The Easiest Way to Build a Character Arc

Summary

In this video, the speaker explores the integral role of character arcs within story structure, emphasizing the importance of choices that drive character development. They dissect the Dan Harmon Story Circle, illustrating how characters' beliefs and choices at pivotal moments shape the narrative. The speaker uses examples from 'Star Wars' and 'The Martian' to demonstrate how characters' initial beliefs are challenged and altered, ultimately leading to personal growth or a flat arc where beliefs remain constant. The video aims to guide scriptwriters in plotting character arcs that align with story structure, ensuring a compelling and non-formulaic narrative.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The script discusses the importance of character arcs within story structure and how they are intrinsically linked to the narrative's progression.
• 🔍 It emphasizes the concept of 'choice' as a pivotal moment in character development, where characters are at a crossroads and must decide between different paths.
• 📚 The video references Dan Harmon's Story Circle as a framework for understanding character arcs, including the stages of 'want', 'unfamiliar situation', 'adapt', 'get', 'pay', and 'change'.
• 🤔 The presenter suggests that understanding a character's beliefs is crucial for plotting their arc, as these beliefs guide their choices and subsequent actions throughout the story.
• 🌟 The script illustrates how characters hold initial beliefs that are often challenged and changed through pivotal choices, leading to character growth.
• 📉 The 'pay' stage in the story is highlighted as a critical point where characters face consequences or realizations that force them to reassess their beliefs.
• 🛑 The video uses examples from films like 'Star Wars' and 'The Martian' to demonstrate how characters' beliefs evolve in response to the challenges they encounter.
• 🔄 The concept of a 'flat arc' is introduced for characters who do not undergo significant change, instead maintaining their original beliefs despite challenges.
• 🚀 The importance of creating unique and non-formulaic belief journeys for characters is stressed to avoid clichéd narratives and create more engaging stories.
• 📝 The script encourages writers to think deeply about the philosophical conflict and belief changes their characters will experience, rather than relying solely on plot or structure.
• 👍 The presenter offers one-on-one consultation for screenwriters to refine their screenplays, indicating a practical application of the discussed concepts.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is the integration of character arcs within story structure, focusing on how characters change their beliefs throughout the narrative.

What is the Dan Harmon Story Circle mentioned in the script?

The Dan Harmon Story Circle is a popular storytelling framework consisting of eight steps: character, want, unfamiliar situation, adapt, get, pay, return, and change.

How does the script define a character's initial belief?

A character's initial belief is defined as the set of convictions they hold at the beginning of the story, which is usually tied to what they want and how they plan to achieve it.

What is the significance of 'choice' in character development according to the script?

Choice is significant in character development as it represents the crossroads where a character must decide between different paths, revealing more about their character based on the decision they make.

What happens at the 'get' stage in the story structure?

At the 'get' stage, the character achieves what they want, either exactly or a version of it, which may lead to a realization that their initial belief or goal needs to be reevaluated.

What is the 'pay' stage and how does it relate to character change?

The 'pay' stage is when the character faces the consequences or the price of getting what they wanted. It often presents a second choice that can lead to a change in the character's belief.

How does the script describe the process of a character arc?

The script describes a character arc as a journey where the character's beliefs are challenged and changed through a series of choices and experiences, culminating in a significant transformation.

What is the difference between a 'flat arc' and a 'change arc' as per the script?

A 'flat arc' is when a character does not undergo significant change, maintaining their original beliefs despite challenges. A 'change arc' involves the character changing their beliefs and growing as a result of the choices they make throughout the story.

Can you provide an example from the script where a character's belief changes?

An example given in the script is from 'Star Wars', where Luke Skywalker initially believes he can save the world by taking the ring to Rivendell, but later realizes he must continue the journey to destroy the ring himself.

What is the relationship between story structure and the character's belief journey?

The story structure provides the framework for the character's belief journey, with key moments in the structure prompting the character to make choices that lead to changes in their beliefs.

How does the script suggest avoiding a formulaic story?

The script suggests avoiding a formulaic story by focusing on a unique belief journey for the character that hasn't been seen many times before, thus creating a fresh and engaging narrative.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Character Arcs in Story Structure

The speaker introduces the topic of character arcs within the context of story structure, emphasizing the importance of understanding how characters evolve throughout a narrative. They discuss the common struggle writers face in aligning character development with the structural framework of a story. The speaker references Dan Harmon's Story Circle and the concept of philosophical conflict, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of how character beliefs and arcs can be plotted within a structured narrative.

05:02

🔄 The Dynamics of Character Change and Choice

This paragraph delves into the dynamics of character change, focusing on the pivotal moments where characters are faced with choices that challenge their existing beliefs. The speaker explains how the first half of a story typically involves the character holding onto their initial belief, which guides their actions and decisions until they reach a point where their belief is tested. The concept of the 'payoff' is introduced as a moment that often triggers the need for the character to reassess their beliefs, leading to a critical choice that signifies the beginning of their arc of change.

10:02

🌟 The Climax and Resolution of Character Arcs

The speaker discusses the latter part of the story structure, where the character's journey reaches its climax and resolution. They describe how the character, after making a significant choice that reflects a shift in their belief, enters a phase of acting on this new understanding. This leads to the story's climax, where the character's true nature and growth are revealed through their actions. The paragraph highlights the importance of the character's final choice in solidifying their arc and bringing about a satisfying catharsis for the audience.

15:03

🎬 Applying Story Structure to Character Arcs in Film

The speaker provides examples from films such as 'Star Wars' and 'The Martian' to illustrate how character arcs are integrated into the story structure. They discuss how characters like Luke Skywalker and Rick from 'Rick and Morty' face unfamiliar situations, make pivotal choices, and undergo transformations that align with the story's structure. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding the character's belief system and how it evolves in response to the challenges they face, ultimately leading to a unique and compelling narrative.

🛠 Crafting Non-Formulaic Stories with Unique Belief Journeys

In the final paragraph, the speaker addresses the challenge of creating non-formulaic stories by focusing on the character's belief journey. They argue that many formulaic stories follow a predictable pattern of belief change, and to create something unique, writers should explore less conventional belief systems and philosophical conflicts. The speaker encourages writers to think deeply about the philosophical aspects of their characters and to use story structure as a tool to facilitate meaningful character development and a fresh narrative experience.

Keywords

💡Character Arcs

Character arcs refer to the personal growth or transformation that a character undergoes throughout a story. In the video, the concept is central to understanding how characters evolve through their choices and experiences. The script discusses how character arcs are integrated into story structure, using the example of 'Star Wars' where Luke Skywalker's journey is a clear demonstration of a character arc.

💡Story Structure

Story structure is the framework that outlines the sequence of events in a narrative. The video emphasizes the importance of structure in plotting character arcs, referencing Dan Harmon's Story Circle as a tool to understand the progression of a story. The script explains how the structure helps in identifying key moments of change within a character's journey.

💡Philosophical Conflict

Philosophical conflict is a struggle within a character's beliefs or values that drives the narrative. The script mentions this concept in the context of character development, suggesting that understanding a character's beliefs is crucial for mapping out their arc and the choices they make in response to conflicts.

💡Choice

In the context of the video, 'choice' is a pivotal moment where a character decides between different paths, influencing their development. The script describes how characters are presented with choices at critical junctures, such as the unfamiliar situation and the 'pay off', which lead to a change in their beliefs or actions.

💡Unfamiliar Situation

An unfamiliar situation is a scenario where a character is placed outside their comfort zone, often the starting point of their journey. The video script uses this term to illustrate the initial disruption in a character's life that sets the story in motion, such as when Luke Skywalker encounters C-3PO and R2-D2 in 'Star Wars'.

💡Adapt

To 'adapt' in the video refers to how a character responds to the challenges they face while pursuing their goals. The script explains that characters adapt by making choices based on their beliefs, which may change as the story progresses, highlighting the dynamic nature of character development.

💡Get and Pay

The terms 'get' and 'pay' represent two stages in the story circle. 'Get' is when a character achieves what they want, while 'pay' is the consequence or price they pay for it. The script uses these terms to discuss how characters often face a new problem or realization after achieving their goal, leading to a pivotal choice and potential change in belief.

💡Belief

Belief, in the video, is the set of convictions or principles that guide a character's actions and decisions. The script discusses how characters' beliefs are central to their arcs, as they influence the choices made during critical moments and can shift as a result of experiences and challenges.

💡Change Arc

A change arc is the process by which a character's beliefs or attitudes transform over the course of a story. The video emphasizes the importance of plotting this arc within the story structure, using examples from 'Star Wars' and 'The Martian' to illustrate how characters evolve and make different choices as their beliefs change.

💡Flat Arc

A flat arc refers to a character who does not undergo significant change or development throughout the story. The script contrasts this with a change arc, noting that in a flat arc, characters may face intense choices but ultimately adhere to their original beliefs without transformation.

Highlights

The video discusses the importance of character arcs in story structure and the creator's recent clarity on the subject.

Introduces the concept of integrating Dan Harmon's Story Circle with character beliefs and arcs.

Explains the challenge of identifying the exact pieces and moments of character change within story structure.

Presents the idea that a character's change is often forced by a 'choice' at a crossroads in the story.

Outlines how character beliefs are established and how they influence the initial journey in a story.

Describes the 'unfamiliar situation' as the first critical choice that propels the character into the adventure.

Details the process of the character adapting to the adventure while holding their initial belief.

Explains the 'get' and 'pay' stages of the story circle as moments that lead to a character's belief change.

Discusses 'choice two' as the pivotal moment where the character's belief may change, propelling them into a new arc.

Illustrates how the character's actions in the 'seven' stage reflect their new belief post-change.

Uses 'Star Wars' as an example to demonstrate how character choices and changes follow the story circle.

Analyzes 'The Martian' to show a flat character arc where the protagonist's belief remains consistent despite challenges.

Contrasts formulaic belief changes with unique philosophical journeys to create non-formulaic stories.

Encourages writers to consider the philosophical implications of their characters' belief changes.

Provides a method to plot character arcs by understanding the choices presented at key story moments.

Ends with a call to action for viewers to engage with the creator for one-on-one screenplay assistance.

Transcripts

hey everyone and welcome to another

video so i'm really excited to talk to

you in this video because honestly i

really think this is a very important

video and i feel that recently i've had

a pretty

important moment of clarity in regards

to how character arcs play into

structure so

this may be where you are right so

you've you've looked at story structure

right you've watched me talk about dan

harmon's story circle you've watched me

integrate the story circle on to

um you know acts act by act you've

watched me look at it scene by scene you

watched my how to write a short film

video i looked at it and sort of stuff

and then also you've heard me talk about

philosophical conflict character beliefs

character arcs these sorts of things

and so where you might have ended up is

now you're sitting there right trying to

write your script trying to outline and

for some reason

structurally

you can kind of see it and maybe you

kind of have an understanding of what

your characters believe and where you

want them to end up

but you don't actually know where are

the exact pieces

in your story or where are those moments

of character change

innate within that structure right so

essentially how do you plot the arc

itself

as we're looking at story structure and

so this is what i want to look at today

because

i believe that you absolutely can plot

this out

so let's take a look at

what

you have seen i'm sure a million times

on this channel

this is your dan harmon story circle so

we have our character

right

just to get this quick we have the want

we have the unfamiliar

situation

new problem whatever you want to call it

we have the adapt

we have the get

pay

return

and the change is kind of tacked on to

the end here

or the having changed right

so

when we're actually looking at this the

question is where does the character go

through change and how do we create

character arcs

in structure okay so here's how i want

you to think about this right a big

thing that is gonna force your character

to change

is this idea of

choice okay so it's not necessarily that

they're doing a task but what's going to

happen is they're going to be in a

situation where they can where they're

at a crossroads right and they hold

their belief

and now they're they're sitting at a

crossroads and they have to either go

one way or they have to go another way

right and so in that moment we get a

better sense of who that character is

based upon the choice that they make in

that moment right so when we're thinking

about how a character arcs

we need to understand what they believe

present the moment of change

and see see what choice they make right

so when we're looking at story structure

this is pretty clearly integrated so

here's kind of how this

works okay

in

this

first half of the story okay your

character is holding

their initial belief

right

so they're holding their initial belief

right and so we set this up at the very

beginning of the story where we ask okay

what does our character believe right

what do they what do they believe in

usually this is tied clearly to what

they want right so usually they have

some sort of belief about what they want

specifically right so they want

something they have a belief about how

they get that thing or how they will go

about that whatever and then this kind

of sends them on their journey right

so usually what happens here

is the unfamiliar situation is usually

kind of choice

number one okay

so this is where the character makes a

choice that sends them out of their zone

of comfort up here into the adventure

world so we're under this this line here

into the adventure world and this is

kind of their choice to step into the

adventure right and that's kind of

choice one now what usually happens

is

with this choice they are still holding

their initial belief right so they make

this choice based upon the belief that

they initially hold and then they

continue to adapt still holding that

belief all the way to the point that

they get that thing right so a lot of

the times this is where

your character has gone all the way to

here holding their initial belief

without

really having the belief challenged so

at this point this is where we begin to

set up the actual change in the

character's belief okay so now when we

look at the six seven and the eight

really just the six and the seven um

this is where that change happens so

what happens is the character gets

either what they want exactly or a

version of what they want or

um

or they realize that the what they

wanted was not the full fulfillment of

the actual goal right all of these sorts

of things so essentially what happens is

they get a version of what they want

here and then there's a pay right

whether this is something goes wrong or

they have a realization a realization

that the problem is larger than they

initially realized that it was

something like this

from this moment this presents

choice two

okay

so this presents choice two and usually

this is where the character

is presented with

a way of changing their belief right so

they are presented with a choice and

then by making a ch that new choice they

are growing as a character right so

sometimes this is going to be super

duper clear and uh and sometimes this is

going to be like smaller pieces of

choice kind of on the way to the larger

big final choice whatever

but usually this is how this is going to

work and so when we're looking at a just

a story not even getting to screenplays

yet but when we're just looking at story

you want to think about it like that

this is like the second choice and then

they make

a choice based upon this and if they're

going through a change arc this is where

we see at the very least the

initial change of belief

and then we go into the seven which is

now the character is acting

on

their new choice right so sometimes you

can kind of see this in certain films

when the

you know sometimes when you have like

right before the final you know arc of

change or whatever right before that

sort of final moment like as we're going

into the end we're gonna go fight the

bad guy the character has pretty much

changed their belief

and then

usually what happens is you have that

final moment of will they really hold

true and then they do and then we get

our catharsis and then that's the end of

the movie and so then this becomes more

your

well then each of the circles then go

down into the acts and so what happens

is you then take this and then you say

okay this

is kind of so act one through act three

and you place

a circle for act one act two part one

act two part two act three and then

there are pieces of the chains that

slowly is made until you get to the end

moment where you know we have our sort

of final moment of of you know luke

skywalker in the cockpit is he gonna is

he gonna rely on the force is he gonna

actually

do this he makes a choice to do so and

we're good to go right um

but there are moments of change before

this that lead us to this moment right

so if we're thinking about star wars

just as i'm talking about it here we

sort of have the unfamiliar situation

with luke which is that

um

you know his his the or the big the big

the big pay excuse me the unfamiliar

situation would be more so that um the

droids come right c-3po and r2d2 uh come

to end up at luke's

farm um but he he's holding his you know

particular belief

up until

here where so

where he gets well here he gets uh uh he

meets with ben kenobi i'm kind of all

over the place here but he meets with

ben kenobi and this is kind of the get

and then the pay is that

his aunt and uncle die right forcing him

to make a choice right what choice does

he makes he says i want to grow up i

want to go with you and be a jedi like

my father okay boom that is choice two

sending us into the beginning of luke's

ark right that's not the end but that

sets us up to now okay now we're going

into the next part of the story luke has

begun his initial change

now we're going into act two

where more change is going to happen

until ultimately we get into the

situation where

we are at the death star and again he is

in a situation where he's going to have

to you know take this shot and he is

presented with another problem darth

vader is is you know coming down on him

this is kind of the six darth vader is

coming down on him it all looks hopeless

um you know and then he

uh

he gets the well actually if we want to

think about the scene-wise i'm just

rambling i i apologize i it would

probably be more so that this is darth

vader coming down on him at the three he

gets what he wants when han solo comes

in but he still has to take the shot

right so he's still

just because han solo has you know

momentarily saved him from getting

killed by darth vader he still has to

take the shot and make this thing happen

and so he's presented with the choice at

the pay do you follow your targeting

computer or do you rely on the force to

make this thing happen he chooses to

rely on the force sending us into the

seven he gets what he wants boom we have

our climax everything is beautiful in

hunky-dory we go from there there's some

other examples that you can look at this

working very very clearly when i did

that video on how to write a short film

um where i look at a rick and morty

episode and i'm essentially looking at

the the a plot of a rick and morty

episode as if it was a short film and

what you see in that is morty is

presented with the unfamiliar situation

of

um

of you know that rick is

uh

rick is selling weapons to this this

assassin right and so rather than just

allowing that to happen he adapts by

going and trying to save um

the assassin's target right he gets what

he wants right holding his initial

belief of there is you know an absolute

morality we can't kill people

indiscriminately whatever

um he gets his belief or he gets what he

wants when he saves fart right the alien

creature

and then

so

then he pays for it which

is suddenly everybody is

um

you know attacking them coming after

them all this sort of stuff and then

suddenly all these other people are

dying

because

he saves farts life you know all these

people in the in the city that they're

escaping from and then ultimately what

happens is the real choice that morty is

forced to make is at the very end where

far is it gonna go into his dimension

and then come back and destroy their

entire universe right that's kind of

what he says

and morty presented with this reality

makes the choice to kill fart

changing his view on the world changing

his belief

and and returning the story resolving

the

um conflict of the short or of the

episode

and then the episode is over right so it

follows this pattern so if you want to

really think about like what is story

structure right what is it

story structure is the journey of how

human beings change their beliefs right

there is a rhythm to how we actually go

from believing one thing about the world

to shifting and believing a different

thing right so there is a flow to how

that operates and ultimately that is

what we are looking at when we're

looking at story when we're looking at a

story we're not looking at a concept

we're not even looking at a plot as much

these are the dressing for what really

is happening here which is a character

changing their belief from their initial

viewpoint to a different view

another great example of kind of seeing

this

is in

you know lord of the rings

when we're talking about choice

specifically here right in lord of the

rings in the first lord of the rings

frodo he wants to take the ring he wants

to um save humanity or not humanity but

he wants to save the world by um doing

his part to destroy the ring and so he

believes taking the ring to rivendell is

going to

um do that it's going to he's going to

get it to rivendell and then the

higher-ups can take it from there so we

sort of go through an unfamiliar

situation he has to go on this journey

he makes the choice to go on this

journey to rivendell holding his initial

belief he adapts to the different

problems on the road ultimately he gets

to rivendell but then he pays a price

the ring cannot stay in rivendell it

must keep going therefore frodo is now

presented with another choice it doesn't

seem like anybody other than him is a

good candidate to continue bringing the

ring forward and therefore he makes a

choice to fulfill the true want that he

is holding which is to you know to save

the world to destroy the evil that the

ring is holding this sort of thing he

believed he was going to

do that by just getting into rivendell

that doesn't work so he's presented with

the new choice he makes the choice to

keep going and then obviously we have

the two other films that happen later so

that is how this is working hopefully

this is a bit clearer to you so as you

are

thinking about not only your story's

plot structure but also your character's

arc and journey of their beliefs i want

you to be thinking about okay what

choice is presented at the unfamiliar

situation

what choice is presented at the six and

how does the choice presented at the six

change what the character believes

because of the choice they make assuming

you actually have a change arc now let's

say you have a

flat arc a k or an arc where the

character does not go through change

they will be presented with some sort of

intense choice here and they will

stick with their original

beliefs right they may struggle they may

be frustrated these sorts of things but

ultimately they hold to their original

beliefs um

so you can look at this in something

like uh the martian is something i've

talked about a lot

unfamiliar situation he's stranded on

mars he wants to get home

um you know he believes that he must

persevere keep working the problems

and if he can just persevere and keep

working these problems he can get home

that works up until he has a full plan

for getting home he's in contact with

nasa everything seems to be working and

then the pay is that the hab explodes

his entire plan is shot his crops all

die and it looks like he is going to die

so essentially the choice being

presented here is he could give up and

say

well

it's no longer possible or he can

continue to work the problem looking for

a potential solution even if that

solution isn't there so essentially the

story becomes about you know not giving

up continuing to solve problems and

going forward and that is a big

that's such a big note right there

because

a lot of and martian does it so well

right the martian um

you know has a pretty pretty

uh standard you would say theme of you

know don't give up keep pushing keep

solving problems that sort of thing and

what happens is it does it well and you

can do it like that well but a lot of

the times

when we're talking about movies that

feel you know quote unquote formulaic

it's not that they it's not that they

have a formulaic structure as much as

they are talking about a formulaic topic

they're talking about a character going

through a belief change that is

formulaic to us right so a lot of movies

are handling this sort of belief change

idea of don't give up right don't give

up keep fighting right every time the

the the protagonist gets hit down by the

bad guy and he's like you know then we

have this moment of is evil really going

to win and the protagonist is like no i

must make the choice at the six to not

give up and then you take down the bad

guy that sort of thing right

that is where formulaic storage usually

come from because

while that works it's something we've

seen again and again and again and again

and so if you really want to write a

story that feels

not formulaic yet actually is following

structure you want to be thinking about

what is a story what is a belief journey

of change and beliefs these sorts of

things that i can send my character on

that's something we're not so familiar

with that's something we haven't seen 35

times right that is where you really

start to make a cool movie and that's

also the hardest

piece because most of the time people

have

not even begun to develop the

philosophical side of their brain

they're always just looking for what's

my concept what's my structure you know

how do i send

my characters through this or they have

this sort of reactionary version which

is

i hate structure it's only vibes i'm

just gonna

plod my way through it and do it all

quote unquote organically and that

doesn't really end up working super well

either so hopefully this is helpful the

goal of this and this is so important

i'm literally going to put this in my my

fundamentals of screenwriting playlists

because it's like this is what it is

right you want to attach

the beliefs

to the structure the the way that your

character changes that belief is innate

in structure because clearly they're not

changing you know they're not going

through change here right that doesn't

make sense it doesn't really make a ton

of sense that they're going through

change you know maybe here maybe a

little bit because or they make the

choice here right we make choices and we

change beliefs based upon the problems

based upon things not being integrated

in the way that we believe they should

be that's why the problem of the

unfamiliar situation and the problem of

the pay is where your character is

making a choice that changes who they

are

hopefully this has been helpful to you

if you're interested in working with me

one-on-one to fix your screenplay there

is a link below this video you can click

that and hop on a call with me to talk

about that other than that if you made

it this far please give it a like and

subscribe and i will see you guys in the

next video

[Music]

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