Summary of 14 Movie Characters Writers Should Know - Eric Edson [Full Version - Screenwriting Masterclass]

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00:00:00 - 01:00:00

In this YouTube video, screenwriting professor Eric Edson discusses the different types of movie characters and provides examples of each. He stresses the importance of making characters sympathetic and notes that deep character development is necessary to keep the audience invested in the story.

00:00:00 Eric Edson, a screenwriting professor at California State University, Northridge, discusses the different categories of characters in screenplays and films. He explains that character categories are important, but plot function is more important. He recommends using the "four Cs" of character, conflict, character development, and climax to help create a successful screenplay.
00:05:00 The video discusses how writing a novel is subjective, with different scenes and moments being conveyed in a unique way to the reader depending on their own memories and imaginings. It then goes on to discuss how movies differ from novels in that they are visually straightforward and less subjective, with set pieces and scenes being conveyed in an exact way to the viewer.
00:10:00 In this video, screenwriting master Eric Edson discusses the fourteen types of characters found in films. He goes over each type in detail, explaining why they are important and how they help tell the story. Finally, he provides examples of each character type from films.
00:15:00 This video discusses the different types of movie characters that writers should know, and provides examples of such characters in action. Characters must be sympathetic in order to be effective, and deep character development is necessary in order to keep the audience invested in the story.
00:20:00 In this YouTube video, screenwriting master Eric Edson discusses the various types of movie characters writers should know. He discusses the tragic hero, the catalyst hero, the trickster hero, and the mentally challenged hero. He notes that all of these characters need to be sympathetic and notes that Forrest Gump is an example of a film with a despicably unsympathetic hero.
00:25:00 Eric Edson discusses the different types of character antagonists, giving examples such as Jamie Gumb from Nightmare on Elm Street and the Mayor from You're Next. He stresses that the antagonist must be one person or a personification of one person, and warns that if an animal becomes the antagonist, it becomes more like a person.
00:30:00 In this video, screenwriter and masterclass instructor, Eric Edson, discusses the characters in the film, "Michael Clayton." He points out that one of the characters, Agent Parcher, is an adversary that John Nash creates in his head to fight against. Nash is battling his own internal demons, and Agent Parcher represents them to him.
00:35:00 In "Sideways," Eric Edson's screenplay follows the story of Jack, a friend of Myles' who is getting married soon, and Miles, Jack's ex-husband who is still in love with Victoria. Jack has a problem with chasing after women, but this problem leads to all sorts of trouble. Miles is surprised and overwhelmed when he learns about Victoria's new marriage, and his childish response causes a scene.
00:40:00 In this video, Eric Edson, a screenwriting master, discusses the character growth pattern of a film's protagonist. Act 1 of the movie is the character's adolescence, and in act 2, the protagonist suffers a setback that forces him to grow and change. Jack, the protagonist's love interest, plays a significant role in this growth; he encourages and supports the protagonist, while still pursuing his own goals.
00:45:00 Miles has matured since the end of the first act, and is now ready to let Victoria go. He has a party to celebrate his newfound maturity and love for Victoria.
00:50:00 The video discusses the various ways in which a love interest character can affect the protagonist in a movie. It talks about how sexual tension between the character and the protagonist can lead to character growth and plot change.
00:55:00 Alicia Nash is a love interest in the movie "A Beautiful Mind", and while she is not the primary goal, she is still an important character.

01:00:00 - 01:45:00

In this video, screenwriter Eric Edson discusses the importance of various character types in movie scripts. He explains how the protagonist, antagonist, sidekick, and helper follower all play important roles in driving the plot and developing the characters. He provides examples of each character type from popular movies, and concludes with a discussion of the protagonist's sidekick in "Ocean's Eleven."

01:00:00 In "As Good as It Gets," Melvin Udall is a one-hero movie, with Carol serving as the love interest. She comes to Melvin's apartment in the middle of the night, urgently needing to tell him something, and it's raining outside. This sets up a comedic and romantic juxtaposition, with Carol telling Melvin that she has to tell him face-to-face that the rain is accentuating her sensuality and that she's about to deny it.
01:05:00 The video discusses the importance of incorporating sexual tension into a romantic comedy or romance. It discusses how to do this by creating an insurmountable barrier between the two lovers. The video also discusses how Melvin's personality prevents him from expressing emotions face-to-face, which contributes to the sexual tension.
01:10:00 In this screenwriting masterclass, Eric Edson discusses the importance of sidekick relationships in storytelling, and how they can help drive story change and humanize the hero. He also touches on the importance of sidekick characters in creating a subplot or main plot, and how casting a sidekick can throw you off at first because he or she is a star.
01:15:00 Ariadne, Cobb's sidekick, finds out that his darkest memory is of a hotel suite where furniture was trashed and thrown around. She also notices the same woman from before in the couch.
01:20:00 In this video, screenwriter Eric Edson discusses the various types of sidekicks found in movies. He discusses how a sidekick can be a lover, half of a whole, or just a friend and how they often provide conflict and guidance for the protagonist. He also discusses the mentor character, which can be anyone, any age, and can provide a life-saving gift to the hero.
01:25:00 The video discusses the character of Morpheus, who is a mentor to the protagonist in the movie The Matrix. He offers Neo the choice between staying in the Matrix or accepting the truth and waking up to the real world. Neo chooses the red pill and wakes up to the real world, fighting against the machines.
01:30:00 In this video, screenwriter and teaching artist Eric Edson discusses 14 movie characters writers should know, including the protagonist, Hira, and the mentor, Neo. He describes each character's defining moment and how it affects their story. He also provides an example of an endangered innocent character, Carl and his friends, in the movie Up.
01:35:00 In this video, writer and screenwriter Eric Edson discusses the characters writers should know, including Kevin, the hero in Paradise Falls. Kevin is almost home after escaping from the previous escape, but is wounded in the process. Russell reveals to Carl that he had happy memories with his dad, but they are foreign to few. The boy is clearly needing a father figure, and Russell begins to see Carl's immediate needs as weighed against the needs of his past. Suddenly, a car arrives, and it is one of Ellie's babies. Kevin is jubilant and runs off to get the baby, while Russell and Carl also run overjoyed. However, an ominous shadow comes over them and they don't see it right away. The evil adventurer months, a huge blimp, hovers above and captures Kevin. Russell tries to save Kevin, but can't due to the ropes. Carl saves Kevin by cutting the ropes and getting him out of the blimp. Kevin is still just floating off the ground due to the balloons' exhaustion. Russell manages to save the baby and the house, but in the meantime, months and his vicious dogs drag Kevin into the bowels of the blimp. Russell is devastated, and Carl has saved Ellie's house but given up
01:40:00 In "14 Movie Characters Writers Should Know," Eric Edson discusses the various character roles that a writer must consider when constructing a story. He focuses on the protagonist, antagonist, sidekick, and helper follower, and points out that not every story requires each of these character types. He concludes the video by discussing the protagonist's sidekick in the movie "Ocean's Eleven."
01:45:00 In this screenwriting masterclass, Eric Edson discusses the role of 14 movie characters writers should know, including Doug the dog, Kevin, Months, Carl, and Russell. He explains how these characters help drive the plot and develop the characters, and how writers should take note of them when writing their own scripts.