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How can you write a character arc that is original and avoids cliches?

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A character arc is the transformation or change that a character undergoes from the beginning to the end of a story. It can be a powerful way to engage your audience, create emotional impact, and convey a theme or message. However, writing a character arc that is original and avoids cliches can be challenging, especially in film production, where you have limited time and space to show your character's journey. In this article, you will learn some tips and tricks to craft a character arc that is fresh, believable, and meaningful.

本文章的要点总结

Subtext over exposition:

Show your characters' depths through their actions and the nuances of dialogue rather than spelling out their feelings. This fosters intrigue and invites audiences to engage more deeply with the characters.
Complexity is key:

Give your characters a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses. Their growth should involve addressing these flaws in authentic, non-stereotypical ways, making them feel like real, relatable people.

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1 Define your character's goals and flaws

The first step to writing a character arc is to establish what your character wants and what is holding them back. Your character's goals and flaws are the driving forces behind their actions and decisions, and they will shape their arc. Goals can be external (such as saving the world, finding love, or winning a competition) or internal (such as overcoming fear, gaining confidence, or finding purpose). Flaws can be personality traits, beliefs, habits, or wounds that prevent your character from achieving their goals or cause them to harm themselves or others. For example, a character who wants to be a successful writer but suffers from self-doubt and procrastination has a clear goal and flaw that can generate conflict and growth.

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Melisa Ruscsak

CEO, Publisher ,Author, podcast host, International Keynote Speaker, Mindset & Business Coach
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Deep Character Development: Understand your character's unique background, motivations, and personality. This depth ensures your character is not just a type, but a fully fleshed-out individual. Unpredictable Growth: Allow your character to evolve in unexpected ways. Avoid typical 'rags to riches' or 'zero to hero' trajectories. Instead, think about unconventional paths your character might take. Complexity and Flaws: Real people are complex and flawed. Ensure your character has a mix of strengths and weaknesses, and that their growth involves addressing these flaws in non-stereotypical ways.

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Vanessa Mello

Social Listening apaixonada por produ??o teatral, cultural e audiovisual ??
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Como eu fa?o para deixar o arco dos meus personagem mais humanizado; - Personagem com motiva??es e objetivos claros. O público precisa entender por que o personagem está fazendo o que está fazendo. - Os pontos fracos e as falhas do personagem. Ninguém é perfeito, e os personagens mais interessantes s?o aqueles que têm seus próprios problemas e desafios. Isso tornará o personagem realista. - Fa?o os personagens cometerem erros. Os personagens que cometem erros s?o mais humanos e identificáveis. Isso também tornará o arco do personagem mais interessante, pois o público poderá acompanhar seu desenvolvimento. - Evito clichês. Os clichês s?o frequentemente baseados em estereótipos.

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Tish Peiris MA Journalism/int. law UTS,usyd.

Writer/Speaker
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With writing about someone who is disabled I avoid usual stereotypes of someone overcoming their disability to do something pretty normal like fall in love or have autonomy over their life. I also dislike the hideous inspirational music and the patronising narration that usually occurs

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2 Choose your character's arc type

The next step is to decide what kind of arc your character will have. There are three main types of character arcs: positive, negative, and flat. A positive arc is when your character changes for the better, overcoming their flaw and achieving their goal (or a different, more meaningful one). A negative arc is when your character changes for the worse, succumbing to their flaw and failing their goal (or achieving a hollow or harmful one). A flat arc is when your character stays the same, but influences the world or other characters around them with their steadfastness. Each type of arc can be original and avoid cliches, as long as you make your character's change (or lack thereof) logical, consistent, and motivated by the events of the story.

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Vanessa Mello

Social Listening apaixonada por produ??o teatral, cultural e audiovisual ??
(已编辑)
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As perguntas que me fa?o para desenvolver o tipo de arco de personagem para a minha história: Qual é o gênero e o tom da minha história? Qual é o impacto que eu quero que o arco do personagem tenha na história? O arco do personagem será o foco da história ou um elemento secundário? Quem é meu personagem no início da história? Ao responder a essas perguntas, eu consigo ter um caminho para levar a história e meus personagens

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Tish Peiris MA Journalism/int. law UTS,usyd.

Writer/Speaker
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Most narratives follow a basic narrative of introducing the character flaws and all, some kind of problematic situation and finally a resolution

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3 Plan your character's key moments

The third step in character development is to outline the key moments that will mark your character's arc. These are the scenes or events that will challenge, test, or change your character in significant ways. Inciting incidents force your character to commit to their goal and leave their comfort zone, often crossing a point of no return. The midpoint shifts your character's perspective, reveals new information, or raises the stakes, often making them question their goal or flaw. The second act turn pushes your character to their lowest point, where they face their flaw and the consequences of their actions, often losing their goal or something important to them. The climax resolves your character's arc, where they make their final choice, confront their flaw, and achieve or fail their goal. Lastly, the resolution shows the outcome of your character's arc and how it affects their life and the world around them.

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Vanessa Mello

Social Listening apaixonada por produ??o teatral, cultural e audiovisual ??
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Planejamento de momentos-chave do seu personagem: Para isso acontecer, é necessário que você pense em como você quer que seu personagem cres?a e mude ao longo da história. Você quer que ele aprenda algo? Descubra algo sobre si mesmo? Defina os momentos-chave que você acha que ser?o importantes para o desenvolvimento do seu personagem. Esses momentos podem ser de grandes propor??es, como a morte de um ente querido ou o início de um romance, ou podem ser pequenas mudan?as, como o personagem aprendendo uma nova habilidade ou mudando de opini?o sobre algo. O planejamento de momentos-chave ajudará seus personagens a terem um arco de personagem envolvente.

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4 Write your character's voice and actions

The fourth step is to craft your character's voice and actions in each scene, demonstrating their arc through dialogue and behavior. It's important to reflect their personality, goals, flaws, emotions, and motivations in the writing, and how they change (or not) throughout the story. To write your character's voice and actions successfully, use subtext to create tension, irony, humor, or mystery. This will reveal your character's inner conflict or hidden agenda. Also, show instead of tell using sensory details, actions, reactions, and expressions to convey emotions, thoughts, and traits. This will make your character more vivid and realistic. Additionally, avoid exposition as much as possible; it can slow down the pace or break the immersion. Only use exposition when it is necessary, relevant, and natural; preferably through dialogue or action rather than narration or flashbacks.

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Richard Bailey

Executive Producer, Director, Author
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Remember: real people rarely talk directly about their feelings, motivations, or reasons. In fact, some of the most compelling characters (particularly antagonists) are so compelling BECAUSE they don't express their feelings. They're mysterious. Viewers want to figure out, based on the story, why a character says/does what they do...but if the writer spells out what a character is feeling, it ruins the audience's curiosity and feels cheap or dull. No one wants to hear characters talk about feelings; we want to see the move/countermove dynamic of a character vs. a situation. But don't overcorrect, either. Actions with no emotional reasoning are equally flat and seem hollow.

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5 Revise your character's arc

The final step is to revise your character's arc, making sure it is original and avoids cliches. To do this, you should ensure consistency, plausibility, and originality. Your character's arc should be coherent and logical, following the cause and effect of the story. They should act and speak according to their personality, goals, flaws, and motivations. Additionally, it should be believable and realistic based on the genre, tone, and setting of the story. Your character should have distinctive traits, goals, flaws, and motivations that are fresh and unique based on your own voice, vision, and style. Common tropes or cliches such as the chosen one or redemption arc should be avoided unless you can subvert or twist them in a new or interesting way.

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Tish Peiris MA Journalism/int. law UTS,usyd.

Writer/Speaker
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It helps to think and speak from the characters heart When facing a person crises for instance, to react in writing exactly how that personality would react,

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Ibis Fernandez

Animator, Author, Inventor, Actor, Filmmaker. and IT Extraordinaire, Currently retired but always open to joining a good project if such a thing exists.
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Prioritize writing for what you know. If you're a middle-aged white man from Tennessee, (unless youre well traveled) you provably will suck at wring a Texan Housewife, an Immigrant, or a Caribbean pirate. Not saying dont do it but serious research should take place before attempting it, as it can lead to sensitive mistreatment of someone's culture and backlash. Its just real hacky to say this guys is Hispanic so hes just gonna say "se?or" a lot, and call everyone "chica". We dont speak like that. Anyhee, it's always best to focus on or prioritize characters that you do know before tackling other cultures, sexes, or nationalities. Can still be done, just thread lightly. Research and verify. Or take the easy route and write what you know.

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How can you write a character arc that is original and avoids cliches?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Define your character's goals and flaws

2 Choose your character's arc type

3 Plan your character's key moments

4 Write your character's voice and actions

5 Revise your character's arc

6 Here’s what else to consider

Film Production

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How can you write a character arc that is original and avoids cliches?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Define your character's goals and flaws

2 Choose your character's arc type

3 Plan your character's key moments

4 Write your character's voice and actions

5 Revise your character's arc

6 Here’s what else to consider

Film Production

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感谢您的反馈

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