The #1 Secret to Writing Iconic Characters

This reminds me of two other 4 corner story structures (for lack of a better term.) One being the value system proposed by Robert McKee. Which is almost verbatim this, I love how it works actually the same way as this video essay. The other one being Dramatica, a very in depth and supposedly complete desconstruction of story theory, that goes into a granularity that makes beach sand look like boulders.

It’s interesting to think about because technically speaking a antagonist can fall anywhere along the spectrum.

Love this concept! Although, I notice your examples here apply to characters whose viewpoints and beliefs stay pretty static throughout their respective stories (which is fine in itself; I've seen and enjoyed both!). I'm trying to apply this concept to characters in my story whose viewpoints and beliefs change over time, and so I'm finding the process of nailing down who goes where a bit difficult. I would love to see some examples explained by you using characters who really arc and change over the course of the story. Thanks!

I have a question! What if my protagonist doesn’t take one of the four corners? What if other supporting characters take the four corners, and over the course of the story, the protagonist must choose which corner to fall into? Would this still be compelling?

So it is displaying villainy in the protagonist and empathy in the antagonist to a minimal extent...making the characters feel more realistic, more organic?

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While this makes for epic story telling. Not every conflict NEEDS to be this. You can tell a great story with a duet as much as a quartet.

thanks

Love how your first shot in the video was dark knight. When I read your title/thumbnail my immediate thought was the 4 character structure of Batman begins.

Great video. Best wishes to you ✌🏼❤️

I wonder how fate stay night would fit into this.

One idea I would like to explore further is if you have 2 philosophical conflicts with this 4 corner method, are there configurations that would add to the overall quality.

I'm loving this video. I'm studying it closely for a story I'm writing.

One thing I don't get is, why is Ragnar a con of loyalty? It sounds similar to Alfred, just for the Danes instead of Saxons

Too many commercials, difficult to watch this video.

Literally as you were describing 4 corner opposition I thought, Whiplash does that!

Hello thanks for this video. How would it work with more than four characters. Like you had a film like Magnolia? Would more than one character fit in each corner?

@yacwac test

I really like this. My only question is should a character stick to one corner? Like let’s say your character starts off as Normal- then becomes the embodiment of Success+ but bumps their head and experiences Success- and then back ultimately make it back to Success+ would that still be considered good writing if don’t correctly?

what if i only have 2 characters

While I think that is a great video to a great method I think the 2nd example of The Last Kingdom is flawed. The whole problem of the series the writing. True, you can see the different viewpoints here. But the big difference to whiplash is that there is no real conflict within these characters that makes them develop their viewpoints. I haven't even watched season 3 yet (I'm at the beginning of season 2 and might leave it there) and this video here showed me that really nothing changed for anyone. Uthred is still the same as he was at the beginning of season 1. He doesn't get challenged. And all this is wrapped up in an inconsequential world with plot armor for most of the characters and especially Uthred.

All the interesting viewpoints don't make for any quality if there is no progress, no character development and no consequences.

Existing elswith in the show is great sometimes she frustrates me and sometimes she is right, she is a good example of pro and cons of a character, I like edward for the same reason sometimes he is good and sometimes very bad

I've recently watched "Everwood," (Saw Whiplash years ago) They share a theme/conflict that's similar.
What could've happened if Ephram got in to Juilliard and Amy went with him to New York...

Good analysis. My only critique is that at the 17 minute mark you keep saying "Ethylfled" when you mean "Aethelwold" Ethylfled is the Lady of Mercia.

Im doing a manga but im only with the main bullet points, would I still be able to get help with its pacing and what not?

I totally get the four cornered opposition idea. I shan't waste my time with your examples, thanks for watching them so I don't have to :D I can just imagine Ginger Baker putting up with any of that nonsense. Not.

You actually explain it better than Truby did.

I'm sure this has been mentioned but Netflix's Daredevil has this (or something very similar) across almost every member of its core cast. There's probably even a seperate quad for DD and Murdock by the time you reach the final season (Fisk, Punisher, Elektra/Bullseye; Foggy, Karen, Misty) and I think that's a large part of why so many people love the show.

Falcon and The Winter Soldier actually also had this, with basically every supersoldier Sam interacts with showing a different aspect of Cap's legacy. The show isn't handled as well, i'm sure, but it was something I very much appreciated and part of why I think it's either under-rated or just in need of a slight polish.

I am Utred, son of Utred. I have a son named Utred and he is Utred, son of Utred, son of Utred. And if he has a son named Utred, he will be called Utred, son of Utred son of Utred son of Utred...

It really was a great show. Very underrated. Makes VIkings look like the joke it became after season 4.

just found your channel, thanks for sharing your insights!

Great video

I miss king Alfred so much on the last kingdom

Better yet, write absolutely powerful, yet still mysteriously intriguing themes.

Reflection is key. Humanity should dare to look deep within, but it should also understand that more than the mere physical aspect of such Reflection is required for true, celestial enlightenment.

"Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In Time, all points converge; hope's strength resteeled. But to earn final peace at the Universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again."
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--Diamond Dragons (series)

Funny how, if you want to be a good writer, you got to be good at life,
and philosophy,
and psychology.
Not at f**** orthography.

Finally! Someone is talking about my favorite show. Destiny is all!

Huh this kind of reminds me of fate stay night however the protagonist was on the conside of the view point and simultaneously on every other side of the argument I quess I mean it is a story involving alternate timelines.

The most important thing is to have good contrasts not just to morals and philosophy but personality as well. This is why buddy-cop duos always consist of a loudmouth jokester and a stoic professional. The two ideas bounce off each other, and this leads to very interesting character interactions.

Just picked up anatomy of a story last week. This was a nice view into what I can expect out of it.

Great video. Seeing a way to dive deeper into the pros/cons of a protagonists drive and how it affects the world around them makes for much deeper storytelling.

Cool concept, but when u said uthred hates aethelflead I broke my neck to see what u were talking about only to see aethelwold 😂

Funny thing though... the Danes and the Saxons were two branches off of the same tree... culturally, linguistically.. they were as similar as, say... Texans and Oklahomans.
The Last Kingdom made them so alien to each other, but in the historical context they were not. To further complicate things, Wessex was not uniformly Christian, and Denmark was not uniformly pagan.
I realize the video is about writing compelling characters, not historical accuracy, but hey...if you're doing historical drama, please also keep in mind that some historians might actually watch or read it.

This is a great video, thank you for making it! I’m trying to implement this concept with a dnd party, and using this 4 corners concept to create interesting faction leaders they can choose to help or harm. I’m still grappling with which 2 opposing ideologies I want, but I’m very excited to keep thinking about it!

The first script has a deus ex machina car crash, an annulus of boar's heads!

Great video🎉🎉 thank you