Creator notes
One problem, three characters: finding the scene before the spectacle
A practical LA DOLCE VICE writing exercise: give three characters the same small problem and find the action that makes each response different.
4 min read · 29 October 2026
The LA DOLCE VICE character passport introduces ten personas around Atle’s GTA 6 subathon. A portrait gives each one a face and a name. A scene asks a different question: what does this person do when something goes wrong?
That is a useful place to begin a short video. Before choosing a spectacular setting or a camera move, give the character a small problem with a visible consequence. The following exercise uses three familiar names from the project to explore that idea. It is an imagined writing exercise, not a preview of a commissioned film.
Keep the problem small enough to see
Imagine a room with one comfortable chair and a sign saying it is reserved. The character wants to sit down. That is the entire setup.
Keeping the obstacle this simple lets the performance carry the difference. The audience can see the chair, read the restriction and understand the temptation. There is no need for a speech about who owns the building or what happened yesterday.
Write the action as something a camera could record. A character wanting control is an intention. A character moving the reserved sign to another chair is an action. The second gives you something to stage.
Change the response, then watch the character emerge
In one possible version, The Gamer treats the sign like a challenge. He carefully slides it onto a stool, takes the comfortable seat and celebrates his solution. Someone then removes the chair’s cushion. His victory lasts just long enough to register.
In a second version, The Guru calmly sits on the floor beside the chair. He seems to have escaped the competition entirely. Then he quietly pulls the chair’s cushion down to join him.
In a third version, The Promoter turns the empty chair into an attraction. He presents the reserved sign with a flourish and invites an imaginary audience to admire the exclusive seat. By the time he finishes, someone else is sitting in it.
These are alternative comic possibilities, not new character biographies or approved scripts. The setting stays almost unchanged. Each version earns its difference through a decision and its consequence.
Test the idea before making the images
Sketch three rough frames: the obstacle, the character’s response and the result. Stick figures are enough. If the second frame looks the same in every version, the characters may still be sharing one generic reaction.
Then hide the character names. Ask whether the actions still feel different. You do not need a stranger to guess a persona they have never met; you need to see whether you have written three behaviours rather than one joke in three outfits.
Finally, remove any explanation that repeats what the picture already shows. Keep dialogue when it adds a surprise, attitude or necessary information. The exercise is not a rule that every scene must be silent or have exactly three shots. It is a cheap way to discover whether the central action is clear.
Let the tools develop a choice you have already made
In Team Singularity’s 29 September Twisty announcement, Atle describes turning character ideas into videos and finding inspiration in templates. That is the documented creative context behind this exercise: tools can offer a starting point, while the creator decides what the character actually does.
Once the action works on paper, a setting, expression or visual effect has a specific job. It can make the obstacle clearer, sharpen the reaction or help the ending land. A beautiful background alone cannot decide which of the three characters takes the cushion.
For creators building a recurring series, keep the rough alternatives as well as the chosen scene. They show where the character’s behaviour became distinct and give the next idea something concrete to build on.
From a short scene to the wider project
These fictional personas are one route into LA DOLCE VICE. Atle’s personal preparation story introduces the person behind them, while the live guide is the place to find viewing information for the GTA 6 live stream.
How to follow the plan
The GTA 6 live stream watch guide is the place to find current viewing information. The LA DOLCE VICE homepage brings together the event plan, countdown and social channels.
This journal will follow the preparation as it develops, including the people, decisions and creative work behind the event. More details will be shared as they are ready.
For now, save 18 November at 18:00 CET.
Sicily sets the scene.
Vice City takes over.
Sources and further reading
LA DOLCE VICE character passport guide (checked 2026-10-29)
Team Singularity partners with Twisty, published 29 September 2026 (checked 2026-10-29)