8 Common Character Types Writers Should Know - Christopher Vogler

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 10 чер 2024
  • BUY THE BOOK - THE WRITER'S JOURNEY: Mythic Structure for Writers
    amzn.to/41XlKRv
    BUY THE BOOK - MEMO FROM THE STORY DEPARTMENT: Secrets of Structure and Character
    amzn.to/3Fd8NZQ
    Christopher Vogler made documentary films as an Air Force officer before studying film production at the University of Southern California, where he encountered the ideas of mythologist Joseph Campbell and observed how they influenced the story design of the first Star Wars movie. He worked as a story consultant in the development departments of 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures and Animation, and Paramount Pictures, and wrote an influential memo on Campbell’s Hero’s Journey concept that led to his involvement in Disney’s Aladdin, The Lion King and Hercules. After the publication of The Writer’s Journey, he had a hand in developing the stories of many productions, including Disney’s remake of 101 Dalmatians, Fox’s Fight Club, Courage Under Fire, Volcano, The Thin Red Line and many others. Vogler lives in Los Angeles, California.
    MORE VIDEOS WITH CHRISTOPHER VOGLER
    bit.ly/420becd
    CONNECT WITH CHRISTOPHER VOGLER
    chrisvogler.wordpress.com
    / chris.vogler.568
    MORE MICHAEL WIESE PRODUCTIONS AUTHORS
    mwp.com
    VIEWERS ALSO WATCHED
    Writing Character For Film and Television - • Writing Character For ...
    How Writers Develop Characters With The Defining Moment - • How Writers Develop Ch...
    14 Movie Characters Writers Should Know - • 14 Movie Characters Wr...
    How To Write Complex Characters - • How To Write Complex C...
    Every Great Story Has A Main Character That Goes Through 4 Archetypes - • Every Great Story Has ...
    (Affiliates)
    SAVE $15 ON UA-cam TV - LIMITED TIME OFFER
    tv.ua-cam.com/users/referralr0847...
    ►WE USE THIS CAMERA (B&H) - buff.ly/3rWqrra
    ►WE USE THIS EDITING PROGRAM (ADOBE) - goo.gl/56LnpM
    ►WE USE THIS SOUND RECORDER (AMAZON) - amzn.to/2tbFlM9
    BOOKS WE RECOMMEND
    buff.ly/3o0oE5o
    SUPPORT FILM COURAGE BY BECOMING A MEMBER
    / @filmcourage
    CONNECT WITH FILM COURAGE
    www.FilmCourage.com
    #!/FilmCourage
    / filmcourage
    / filmcourage
    / filmcourage
    / filmcourage
    SUBSCRIBE TO THE FILM COURAGE UA-cam CHANNEL
    bit.ly/18DPN37
    LISTEN TO THE FILM COURAGE PODCAST
    / filmcourage-com
    Stuff we use:
    LENS - Most people ask us what camera we use, no one ever asks about the lens which filmmakers always tell us is more important. This lens was a big investment for us and one we wish we could have made sooner. Started using this lens at the end of 2013 - amzn.to/2tbtmOq
    AUDIO
    Rode VideoMic Pro - The Rode mic helps us capture our backup audio. It also helps us sync up our audio in post amzn.to/2t1n2hx
    Audio Recorder - If we had to do it all over again, this is probably the first item we would have bought - amzn.to/2tbFlM9
    LIGHTS - Although we like to use as much natural light as we can, we often enhance the lighting with this small portable light. We have two of them and they have saved us a number of times - amzn.to/2u5UnHv
    COMPUTER - Our favorite computer, we each have one and have used various models since 2010 - amzn.to/2t1M67Z
    EDITING - We upgraded our editing suite this year and we’re glad we did! This has improved our workflow and the quality of our work. Having new software also helps when we have a problem, it’s easy to search and find a solution - goo.gl/56LnpM
    *These are affiliate links, by using them you can help support this channel.
    #story #writing #entertainment

КОМЕНТАРІ • 68

  • @filmcourage
    @filmcourage  Рік тому +1

    In another clip Christopher Vogler goes in depth on Character - ua-cam.com/video/5BATvRkj2j8/v-deo.html

  • @MontChevalier
    @MontChevalier Рік тому +69

    Archetypes:
    1. Hero. Idealized character.
    2. Mentor. Generational teacher.
    3. Shape-shifter. Shifty nature.
    4. Shadow. Dark reflection.
    5. Threshold Guardian. Fork road gate.
    6. Trickster. Comedic deceiver.
    7. Ally. Comic relief.
    8. Herald. Less essential, but call to arms or warning.

    • @xtsdagger6956
      @xtsdagger6956 2 місяці тому

      Thank you for the summary, you saved me 17 minutes

    • @kristinabliss
      @kristinabliss 18 днів тому

      ​@@xtsdagger6956 Edson fleshed these out coherently and concisely. For me, it was 17 minutes well spent.

  • @chasehedges6775
    @chasehedges6775 Рік тому +98

    Villains are great because they show what the hero could be but they choose not to.

    • @razzle8140
      @razzle8140 Рік тому +3

      That's a very insightful point.

    • @anthonyourbrother
      @anthonyourbrother Рік тому

      Nah.... it's eeeezy to be eeeeval...
      Lazy almost 🤷‍♂️
      But how would anyone know...
      Not for me to say 😅
      Especially when our coked out psychology lords still run'n the racquet 🎾 😂
      Nah, jk, everything he is saying is...
      Legit on many levels 💯 👌 🙌

    • @joseangelhernandez5274
      @joseangelhernandez5274 11 місяців тому

      Cause of my cracked screen I first read that as "victims are great cause they show what the hero could be but choose not to." That works as well😂

    • @anhumblemessengerofthelawo3858
      @anhumblemessengerofthelawo3858 7 місяців тому +1

      What happens when the villain _is the hero_ ?
      A good evil, an evil good
      I'm on it lol

  • @_Egon
    @_Egon Рік тому +69

    The Hero
    The Mentor
    The Shape-Shifter
    The Shadow
    The Threshold Guardian
    The Trickster
    The Ally
    The Herald

    • @juju10683
      @juju10683 Рік тому +4

      I struggle with the distinction between shape shifter and trickster

    • @buddha2292
      @buddha2292 Рік тому +3

      ​@@juju10683 To me the shape shifter archetype would be the femme fatale of a 007 Bond film and the Trickster would be Q or Quartermaster who supplies Bond with the Gadjets for his mission.

    • @cmleibenguth
      @cmleibenguth Рік тому +5

      Not all heroes wear capes

    • @gRosh08
      @gRosh08 Рік тому +1

      Thanks!

    • @georgiagalaxy
      @georgiagalaxy Рік тому +1

      I like the name of the Ally and the Herald :)

  • @lanajthomasm.s.healthpsych7814

    Mr. Vogler is a head light on a dark highway of risk taking and becoming a screenwriter. He is indeed the ally of the budding author and the Mentor I need to push forward. Standing ovation ... and thank you.

  • @anthonywritesfantasy
    @anthonywritesfantasy Рік тому +9

    I like to think that every archetype has its own shadow.

  • @chasehedges6775
    @chasehedges6775 Рік тому +13

    Archetypes are very important to storytelling.

    • @BoredTAK5000
      @BoredTAK5000 Рік тому

      They’re important but you can’t make a good story out of archetypes

    • @kinglegitto1848
      @kinglegitto1848 9 місяців тому

      You don't say

  • @meandera
    @meandera Рік тому +5

    Superb run through archetypes. Thankyou for teaching them so clearly.

  • @filmcourage
    @filmcourage  Рік тому +8

    Which archetype is your favorite to watch/read about and why (i.e., Hero, Ally, etc.)?

    • @chasehedges6775
      @chasehedges6775 Рік тому

      I’d say the regular joe. We relate to Everyman but we
      Also relate to heroes as well

    • @chasehedges6775
      @chasehedges6775 Рік тому

      The villains are also great. After, every story needs a good villain.

    • @mixed-media
      @mixed-media Рік тому +3

      There is no absolute evil and there is no absolute good, and both of them, whether good or bad, are the product of circumstances that they have been exposed to at some point in time, and have affected them in some way. Therefore, I prefer the unclear characters who wander between good and evil in an intense internal struggle. Finaly, I choose the hero. To be more specific: The tragic hero and/or the underdog.

    • @yapdog
      @yapdog Рік тому +1

      I tend to like the reluctant hero, generally ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations, and not always getting it right. The growth tends to be undeniable as the story progresses.
      For my own novel, I wrote a reluctant hero, but he's also not the usual brand. He's a bit rough around the edges, but has a strong sense of right vs wrong. I intentionally clouded his good nature in the superficial, i.e. he looks like a homeless person and uses foul language. The point is that most readers tend to judge him harshly based on those things while ignoring what he actually does: sacrifice himself to protect others. It's meta.

    • @chasehedges6775
      @chasehedges6775 Рік тому +1

      @@mixed-media 👍👍👍👍. Well said

  • @HaleyMary
    @HaleyMary Рік тому +2

    This was really interesting and informative! Thanks!

  • @MrSTVR
    @MrSTVR Рік тому +3

    Great to see more authors on here

  • @chuzzbot
    @chuzzbot Рік тому +1

    Great points, clear and concise.

  • @jasperowens
    @jasperowens Рік тому +1

    Interesting and insightful as always!

  • @oracleofaltoona
    @oracleofaltoona Рік тому +1

    fascinating and so helpful .Thank you. I have long known of these archetypes but mr volger’s presentation is so succinct and complete that this has been a wonderful refresher .Had no idea that Joseph Campbell was his mentor. world class stuff. 👏🏽💯🤩

  • @darrenkairis9733
    @darrenkairis9733 4 місяці тому

    Well spoken, Sir! Thank you!

  • @subramanianramamoorthy3413
    @subramanianramamoorthy3413 Рік тому +1

    super thanks to Mr. Christopher for explaining the 8 architypes essential for a story
    Thanks Film courage for this very useful interview

  • @scottisitt
    @scottisitt Рік тому +1

    Really interesting!

  • @yougene100
    @yougene100 Рік тому +1

    Thanks for the information

  • @tomlewis4748
    @tomlewis4748 Рік тому +3

    It's illuminating to look at whatever story you are currently working on and wonder if your characters fit into any of these archetypes. Just for grins, I did that.
    And even though I think my characters are pretty solid and clearly defined, almost all of them had different percentages of 5 to 7 of those archetypes. Partly because those characters are all complex and hopefully three-dimensional. And certain aspects might come out stronger at certain times and weaker at other times. A particular character might be high in one archetypal concept and not as high in another, depending on the character his or herself.
    IOW, I couldn't define characters as fitting all that perfectly into any of these archetypes, but I could see all of them partially fitting into nearly all of the archetypes in varying amounts. They may each have dominant traits, but every character seems to be a mix of these aspects rather than adhering monolithically to any particular archetype.
    What I've decided is that these archetypes can be thought of as basic human characteristics that anyone could be capable of under the right circumstances. And maybe everyone is capable of assuming any of these roles, at least to a certain degree. This could be a key element in what makes people different from each other.
    I'm not sure what the value of consciously categorizing the differences between archetypes is, though. Trying to create characters to fit into particular characteristics doesn't seem to be something that can improve the creation of characters, and it might even take them in the wrong direction. I've never been a big believer in shoehorning.
    It seems to me that maybe the best thing to do is to get your conscious mind out of the way and let your adaptive unconscious have the freedom to create and mold the characters without thinking about this, which will probably end up fashioning them in the best way, instinctively, and very likely will create and mold them partially defined as fitting one or more of these archetypes, automatically.
    And during revision, maybe evaluate how whatever your unconscious has created fits the archetypes, which might allow you to sand off some of the rough edges and reshape them a bit into a reader or viewer's unconscious expectations.

  • @gRosh08
    @gRosh08 Рік тому +2

    Thank you for sharing.

  • @ozzyhouston2535
    @ozzyhouston2535 11 місяців тому +2

    Narcissists like to be seen as mentors to people they seek supply from.

  • @wasabiginger6993
    @wasabiginger6993 Рік тому +2

    I have always been fascinated with the trickster who brings many mystical and or mysterious layers of the completely unexpected … giving the story line lots more depth and shedding more light upon who we really are as humans. Thank you for this interview. He has the same last name as mine which is fairly uncommon, so can’t help wonder if any relation.

  • @georgiagalaxy
    @georgiagalaxy Рік тому +2

    Examples/Thoughts:
    Hero: Video Game Protagonists - I can relate to projecting onto them even if they’re male, I like their introspectiveness and charm
    Mentor: I love Princess Celestia from My Little Pony! 🦄💕
    Shapeshifter: In fiction land, I am a shapeshifter who has many different forms.

    • @georgiagalaxy
      @georgiagalaxy Рік тому

      Shadow: I like Shadow from Sonic the Hedgehog, and I like this type because of the contrast of light versus dark 🌚🌝 :)
      Threshold Guardian: I like! It reminds me of how our family and elders treat us.
      Trickster: LOVE tricksters! I find them quite nice. Think of the Cheshire Cat or a jester :3

    • @georgiagalaxy
      @georgiagalaxy Рік тому

      I LOVE how you say “getting the shadow out into the light is a good idea.” That’s so right! That’s what I do and that’s why I’m happy. I dig into and explore myself :)

    • @georgiagalaxy
      @georgiagalaxy Рік тому

      Ally: Love that … I would actually be that as well. I am that in real life.
      Herald: What comes to mind is most of the Big Bang Theory characters, or any character that’s overly basic, from what I can see :I lol

  • @evefrancis848
    @evefrancis848 2 місяці тому

    Strong

  • @ZachScottB
    @ZachScottB 9 місяців тому

    Where can I find this full interview?
    This info is gold.

    • @filmcourage
      @filmcourage  9 місяців тому +2

      Hi Zachary, thank you! We currently have the full interview available for channel members. We have one remaining clip with Mr. Vogler to publish before we release the full interview. Hopefully sooner than later. Here is the full playlist of everything we have online - bit.ly/420becd

    • @ZachScottB
      @ZachScottB 9 місяців тому

      @@filmcourage Oh thank you!

  • @farisingle2385
    @farisingle2385 4 місяці тому

    Talking of tricker characters, Wile E. Coyote's first appearance in 1949 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics Issue 91. Wile E. Coyote was called Kelsey Coyote before Wile E. made his debut on September 17, 1949, in Fast and Furry-ous. -> ua-cam.com/video/VU1rz2r9a7c/v-deo.html
    This is what WarnerBros. was hiding from us!.
    Also, Road Runners 1st appearance in 1958 Bugs Bunny Vacation Funnies in Dell Comics, Road Runner was called Beep Beep, name was not the Road Runner -> ua-cam.com/video/d5Fgy5s9Erg/v-deo.html

  • @BionicDance
    @BionicDance Рік тому

    I have a tendency to unconsciously write the same three characters, and they're all the same combo of hero mixed with companion. But that paints a very incomplete picture.
    *CHARACTER ONE:* The stoic female leader. She's calm, collected, and competent. She's not always the leader of the three, but she gives off commanding-officer vibes.
    *CHARACTER TWO:* The female wiseass who may or may not be the second-in-command for Character One. Gives off street punk energy, always a little bit spoiling for a rumble.
    *CHARACTER THREE:* The big brother type. He's tall, down-to-earth, and naturally protective of his friends. The cooler head that prevails; it's hard to imagine having an argument with him.
    I've written these characters so many times and in so many different ways and only realize it after I go back and read what I've written.
    (Also, I'm an animator and have a tendency to voice Character Two.)

  • @regis_red
    @regis_red Рік тому

    Catwoman would be the ultimate shapeshifter.

  • @louisblackforester
    @louisblackforester Рік тому

    I wonder which kind of archetype is Jar Jar Binks ?

  • @geargeekpdx3566
    @geargeekpdx3566 Рік тому

    So he basically invented Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces

    • @oliverford5367
      @oliverford5367 Рік тому

      Jung was the psychological basis for Campbell yes. Jung also described personality types, like introversion vs extraversion

    • @geargeekpdx3566
      @geargeekpdx3566 Рік тому

      @@oliverford5367 Jung conceived of the idea of psychological "archetypes" applied to psychology. Campbell was an ethnolinguist who discovered that disparate small tribes in no way connected had the same stories with similar character types ("The Hero with 1000 Faces") or a "universal myth" structure. George Lucas himself thanked Campbell for the story structure Lucas used for Star Wars.