Screenwriting - Characters

As part of the discussion on our screenplays, Andy had constructed a powerpoint slideshow with our main characters coloured in with the character types we'd referenced - which was really kind of cool to discuss your piece in relation to physical human beings. Here's mine:


Incidentally, Nicholas Hoult (Danny) recently passed his driving test (whoop-dee-doo), or so the local press decided to tell us. Anyway, a friend is a gym instructor where Nicholas is a member... and he often turns up with a nice looking girl that my friend hopes is Nicholas's sister.

Well, he's going to attempt to ask her out anyway - good luck with that!

Screenwriting 103(3) - Vogler's Character Archetypes

Vogler lists seven character archetypes that appear frequently in folk tales and myths. They are:

Hero
The Hero archetype represents the ego’s search for identity and wholeness.

Mentor
A positive figure who aids or trains the Hero.

Threshold Guardian
A powerful guardian at each new threshold who acts to keep the unworthy from entering.

Herald
Acts to issue challenges and announce the coming of significant change.

Shapeshifter
May mislead the Hero or keep her guessing: their loyalty and sincerity is often called into question.

Shadow
Represents the energy of the dark side.; the unexpressed, unrealised, or rejected aspects of something.

Trickster
Embodies the energies of mischief and desire for change. Clowns or comical sidekicks, but the Trickster Hero is common in many myths.

Note: Andy Conway says: "It is important to stress that Vogler sees these archetypes as masks, worn by the characters temporarily as they are needed to advance the story. A character might enter the story performing the function of a Herald, then switch masks to function as a Trickster, a Shadow or a Shapeshifter."