4.3 Creating Memorable Protagonists and Antagonists
3 min read•august 6, 2024
Creating memorable protagonists and antagonists is crucial for captivating storytelling. These characters drive the plot, embody the central conflict, and engage audiences emotionally. Their traits, motivations, and relationships form the backbone of compelling narratives.
Well-crafted characters possess a mix of strengths and flaws, making them relatable and complex. Their goals and the obstacles they face create , while moral dilemmas reveal their true nature. The interplay between characters adds depth and richness to the story.
Character Types
Protagonists and Antagonists
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- is the main character who drives the story forward and undergoes a journey or transformation (Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins)
- opposes or stands in the way of the protagonist's goals, creating conflict and challenges (Voldemort, Sauron)
- Protagonists and antagonists are often defined by their contrasting goals, values, or personalities
- The clash between the protagonist and antagonist forms the central conflict of the story and propels the plot forward
Anti-Heroes
- is a main character who lacks traditional heroic qualities or has significant flaws, but is still sympathetic or compelling to the audience (Walter White in Breaking Bad, Tony Soprano in The Sopranos)
- Anti-heroes often operate in morally ambiguous or dark settings, making choices that challenge conventional notions of right and wrong
- The complex and flawed nature of anti-heroes can make them more relatable and intriguing to audiences, as they grapple with internal conflicts and difficult decisions
Character Traits
Flaws and Strengths
- Flaws are weaknesses, limitations, or negative qualities that make characters more human and relatable (pride, jealousy, addiction)
- Strengths are positive attributes or abilities that help characters overcome challenges and achieve their goals (courage, intelligence, loyalty)
- Balancing flaws and strengths creates well-rounded characters who are not perfect but still admirable or engaging
Complexity and Empathy
- refers to the depth and multidimensionality of a character's personality, , and motivations
- Complex characters have multiple layers and may exhibit contradictory or surprising behaviors, making them more realistic and interesting (Severus Snape in Harry Potter)
- is the ability of the audience to understand and share the feelings of a character, even if they don't always agree with their actions
- Creating empathetic characters involves revealing their inner thoughts, emotions, and struggles, allowing the audience to connect with them on a deeper level
Character Motivations
Goals and Obstacles
- Goals are what a character wants to achieve or obtain, providing a sense of purpose and direction for their actions (finding love, seeking revenge, saving the world)
- Obstacles are the challenges, conflicts, or barriers that stand in the way of a character achieving their goals (internal doubts, external enemies, societal pressures)
- The interplay between a character's goals and the obstacles they face creates tension and drives the narrative forward
Moral Dilemmas
- Moral dilemmas are situations where a character must make a difficult choice between two or more options that have significant consequences (sacrificing one life to save many, choosing between loyalty and justice)
- Moral dilemmas test a character's values, beliefs, and priorities, revealing their true nature and forcing them to confront the complexities of their world
- How a character responds to a can be a defining moment in their arc and can have lasting repercussions for the story
Character Dynamics
Character Contrast and Relationships
- involves highlighting the differences between characters in terms of their personalities, values, or roles in the story (the optimistic hero vs. the cynical sidekick, the strict parent vs. the rebellious child)
- Contrasting characters can create conflict, tension, and opportunities for growth as they interact and influence each other
- Relationships between characters, whether friendly, romantic, or antagonistic, shape their development and the overall dynamics of the story
- The evolution of character relationships over time can be a key source of emotional resonance and narrative depth (the enemies-to-lovers trope, the mentor-mentee bond)
Key Terms to Review (20)
Antagonist: An antagonist is a character or force that opposes the protagonist, creating conflict and driving the narrative forward. The antagonist's motivations and actions challenge the protagonist's goals, making them crucial to the story's development. This opposition is essential for character growth and escalating tension throughout the screenplay.
Anti-hero: An anti-hero is a central character in a story who lacks conventional heroic qualities, often displaying traits that are morally ambiguous, flawed, or unconventional. These characters challenge the traditional notions of heroism and can evoke both sympathy and disdain from the audience, allowing for complex storytelling that highlights their internal struggles and motivations.
Backstory: Backstory refers to the history and background information of a character or situation that helps to explain their motivations, behaviors, and relationships in the narrative. This crucial element provides depth to characters, enriches the plot, and can greatly influence the audience's understanding of the story. Backstory serves as a foundation for character development, allowing screenwriters to create relatable and complex protagonists and antagonists who feel real to the audience.
Character Arc: A character arc refers to the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story. It highlights how a character evolves in response to events, challenges, and relationships, showcasing their growth or regression by the end of the narrative. Understanding character arcs is crucial for crafting compelling stories that resonate with audiences and create emotional engagement.
Character Contrast: Character contrast refers to the technique of showcasing the differences between characters to highlight their distinct qualities, motivations, and development. This method can be particularly effective in emphasizing the traits of protagonists and antagonists, allowing audiences to better understand their roles and conflicts within a story. By placing characters in opposition to one another, writers create a richer narrative that draws viewers into the emotional stakes and thematic elements of the screenplay.
Character Relationship: Character relationships refer to the connections and interactions between characters in a story, shaping their development and driving the plot. These relationships can range from friendships and romances to rivalries and familial ties, each influencing how characters act and react throughout the narrative. Understanding these dynamics is crucial in creating memorable protagonists and antagonists, as their relationships often highlight their traits, motives, and conflicts.
Complexity: Complexity refers to the layers of depth and nuance that characters possess, making them feel realistic and relatable. In the context of storytelling, this means crafting protagonists and antagonists with rich backgrounds, conflicting motivations, and intricate relationships that can captivate the audience. Characters with complexity often undergo development, face moral dilemmas, and challenge traditional archetypes, adding richness to the narrative.
Dramatic Irony: Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows more about a situation than the characters do, creating a sense of tension or humor. This technique allows for deeper engagement with the story, as viewers anticipate how characters will react when they eventually discover the truth, making it especially effective in revealing conflict and character development.
Dynamic Character: A dynamic character is a character who undergoes significant internal change throughout the story, often experiencing personal growth or transformation as a result of the plot's events. This change can involve shifts in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors, making the character feel more realistic and relatable. Their development often plays a critical role in driving the story forward and shaping the narrative's themes.
Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another person. It is crucial for creating authentic characters that resonate with audiences, allowing viewers to connect emotionally with both protagonists and antagonists. By fostering empathy in storytelling, writers can deepen the audience's investment in character arcs, conflicts, and resolutions, ultimately enhancing the narrative experience.
External Conflict: External conflict refers to the struggle between a character and an outside force, which can include other characters, society, nature, or technology. This type of conflict is crucial in driving the plot forward and helps to create tension and drama in a story, allowing audiences to engage deeply with the characters' challenges.
Flaw: A flaw is a character trait or weakness that prevents a protagonist from achieving their goals and often leads to their downfall. Flaws are crucial in making characters relatable and memorable, as they highlight the imperfections that everyone experiences in life. This struggle with flaws drives the narrative, influencing character development and conflict.
Goal: In storytelling, a goal refers to the specific objective or desire that drives a character's actions and decisions throughout the narrative. It is essential for creating relatable protagonists and antagonists, as it gives them purpose and direction. A well-defined goal helps structure scenes effectively, escalates conflict, and can be succinctly captured in compelling loglines that hook the audience.
Internal Conflict: Internal conflict refers to the psychological struggle within a character, often arising from competing desires, beliefs, or emotions. This type of conflict is crucial for creating depth in characters and driving the narrative forward, as it often influences a character's decisions and actions throughout the story.
Moral dilemma: A moral dilemma is a situation in which a person faces conflicting ethical choices, forcing them to make a decision that may violate their personal values or principles. This type of conflict often occurs when the protagonist must choose between two equally important options, highlighting their character and setting the stage for deeper exploration of internal and external conflicts.
Obstacle: An obstacle is a challenge or barrier that hinders a character's progress toward their goals. In storytelling, obstacles create tension and conflict, driving the narrative forward and shaping the development of both protagonists and antagonists. By confronting obstacles, characters reveal their strengths, weaknesses, and motivations, making them more relatable and memorable to the audience.
Protagonist: The protagonist is the main character in a story, often facing challenges that drive the plot forward. This character typically experiences personal growth or change, making them relatable and engaging to the audience. They are usually at the center of conflict and are essential to the emotional journey of the narrative.
Static Character: A static character is one who remains largely unchanged throughout a story. This type of character does not undergo significant growth or transformation, often serving as a foil to more dynamic characters, and helps to highlight key themes or traits within the narrative. While static characters can be essential to the overall story, they primarily provide stability or contrast in relation to other characters who evolve.
Strength: Strength, in storytelling, refers to the qualities or traits that make a character compelling and impactful, often driving the narrative forward. It encompasses physical, emotional, and moral dimensions, allowing protagonists and antagonists to resonate with audiences and create memorable stories. A character's strength is not just about power or ability; it can also involve resilience, determination, and personal convictions that shape their actions and decisions throughout the plot.
Tension: Tension refers to the mental or emotional strain that arises in storytelling, creating a sense of suspense and anticipation in the audience. It drives the narrative forward by keeping viewers engaged, as they wonder what will happen next and how characters will respond to various challenges.