Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Character Arcs
A character arc is the transformation of the character(s) through the course of the
story.
In
Gopher Broke
, the gopher starts out clever and hopeful as he digs holes to dislodge
vegetables from the produce truck. As his efforts are continually foiled and his frustra-
tion rises, he buries the vegetable sign, causing a huge crash and ultimately his own
demise.
In
The Animator and the Seat
, Chunk begins the story as a bored, overworked
employee looking for a break. In a bizarre occurrence, his chair refuses to let him
leave and he ends up trapped, despondent, and still working.
Character arcs can be:
Physical—life to death, rich to poor, fat to thin, unbroken to demolished, weak to
strong
Mental—sane to crazy, foolish to wise, innocent to enlightened, confusion to clarity,
forgetful to remembering
Spiritual—bad to good, stingy to generous, out of love to in love, non-believer to
believer, intolerant to tolerant
All transformations include an
emotional
arc. There cannot be a transformation in character
without a corresponding transformation in emotion. Determine how your character changes
and identify the emotional arc in your story.
In terms of design, determine if there are any physical attributes that change as the character
arcs. This would give you the ability to express the arc in the design of the character. This
is the Pinocchio principle. In the beginning, Pinocchio has a small nose. The more he lies,
the bigger his nose gets until he learns his lesson. This is not something that is necessary; it
is just a possibility that is often overlooked.
Character Design
A well-designed character has the following characteristics:
It will be immediately recognizable and relatable.
It will be have a recognizable shape or silhouette.
It will refl ect the personality of the character.
It will have physical attributes that complement the content of the story.
It will be able to complete the actions that are required by the script.
It will be interesting to watch.
