The best villains are not terrifying because they are evil. They are terrifying because they believe they are right. Hannibal Lecter sees himself as intellectually superior. Thanos believes genocide is mercy. Walter White convinces himself every monstrous act is for his family long after that stops being true. Their conviction is what makes them dangerous.This guide breaks down what makes a good villain work, the different types of villains in screenwriting, and how to write a villain from the inside out — covering motivation, backstory, moral conviction, and the craft decisions that separate a memorable antagonist from a plot device.Continue…
Mad Men has some of the best characters in all of television. The combination of the characters Matthew Weiner wrote and how they were brought to life resulted in dimensional, often dynamic characters that feel like they could walk into the room you were watching the show in. Over seven seasons on AMC, Mad Men follows the story of a New York advertising agency during one of the most changing decades in American history. Let’s dive into the Mad Men cast of characters, what they brought to the series, and the actors that brought them to life.Continue reading Mad Men…
The Bildungsroman (BIL-dungs-roh-mahn), a German term translated as “novel of education,” centers on the narrative formation of a young protagonist’s journey from innocent childhood to becoming an experienced adult who has grown in every way: morally, intellectually, psychologically, spiritually, and emotionally. It’s not always an exciting journey, often mundane, and the ending isn’t guaranteed to be happy, clear, or satisfying. The Bildungsroman is life.Continue reading What Is a Bildungsroman? Definition, Meaning & Film Examples
Great acting often looks effortless. It feels natural, immediate, and real. But that ease is built through precise and demanding acting training. One of the clearest systems for achieving that is the meisner technique. The core idea is simple. Actors must live truthfully under imaginary circumstances. Instead of performing emotion, they respond to what is happening in front of them. The Meisner acting technique has shaped generations of stage and film actors. It remains widely taught in conservatories and studios around the world. This guide breaks down what is the meisner technique, how it works, and how it compares to…
Looking to brainstorm new characters? Perhaps, you want to flesh out existing characters or pair them against another character to maximize drama and develop deeper character arcs. Writing a compelling character is easier said than done. However, it's helpful to consider tried-and-true character archetypes to ensure every character behaves in a way that is unique, consistent, and believable. In this post, we'll identify the various character archetypes that you can use to enhance your own characters. Plus, we'll include plenty of iconic character archetype examples from your favorite movies and TV shows. Lastly, we'll define which character archetypes can be…
When we watch a movie or read a novel, we momentarily experience a perspective and world outside of our own. Most often, we do this through a character. Through stylistic prose or cinematic perspective, we can step into their shoes and experience the story through their eyes. Without characters, storytelling would merely be a recounting of circumstances without any real perspective. Continue reading What is a Character — Types, Examples & Functions
What is a foil character? Is it a character who wears tin-foil on their head? Wait no, that’s Joaquin Phoenix in Signs. Foil characters exist to expose something in the main character of a story. You may have heard the term in reference to the works of William Shakespeare, but he’s not the only writer who uses them. We’re going to show you some examples of foil characters from literature, film, and television. By the end, you’ll know how to recognize foils from a mile away and perhaps hatch an idea for your own foil character.Continue reading What is a…
Mad Men is one of television's best period pieces. It not only uses the 1960s as a backdrop and setting for the show, it imbues its dialogue, story, and characters with the details of the times. Every character reflects the 1960s in one way or another. In this article, we’ll analyze how Betty Draper’s tragic character arc was developed and written to reflect the times. Be warned there are spoilers ahead.Continue reading Betty Draper: How They Wrote Mad Men’s Most Tragic Character
When you think of the most iconic films in cinema, odds are there is a well-rounded, memorable, maybe even complex character attached to it. However, you may be surprised that many of these great films also use simple characters that lack complexity. These are flat characters. What is a flat character arc? In this article, we’ll take a look at the flat character definition, how they differ from round characters, and why writers intentionally use these characters in their stories. Continue reading What is a Flat Character — Types of Character Arcs Explained
What is a Mary Sue? This much-maligned character type is often the subject of fierce online debate, and pinning down a precise definition requires sorting through swaths of debate and disagreement. In this post, we will be explaining everything you need to know about the Mary Sue trope. We’ll get started with a definition, then examine why this type of character is so derided, look at some examples, and attempt to end things on a positive note by searching for a silver lining.Continue reading What is a Mary Sue — Character Types Explained
