Characters are the beating heart of our stories with wants and needs to fulfil throughout the course of a film or a television season. Audiences must relate to these characters and their journeys, experiencing the trials, tribulations, successes, failures, and rock-bottom moments along with them.
To do this, we as screenwriters should be crafting three-dimensional and authentic characters whose arcs resonate with and immerse an audience in the story.
It’s crucial that we master the art of the character arc. The question is, how exactly do we go about this? In this article, we will be exploring what a character arc is, their types, and how to implement them in your next script. Our characters shouldn’t just be good, they should be great!
What is a Character Arc?
A character arc is the gradual transformation of a character from the story’s beginning to the end. Usually, it is an internal journey which contributes to the emotional and narrative depths of that story, driving the plot and influencing events that occur – and vice versa.
In short, the key is change. If your character doesn’t change over the course of the story, there is real danger that they are being betrayed as superficial and one-dimensional. No one you’ll meet in real life is one-dimensional, so your characters shouldn’t be either.
Usually, your protagonist will have the most impactful character arc, but also consider how minor characters change, and therefore influence the plot. This in turn, will then influence the protagonist’s next action. Again, this is what happens in real life, so should be happening in your stories.
You should be asking yourself why your characters need to change and why an audience should care about them. With these answers, your job of creating believable and relatable characters will be a whole lot easier.
Not all character arcs have to end on a positive. They can be negative or even neutral, if the writer has demonstrated a change in a character’s belief’s, needs, or perspective. But more on that later.
How do I structure a character arc?
Before we move onto the types of character arcs, it’s important to understand the basic structure that applies to all of them. The practical side of things if you will. For this example, we’ll use the protagonist’s character arc.
Introduction
The protagonist is stuck in the ‘status quo’ and has been for a while. Here is where their world is set up and their attitudes and beliefs are established. Once you have a solid foundation, it’s time to move onto the…
Catalyst
This mirrors the inciting incident of the plot, a moment which turns the protagonist’s ‘status quo’ upside down. It’s here where the protagonist will begin to question themselves and where they are. Now they go through a time of…
Progression
As we move into Act II of the three act structure, the protagonist is challenged, which incites changes in them: positive, negative, or neutral. Usually, they’ll go through a rollercoaster ride of change, which drives them towards the…
Climax
Now in Act III, the protagonist reaches a key turning point in their journey and must make an important choice. Everything they’ve learned and experienced so far, leads up to this moment before…
Resolution
This time following the climax takes the protagonist to the end of the story, and much like their introduction, solidifies the person they’ve become and the world around them. It’s here where we discover if they’ve grown, regressed, or have remained neutral.
You’ll notice that the structure is in line with what we would generally see within the three-act story structure. Notice how your script’s character and plot elements must be interlinked.
Examples in Film
Legally Blonde (2001)
Now that we’ve covered the basic structure of a character arc, let’s see it in action. Take Legally Blonde and the character arc of protagonist Elle Woods. Her character introduction sees her leading and being the brains of her sorority group, her world idyllic and settled. But the catalyst for change comes when her boyfriend, Warner, breaks up with her.
With her world turned upside down, Elle decides to win Warner back by vowing to be accepted into Harvard where he’s due to study. At the end of Act I, she is accepted into Harvard. This is the start of her progression, where she learns her true worth through encounters with other characters and being tasked with defending Brook Wyndham.
At the end of Act II, Elle’s professor makes unwanted advances on her, influencing her decision to leave law school. The first half of Act III shows Elle being convinced to return, building towards the climax in which she wins the court case. From here, she understands her true self-worth.
Toy Story (1995)
Woody, a cowboy doll, and one of the protagonists of Toy Story, also has an interesting arc across the course of the film. His introduction shows him taking charge and preparing the toys of Andy’s room for his imminent birthday party and arrival of new toys.
The catalyst occurs when Buzz Lightyear, a space doll, arrives in Andy’s room and is his new favorite toy. Woody hates this, which leads him onto his progression of trying to outsmart and get rid of Buzz throughout Act II. After he pushes Buzz out of the bedroom window, Woody is forced into an adventure with the person he despises most.
By the end of Act II, Woody and Buzz have been through a lot together, and it’s up to Woody to get them to the moving van before Andy and his family move away for good. A hairy pursuit of the moving van leads Woody to the climax where he and Buzz fly through the roof of Andy’s car and into a box next to him.
As we enter the final scenes of the movie, Woody reconciles with the other toys as they all sit and wait for Andy to open his Christmas present and welcome new toys to the room.
So, let’s consider the types of character arcs you can use. This isn’t an exhaustive list, as we’ll be here until the end of time, but this gives you an idea of the most common types of character arc.
Shall we begin?
Positive and Negative Character Arcs
Positive Character Arcs
Let’s start with the basics. Most character arcs will have positive or negative trajectories (some can be flat which we’ll discuss later).
Our characters always start in their status quo; we’re introduced to them and their world as they know it. We then hit the inciting incident which then pushes our character into rising action and challenges in the form of obstacles.
This grows into the final crisis which our characters have worked towards. They overcome the crisis, leading to the climax and the characters’ new understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them. A new status quo is then created.
Elle Woods’ arc in Legally Blonde (2001) and Woody’s in Toy Story (1995) are positive, as shown earlier on.
Negative Character Arcs
Let’s flip the positive character arc on its head.
Once again, our characters start in their status quo, yet the inciting incident pushes them on a journey of decline.
Types of Character Arc
Now we’ve covered the basics of character arcs, let’s expand on the positive and negative.
- Transformative Character Arc
- Maturation Character Arc
- Growth Character Arc
- Redemption Character Arc
- Declining Character Arc
- Flat Character Arc
Transformative Character Arc
Here we see the protagonist go through a transformation. For example, they could start out as the underdog, before discovering a hidden gift or power that they use to rise and be successful at the close of the film.
Internally, these characters change in the way they react, think, or feel. These changes also show up on the outside through how the protagonist holds themselves or interacts with others and the world around them.
Let’s take Rick Blaine from Casablanca (1942). He begins the movie as a cold and tough man, discriminatory against refugees and unaffectionate towards his lover, Yvonne. However, the story progresses, and we learn more about Rick’s political involvement and his fight against fascism, and his past loves.
By the end of the movie, despite the mystery surrounding why he cannot return to his native America, Rick is self-sacrificing and committed to making a change for the better.
Maturation Character Arc
Now, you may be thinking that this just shows characters growing older and ‘hopefully’ wiser! It’s not just about this, but about a character learning how to better deal with the challenges they face in their journey.
Whether they can battle their inner demons and address the issues they face, are big questions for audiences and can make for compelling film and television.
In It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), we follow the story of George Bailey who sees his life in frustration at the things he never was able to obtain or achieve. By the end of the movie, we see George understand the true value of the life he did lead, and how to deal with challenges he may face in the future with a renewed mindset.
Growth Character Arc
This arc type is more subtle than the others as it is a slight change in a character’s beliefs and actions, rather than a complete overhaul. They inherently remain the same but have more of an understanding of the world around them.
As a result of a growth change, the character becomes a better or more of a well-rounded person for it, or their role has changed slightly in the story.
A perfect example of a growth character arc is Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003). Sam accompanies Frodo on his perilous journey to Mordor and remains steadfast in his personality and duty to help despite the obstacles thrown at him by the world, and Frodo himself.
Redemption Character Arc
A common character arc found in storytelling, the redemption arc sets up a character in a position where they’re either selfish, behave in a harmful manner, negative, or a combination of them all. These are usually informed by a troubled past of trauma and erroneous beliefs that occurred prior to the start of the story.
As we dive into the narrative, the catalyst forces the character to confront their past, leading them onto a path of redemption. Usually, this will be an unforgivable journey of trials and tribulations where the character must prove their commitment to change.
Across the seven Harry Potter (2001-2011) movies, Severus Snape is deemed a villain who tries to make Harry’s life difficult. However, his story comes to a head in the seventh and eighth films where we learn of the trauma he faced in Lily Potter’s death, the woman he loved.
The inciting incident in Snape’s story, although not revealed until the eighth movie, is when his master, Voldemort, kills Lily. This tragic event in his life forces him on a journey whereby he dedicates his services to Dumbledore to bring Voldemort down for good. He remains a successful double agent.
Snape is redeemed when Voldemort kills him years later, his former master still unaware of his betrayal.
Declining Character Arc
We’ve explored characters who change for the better, but of course, you cannot have one without the other. Declining character arcs exacerbate the worst features of a character, propelling them into a downward spiral informed by bad choices and bad luck.
Catalysts can range from a pursuit of power, money or lust causing ultimate corruption, disillusionment, and failure.
Anakin Skywalker’s journey across the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999-2005) is one where his thirst for power gets the better of him in Revenge of the Sith (2005), when he’s faced with the prospect of saving Padme from death. This surpasses his desire to become a fully fledged Jedi and pushes him into corruption, and eventually, murder.
Flat Character Arc
Of course, some leopards never change their spots. This can be the case for some characters who don’t change significantly throughout the course of the story. You’ll find that flat character arcs seem to appear most in mystery and adventure stories such as Indiana Jones (1981-), James Bond (1962-), and Sherlock (2010-2017).
Despite these titular characters’ battles with eccentric villains, crazy scenarios and mad worlds, Jones, Bond, and Holmes don’t change personally. Instead of focusing on the protagonists themselves, we look at the world around them and how it’s changed because of their actions.
Back to the Future (1985) is another prime example of a flat character arc; Marty McFly may have travelled back in time and saved his parents’ relationship, but he stays the same person morally with the same opinions even after such an upheaval in his life. Instead, it’s his family that’s different when he returns to 1985.
How do I create a character arc?
Now we’ve covered the types of character arcs, it’s time to get creative and think about the elements you need to ensure your character’s arc is authentic and strong within your narrative. Here are some questions to consider:
What is your character’s goal?
All characters need a goal to pursue throughout the narrative. How will they reach that goal? Do they succeed? Do they fail? Do they learn a lesson along the journey to achieve that goal?
What obstacles and conflict will they face?
What obstacles and conflict does your character encounter as they work towards their goal? Which are internal? Which are external? How does your character react and are these reactions positive or negative?
What are the stakes involved?
Now you’ve considered whether your character will succeed or fail in their quest, what are the consequences of both possibilities? How will these successes or failures affect your character?
What is your character’s start and end point within the story?
Who is your character before they begin their journey? Who are they at the end? How have they changed across the course of the movie or episode?
Paying their Dues
With all types of character arcs, remember that all character transformations must be earned. At any given turning point, they must be capable of facilitating that change within themselves, based on changes that occurred earlier in the plot, or through the influence of the circumstances they find themselves in.
Conclusion
In crafting compelling stories, characters are at the center of the narrative. Their desires, flaws, and goals take audiences along with them on an emotional journey.
As we’ve explored, this emotional journey can take on a variety of forms. All characters may begin their narratives in a state of status quo, but they all transform in one way or another. Some more than others. It’s up to us as screenwriters to show a character’s transformation in an impactful and engaging way.
From transformative arcs of rebirth to maturation arcs of self-discovery, each archetype offers a unique lens through which we perceive the human psyche. Whether our characters soar to the heights of redemption or plummet into the abyss of decline, their trajectories are mirrors reflecting the wide human experience.
To portray such an experience, authenticity is key. Characters must not merely conform to archetypes but must embody the nuances of real life. Elle Woods and Woody are prime examples of stories filled with trials and tribulations that impact
their next steps.
Let’s not forget that Elle and Woody earned their transformation, and so must our characters. Each twist and turn of the plot must force characters into a corner, giving them ample reason to change and become the person they were meant to be at the end of the movie.
In conclusion, character arcs are not mere narrative constructs but conduits through which to explore the complexities the human condition.
Want to give your characters an overhaul? Check out our article on character development.
