A Character Profile Sheet Creation Support Method for Enhancing Narrative Production Efficiency

Abstract

　This paper proposes a character setting support method utilizing a "character profile" format to enhance productivity in narrative creation. While previous studies have addressed the support or automated generation of partial character attributes such as appearance, personality, and backstory, there has been insufficient research into synthetical support that simultaneously covers external settings, psychological characteristics, and social/interpersonal relationships. To address this, we developed a method to assist creators in constructing a comprehensive character image by providing potential setting items and illustrative examples. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we developed a prototype system and conducted user studies with six experts, including professional manga artists, art university faculty, and screenwriters. This paper reports on the validation of the necessity of character profiling, the limitations of the evaluation system, and specific improvements identified through the analysis of actual creative workflows.