How to Create Character Arcs

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  • čas přidán 3. 08. 2020
  • Get Practical Tools to Write Your Great Screenplay: www.practicalscreenwriting.com
    Complete Screenwriting Masterclass Playlist: • Best of Tyler Mowery
    In this video, I explain what Character Arcs are and how to correctly incorporate them into your screenplay.
    Shoot me a DM!
    Instagram: @mowery
    #Screenwriting #CharacterArcs
  • Krátké a kreslené filmy

Komentáře • 279

  • @TylerMowery
    @TylerMowery  Před 3 lety +39

    Get Practical Tools to Write Your Great Screenplay: www.practicalscreenwriting.com

    • @silverback7348
      @silverback7348 Před rokem

      Whiplash may actually be challenging the whole storytelling premise of choice/free will on a philosophical level where compulsion consumes choice and compels greatness even as loss and self-destruction mount.

  • @thatoneseen
    @thatoneseen Před 3 lety +339

    A good lie a character believes in is like a drop of blood a shark cannot resist. Viewers are hungry to see to the end if that lie is compelling and relatable!

    • @stgrozdanovic
      @stgrozdanovic Před 3 lety +13

      This is some Tarantino-like analogy

    • @Author_SoftwareDesigner
      @Author_SoftwareDesigner Před 2 lety +3

      Do you have an example of a lie like this?

    • @notverypog
      @notverypog Před 2 lety +1

      @@Author_SoftwareDesigner donald trump is orange

    • @soccerandtrack10
      @soccerandtrack10 Před 3 měsíci

      ​@@notverypogfanticy is better then reality,because reality hert me,so im chooseing fanticy?...
      Its still about trump,but different.

    • @soccerandtrack10
      @soccerandtrack10 Před 3 měsíci

      @thatonscreen does mine count as a example or not?...

  • @bimbo9970
    @bimbo9970 Před 3 lety +226

    I thought this video had a million views or something, it's quality was spectacular, thank you for this.

  • @DannyBott
    @DannyBott Před 2 lety +77

    For anyone who has seen Matt Reeves' The Batman, it's not only visual style and genre that is lifted from Se7en - Batman's entire character arc mirrors Somerset's, with The Riddler representing John Doe's exaggeration of this core belief. Super interesting!

  • @doritochipgamer474
    @doritochipgamer474 Před 3 lety +78

    Let’s be real, we knew he would cover Michael Corleone in the corruption arc.

    • @davidfernandez8515
      @davidfernandez8515 Před 2 lety +6

      Every single video about it does lol. It's such a great film

  • @rixx46
    @rixx46 Před 3 lety +29

    some good stuff here - the importance of the midpoint cannot be overstated. The midpoint MUST be a choice - not an external event - by making that choice, they can NEVER go back to who they were at the beginning of the story

  • @shrutijohri7297
    @shrutijohri7297 Před 3 lety +66

    This is an extremely relevant tutorial on making character arcs. It simplifies the task of tracing characters in the story without complicating the ideas.

  • @Miragephan
    @Miragephan Před 3 lety +126

    Probably the clearest, piece by piece breakdown of character arc construction I've found for beginners. Thanks for the video

    • @Mitch-nx2ic
      @Mitch-nx2ic Před 3 lety +1

      Your comment seems a little condescending.

    • @sdprz7893
      @sdprz7893 Před 3 lety +10

      @@Mitch-nx2ic How?

  • @Denis461997
    @Denis461997 Před 3 lety +178

    You inspire me so much, dude. I really appreciate all your work! 🙋🏻‍♂️ You're AWESOME

    • @ruly8153
      @ruly8153 Před 3 lety +1

      Denis Alcantara
      Are you looking for a love heart there man?

    • @davesy22
      @davesy22 Před 3 lety +1

      One of the best screenwriting channels on youtube

  • @zacharyhicks4398
    @zacharyhicks4398 Před 2 lety +6

    I have to give it to you man, after reading dozens of books on screenwriting and taking other online courses yours has absolutely been the most informative. Where other books and courses try to lock you into a constrictive structure, or just lack the info of what actions to take to move the story along, yours has an entirely different and eye opening approach. Your method really gives the power back to the writer and has inspired me to stop worrying so much about structure and just write the darn thing. Thank you for making this openly available to all creatives and sharing your knowledge with the masses. You're doing a huge service to us all.

  • @yolyd
    @yolyd Před 3 lety +28

    This is the first time I hear an explanation like this, it's eye opening to me. Thanks!

    • @davidjadunath1262
      @davidjadunath1262 Před 3 lety

      Captain Willard is a flat arc character. He knows from the beginning that the meek shall inherit the earth, and he causes a change in Kurtz. Although Willard's introspection at the beginning of the film brings him to an unresolved conflict without a method, and he knows that he is a ghost who can never go home again, he postpones his inner turmoil by being occupied. He has a mission.
      Notice how Willard is the only one who had it together, on the mission. All of the others on the boat would die, except Lance. Each one had a kind of incompleteness and frustration, as in Chief and Chef. Clean was too immature, though Lance is the searching meek who will inherit the earth. On the journey, Willard explores how Col. Kurtz descended into darkness, resulting in Kurts being marked for death by his superiors, and Willard's mission. However, in the end, a changed Kurtz is merciful. He spares Williard's life. Although Kurtz murdered many, he wouldn't kill one of his own who is that remarkable soldier that Kurtz wished he had, in order to win the war (Go to Kurtz's monologue about the inoculations and the VC's courage to chop off the children's arms). Therefore, Kurtz is the one who changes.
      Willard goes out of the story, the way he came in -- another mission completed, and how he would come to terms with his own inner demons, remains a mystery, and perhaps, another story.

  • @aah3703
    @aah3703 Před 3 lety +6

    gotta love that the ad i got on this Tyler Mowery video was an ad for a Tyler Mowery video.

  • @Drakhas12
    @Drakhas12 Před 3 lety +31

    I would love to see an "Apocalypse Now" analysis from you about character arc and how the story moves deeper into the darkness.

  • @Sonia-xl2zf
    @Sonia-xl2zf Před 2 lety +11

    this is beyond helpful. In our filmschool, we just read mckee`s book and that was it. thank you so much for these videos, it really gives me the medium in which to make my ideas come alive.

  • @Dramedia
    @Dramedia Před 3 lety +11

    Daniel Plainview. I think something remarkable about this character is the relationship he has with childrens (HW and also the blond girl) this gives him another dimension and a layer above the fact that he is moved almost only by power and ambition. Is like a compassionate side of him.

    • @mikehiebert6227
      @mikehiebert6227 Před 3 lety +3

      Yeah absolutely, it's such a great piece of writing IMO. Even though Daniel is a reprehensible character he still has some humanity in him, but I think what makes it really great is that it isn't really explored in depth. The writing presents the complexity of humans; he's not truly evil and isn't an archetype, but we don't get to hear his tragic backstory and why he defends the blonde girl so fiercely, , and we don't get anything to overly humanize him. The writing just presents this complex, multilayered character and let's the audience come up with their own moral judgment of who he is

  • @singaravelsudeeksha281
    @singaravelsudeeksha281 Před 3 lety +6

    I really love Jack Thompson's s Character arc in the Peggy Carter series...the gradual change he has in his life due to Carter was amazing.
    The best part is that they don't change him from a so-called bad guy to a good guy...
    They add more depth to his already layered character...
    I love characters who're neither completely good nor completely bad...
    By the way...thanks Tyler for helping me out!!!

  • @emmacarena7103
    @emmacarena7103 Před 3 lety +5

    I dont want to become a writer or something but I love your channel because Its super interesting to looking for the pattern you explain in the movies series novel I like

  • @jeagerbomb5121
    @jeagerbomb5121 Před 2 lety +7

    absolute stunning work thank you so much for this, you're videos are not just informative but inspiring too

  • @benjaminhertzog5951
    @benjaminhertzog5951 Před 3 lety +32

    Tommy Lee Jones in No Country for Old Men is a good negative arc example.

  • @nikhilganesh6547
    @nikhilganesh6547 Před 3 lety +18

    So a "ghost" is a traumatic event in a characters past that haunts them and is a pivotal reason for the lie they hold throughout the story? its great to learn about stories haha movies are crazy

  • @abhijeetsibartie
    @abhijeetsibartie Před 3 lety +14

    What a masterpiece of a video! Great analysis, more of this please!

  • @sheppazii
    @sheppazii Před 3 lety +2

    dude you need more subs. This is criminally underrated...

  • @voixyz
    @voixyz Před 2 lety +3

    Man, I have been stuck with my script for a few weeks already (its my first time writing a script for my scriptwriting class) and I just gotta say your videos really are helping in moving forward with my storytelling. Thank you and keep it up!!!

  • @melodid5023
    @melodid5023 Před 2 lety +2

    Omg... this is plot guys.. Character arc is the STORY and plot is what happens for the arc to come true, damn it! XD how did I NOT see this all this year's..
    My mind is blown.. and then he goes:"but a character arc can be even more interesting than this."
    Me:"yes, teach me sensei."
    Thank you man. I've been doing a lot of this subconscious as probably many people are, but this gives me a true direction.

  • @markrodriguez9442
    @markrodriguez9442 Před 3 lety +35

    I would say SEVEN is very poetic. It may be a gross movie,yet, it's a great story.

  • @greatteachertahar512
    @greatteachertahar512 Před 2 lety +2

    this is literally the most useful and the clearest video i'v seen on internet thank you so much a lot of love

  • @toluwaniobayanworks
    @toluwaniobayanworks Před 3 lety +11

    Thank you, Tyler. You're such a blessing.

  • @Sergiopoo
    @Sergiopoo Před 3 lety +4

    I'm loving your videos and started binge watching them, so glad I found this channel. Keep up the fantastic work!

  • @uscitizen3252
    @uscitizen3252 Před 3 lety +6

    Wow, thank you for putting in all of this work. I learned so much from this as character arcs have been my biggest struggle.

  • @j-new6278
    @j-new6278 Před 3 lety +2

    Great information!!! I have watched a few of these channels and you dig in deeper and have better instruction than most. Much appreciated!!!!!!!

  • @itsbella2162
    @itsbella2162 Před 3 lety +1

    in love with your videos, it help me so much to outline my screenplay!!! keep it up Tyler!

  • @tonigarcia3430
    @tonigarcia3430 Před 2 lety +1

    Thank you for all of these videos, great job, they have been so helpfull. I've started to analyze all the people around me, friends and family under these arches and it's amazing how organic it is. Each could be a perfectly written character.

  • @cnfilmsss
    @cnfilmsss Před 2 lety +1

    These videos are always top notch, great stuff!

  • @TheGameCouncilor
    @TheGameCouncilor Před 3 lety +34

    character arks: the narrative you want to enforce

    • @sdprz7893
      @sdprz7893 Před 3 lety

      BINGO

    • @ghostofdeath663
      @ghostofdeath663 Před 3 lety +1

      So in other words the quality of the character is mostly up to the writer than is to the actor......

    • @sdprz7893
      @sdprz7893 Před 3 lety +4

      @@ghostofdeath663 This should've been obvious from the beginning, the actor is just that, an actor, they may contribute to a story but why we credit them with the quality of a story has always been beyond me.

    • @ghostofdeath663
      @ghostofdeath663 Před 3 lety +3

      @@sdprz7893 yeah I always say this good performance doesn't equal a good character both performance and writing are completely two seperate things people are dumbed down to think that the actors wrote down the whole thing but it's mostly up to the writer than is to the actor in other words the director and writers make and finish the character and the actor comes very last, no matter how well you act the character maybe decent at best depends on how you are written acting doesn't work for this argument........

    • @sdprz7893
      @sdprz7893 Před 3 lety

      @@ghostofdeath663 Agreed

  • @EdgardoGeorge
    @EdgardoGeorge Před 3 lety +2

    Thank you so MUCH!!! This is an important part I overlooked on my first draft. You are sharing great information!

  • @joaquinhernandez6940
    @joaquinhernandez6940 Před 3 lety

    The music you use in your videos is very soothing. I love it.

  • @juliaz9843
    @juliaz9843 Před 3 lety +3

    This is packed with so much educational content, thank you so much!

  • @RainbowRoger
    @RainbowRoger Před 2 lety +4

    Hi, Tyler. I really love your videos. I think you should see Abbie Emmons, another author in CZcams. She too talks about internal conflict in her videos. I think you both will learn a lot from each other.

  • @sohraabsingh9743
    @sohraabsingh9743 Před 3 lety

    Aside from the fact that this was extremely helpful, I especially appreciate the fact that my man kept in all of plainview's iconic lines.

  • @amarachinwaozuzu6935
    @amarachinwaozuzu6935 Před 3 lety

    This has to be the most rewound video on screenwriting. Thanks man!

  • @bradleywilliamsmith1599
    @bradleywilliamsmith1599 Před 3 lety +2

    Can’t wait to watch this once I’m done working! Had to drop a quick like though.

  • @advaitmore3144
    @advaitmore3144 Před 3 lety +1

    This is so helpful! You're doing amazing work.

  • @siphelelemhambi2697
    @siphelelemhambi2697 Před 3 lety +3

    Thanks for the tips will sure use them in the future and keep doing your good work cause you've helped me

  • @RiversBliss
    @RiversBliss Před 3 lety +2

    Another example of _Flat Arc Character_ is in the movie *The Shawshank Redemption* .

  • @ChemicalLama
    @ChemicalLama Před 3 lety +3

    Your videos are helping me so much! Great job man 👌

  • @jenniferariesta6635
    @jenniferariesta6635 Před 3 lety +2

    True examples of flat arc i can think of : Forrest Gump and Paddington Bear.

  • @JunebugPresents
    @JunebugPresents Před 3 lety +2

    Nice video for anyone who doesn't know this stuff already. Good of you to share to them.
    Good point about Plainview.
    My favorite flat character arcs:
    Gladiator
    Rudy
    Forrest Gump
    Uncut Gems
    12 Years A Slave
    Ratatouille
    To Kill A Mockingbird
    Philadelphia
    Glory
    Rocky
    I'm not normally a fan of flat character arcs but when they work for me, they work big time.

  • @GagiTheBoy
    @GagiTheBoy Před 3 lety +1

    Thank you, thank you, thank you! You realy endevour in this explaining. Calm voice, and great insights into the subjectmatter. I am at the beginning of my writting / scenario / director carrier. And am watching videos of such sort. Your this one was exceptional. I will watch more of your content. Keep up the good work man. You are heaven sent for people like us, the beginners. :)

  • @kimberlyagyarko792
    @kimberlyagyarko792 Před 2 lety +3

    So insightful. Brilliantly done. Thank you very much!

  • @theDarkness558
    @theDarkness558 Před 3 lety +2

    Incredible job, man. Please, keep going.

  • @joyoffilming9500
    @joyoffilming9500 Před 3 lety

    Best video on character arcs I ever came across!

  • @luiz_ed76
    @luiz_ed76 Před 3 lety +3

    I just want to say thank you, your videos are really helpfull. Unfortunaly I can't afford your course (the dolar in Brazil is six time more expensive), but one day I'll. Continue doing this wonderful work!

  • @blackcatanimations8396

    Just came across this channel today. What an incredible resource. 👏 Bravo!

  • @cineman3881
    @cineman3881 Před rokem

    Wow! throughout my viewings of video essays on film and TV, this helped a bunch. Thank you!

  • @Dilburtus
    @Dilburtus Před 3 lety

    Pretty excellent masterclass on character arc with examples... spiffy!!

  • @ShekarRangarajan
    @ShekarRangarajan Před 3 lety +12

    As an Indian, the Western World is relatively easy for me to cope with because the World view there (my belief) is largely black or white.
    As we move Eastwards, we struggle to make peace between between profound truth and blatant lies.
    .Life is a mass of grey; neither black nor white.
    Do you have an archetype (arc) that deals with the ironies of life where the jury is still out?
    Something that can resolve an open ended arc? Thanks for a thought provoking video.

    • @utsavdhyani8839
      @utsavdhyani8839 Před 2 lety

      What do you think about RRR? Ram is a ruthless fellow who can do anything to get on his goals, be it beating the shit out of anyone, sacrificing people like a goat, even betraying his best friend. All these are negative traits of a character. But the movie justified them with his past story as how as a child he has to watch his family die due to britishers and even has to sacrifice his father to save the village. So now he is fulfilling his father's dream to start a revolution- A hero here.
      So these 2 traits makes him an anti hero and a character with shades of gray.

  • @cjkalandek996
    @cjkalandek996 Před 3 lety +8

    K.M. Weiland's book is pretty much the Bible of writing characters and character arcs.

  • @eaglegp2541
    @eaglegp2541 Před 2 lety

    @Tyler Mowery You are amazing in your understanding and articulation of the higher levels of story, script structure at a A List level.

  • @rajkumarg.v6095
    @rajkumarg.v6095 Před 2 lety

    Most powerful video about Character Arc explained. Thank You Tyler..:)

  • @amritaoxymoron1944
    @amritaoxymoron1944 Před 3 lety +2

    Brilliant video! Loved it,Subscribed and pressed the bell icon. Cheers!

  • @makotoyuki345
    @makotoyuki345 Před 3 lety

    New upload, new motivation
    Thanks

  • @TheFPSGaming1
    @TheFPSGaming1 Před 3 lety +2

    you are amazing!!! Great video. Thank you!!!!!

  • @humanperson365
    @humanperson365 Před 3 lety

    Just subscribed. This video is really helpful, keep up the good work 👍

  • @mariokarter8915
    @mariokarter8915 Před 3 lety +2

    John Murphy from the 100 has the best character arc I’ve ever seen

  • @trevorcamelot1502
    @trevorcamelot1502 Před 3 lety

    Really love your videos.

  • @4citi
    @4citi Před 3 lety

    This was informative and well done.

  • @scottedwards459
    @scottedwards459 Před 3 lety

    another excellent Video. Well done!

  • @kennycampbell6146
    @kennycampbell6146 Před 3 lety

    thank you once again for annother insightful video. now i have to adjust my templates and incorporate.

  • @SeraneTifineCLN
    @SeraneTifineCLN Před 5 dny

    In a flat arc you can do something that Christopher Nolan did in the Dark Knight Trilogy. Batman's villains challenge his rule of no kill by being psychopaths, the worst kind of humans, Bane has a goal and the Joker has a goal. But Joker's dialogue is delicious and soo accurate for his character that most of us only watch The Dark Knight instead of the entire trilogy

  • @babibunting2924
    @babibunting2924 Před rokem

    Whenever i get stuck in a story, i always told myself to watch this guy's channel and see if it works

  • @egvillaproductions4112

    I needed this bro thank you

  • @danabramovici
    @danabramovici Před rokem

    Really great lecture Tyler.

  • @melodyclark1944
    @melodyclark1944 Před 3 lety +2

    An example of the flat arc character is Sam from the movie Charly based on the book by Jack Weyland. His truth is the teachings of repentance and eternal marriage. Charly challenges his belief in the truth. She changes throughout the story by her conversion. I guess that would make hers a change arc.

  • @bookwriter4438
    @bookwriter4438 Před 2 lety +1

    Excellent video. Thank you.

  • @sripabbaraju
    @sripabbaraju Před 2 lety +1

    Thanks for putting out great content with each video. Would love to see your analysis of plot development and character arc of Amy Adams in The Woman in the Window

  • @m-hellothere4167
    @m-hellothere4167 Před 3 lety

    Thank you so much for sharing this insightful and very beneficial information. May God bless you all

  • @haiderjasim5093
    @haiderjasim5093 Před 3 lety +1

    Great video luv it

  • @julibalenzano
    @julibalenzano Před 3 lety +1

    Awesome videos man

  • @burtonryan50
    @burtonryan50 Před rokem

    Im actually a fan of the flat character arc. Those stories are more compelling. Thanks for your videos. They are very informative.

  • @OirichEntertainment
    @OirichEntertainment Před 3 lety +4

    Wow. This is so helpful. I am taking note of all of this. This will really help out my film-making journey. If there are no character arcs, there is nothing that would be considered beneficial after a film. This is so great to see what characters arcs are composed of in its raw form. Amazing work!

  • @Leto85
    @Leto85 Před 3 lety +2

    I didn't realise that Kate Macer was following a disillusionment arc. but now you've shown it, it sounds rather simple: the world turns out to be more complicated than Kate initially thought. In other words; she was disillusionalised about it.

  • @joshuaoneill3118
    @joshuaoneill3118 Před 3 lety +6

    12:52 When I left my Tomagachi at school.

  • @s.sumbrella7616
    @s.sumbrella7616 Před 3 lety

    BRO I NEEDED THIS

  • @toefl.rodrigo
    @toefl.rodrigo Před 3 lety +2

    This video is perfect. It's one of those videos that I'll have to revisit from time to time. Great work man!

  • @pumpedupkicks5791
    @pumpedupkicks5791 Před 3 lety

    The best video ever 🔥

  • @mercurious6699
    @mercurious6699 Před 3 lety

    many thanks, well presented

  • @raphaelmorgan2307
    @raphaelmorgan2307 Před rokem

    the "seeing an extreme of himself is what got him to finally change" part reminded me of my own "character" arc lol... but I can't really put mine in fiction bc it's kinda a tired trope

  • @ShawnsImagination
    @ShawnsImagination Před 3 lety

    Fantastic video thank you 🙏

  • @AScreenwritersJourney
    @AScreenwritersJourney Před 3 lety

    GREAT video. I realize I tend to write Positive Change arcs, and don't like most movies with Negative Change arcs. I enjoy Flat Arc characters (aka Traveling Angels) in comedies.

  • @JunebugPresents
    @JunebugPresents Před 3 lety +7

    Also, I don't think Whiplash works as a negative fall arc. The supposed worse lie isn't that much worse than the original lie you say he believed. He got what he wanted and no one around him went down in flames with him because of his actions. Everyone is happy, really.
    There is nothing wrong with believing that "achieving greatness will make him feel fulfilled," depending on what one's definition of greatness is. In his case it involves him being a great drummer. There really isn't anything wrong with that, is there?
    It might work better as what you christened the open arc ending. I would even say that it works best as a negative corruption arc even though he won his goal in the end.

    • @alexman378
      @alexman378 Před 3 lety +3

      Yeah, but he gave up people who actually cared for him, to sell his soul to a guy who only wanted this from him. Sure, it works out in the short term, but how far do you actually go like this? Remember how this other great student committed suicide and Fletcher lied about why it happened? He seemed like he was sad that he lost this rare find, not about the actual person he drove into suicide. Detaching yourself from people who actually care for you only gets you so far.

  • @alfredmorris4511
    @alfredmorris4511 Před 2 lety

    Great video 👍🏻 thanks

  • @ReelFusionbySupun
    @ReelFusionbySupun Před 3 lety +3

    I believe character arch is about change. In other words it's learning. Thank you Tyler

  • @danielwen-tb3xi
    @danielwen-tb3xi Před 13 dny

    excellant vid man. thx!!!

  • @sudhakarreddyseelam2692
    @sudhakarreddyseelam2692 Před 3 lety +1

    Fantastic ❤️ video

  • @jashchaudhary43
    @jashchaudhary43 Před 2 lety +1

    Great Video

  • @nicoefstratiou9390
    @nicoefstratiou9390 Před 4 měsíci

    Amazing video!

  • @cosmicdropout8187
    @cosmicdropout8187 Před 10 měsíci

    Amazong video, really helpful bro

  • @portraitofalion
    @portraitofalion Před 3 lety +1

    Excellent

  • @kevinreily2529
    @kevinreily2529 Před 3 lety +1

    Tyler, you are sooooo young, to be so "story wise". Better than many execs at the major studios.

  • @rajsingharora26
    @rajsingharora26 Před rokem

    Thank you.