid?) but as soon as Obi-Juan and Luke leave he changes his tune (this could really save our necks). He's got ordinary problems like everyone else and he's just trying to deal. This makes him far more likeable so we side with him when he shoots Greedo first.

Having said that I'd like to point out the opposite of both is James Bond (in the movies). He really has no humanity except in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. He's fantasy from top to bottom. Sort of a comic book super-hero more than a real spy. IF that's the case you better have some pretty amazing stunts and larger than life villians.

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA

Thanks RJ,
Making them have levels, and dimensions- take a flat character and
make them come alive. Thats kinda the idea- i have been learning, but not taught as humanity - but character. Character is humanity.

Gathering audience empathy from the character from there conflicts.

Rich

i just read david mamet's book re: filmmaking and he tackles this directly.

he basically says that humanity/character doesn't come from the acting/script, it comes from the general story. if your story has the traditional highs/lows that you expect from a great story it will infuse the humanity into your character. i don't agree 100% with that, but i'd say i agree with about 95% of that.

www.maketradefair.com
www.thehungersite.com
www.oxfam.ca

One simple idea is to just base the characters on people you know, however nice or nasty they are.

___________________________________
You can't keep 'em out, they're already in!

RJ hit it on the head with his two choices. Most great films show a character failing throughout the film up until the bottom of the 9th, two outs and down to their last strike. They get knocked down and keep getting back up, because they have to have a passion for their goal(s). And those goals need to be based in reality for the world in which your script exists. The goals need to be what we all want. Love, security, friendship, happiness, etc. The basics of human survival. If a character wants outlandish goals then the audience has less of a reason to root for them. Take Scarface as an example. We have a criminal character. But at the start of the film we were able to root for Tony because he was trying to improve on his life...he wanted the American Dream...he wanted to help his sister, mother. This monster showed us who he really is when he tried to help them. In the environment he was thrown into...it was understandable to have to do some of the things he did. Unfortunatley he went too far with it. Had he changed his life once he gained some success then we might have rooted for him to continue going forth. But he got what he deserved. All characters should get what they deserve...not what they want. They should get what they need, but not much more. So base your character's goals in the basics and people can relate to them and become emotionally attached to the characters.