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

In the first two weeks of the Fall semester, California State University, Northridge screenwriting professor Eric Edson presents PowerPoint lessons to the entering first year grad MFA class. In the second class he covers 6 of the 14 character types. Here is the full inside look at the lecture.
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[@filmcourage]

**WATCH** Eric Edson’s first class ‘Learning Screenplay Story Structure’ - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6rap4F_jLCVhqs

[@davidparker7216]

This clases are a goldmine. Hope to see Edson again

[@alexfakus336]

@@davidparker7216 iiiiiiiii

[@alexfakus336]

@@davidparker7216 iiiii

[@alexfakus336]

@@davidparker7216 iiiii

[@alexfakus336]

@@davidparker7216 i

[@michaelgoncharov2075]

25:42 Adversary. Personification of unbeatable opposition for the Hero. 51:25 Love interest. Pushes the Hero into character growth through sexual conquest. 1:13:05 Sidekick. Remains loyal and provides counsel. 1:22:17 Mentor. Passes skills, wisdom or life-saving gift. 1:33:28 Endangered innocent. Provides strong subplot with the goal and the ticking clock. Other 9 categories: the Hero, gate guardian, adversary agent, independent troublemaker, comparison ally, comic ally, hopeful savior, cheerleader ally, helper-follower ally. All characters contribute to the story, except atmosphere ones. Characters never change category, only hide intent.

[@severussin]

Michael Goncharov thank you

[@aminahisra4410]

Thank you

[@nelsonsavage4635]

Cheers lad

[@hnttakata713]

Thanks for notes

[@suningchen]

Is there a diagram or a picture for these 14 characters? Because I can't find any online.

[@memebharatiofficial5224]

0:00 👉 14 Characters 17:27👉 5 hero traits 25:42👉 writing the antagonist 51:25👉 Love interest 1:13:05👉Writing the sidekick 1:22:17👉 Writing the mentor 1:33:28👉 Endangered innocent

[@petergreen5337]

Thank you very much.

[@HarishAgastya]

Thank you 🙏

[@eskildsen2873]

I would watch Eric Edson's classes for hours! He is so humble and smart. I would like to see him more often in Film Courage.

[@user-ue1jl7gf3h]

This channel is seriously awesome! FULL lectures from masters of screenwriting is not just usefull, its honestly motivating. Especially during those "stay home" times. Thanks for that

[@filmcourage]

Thanks, we appreciate you spending time on this channel. Stay safe and keep creating!

[@citycrusher9308]

@@filmcourage @36 - 50 - Sideways was a depressing film. The whole premise - Guys, when you are dumped, get over it. The closest thing to the female version would be ''The Upside of anger'' - only the ex husband doesn't get a happy ending

[@citycrusher9308]

@@filmcourage @57:00 - the wife is the endangered innocent? When the men are the ones in danger? For you to even suggest that is sad (with a capital P and a small ''athetic'')

[@oldepersonne]

@@citycrusher9308 So are you saying that the wife/kids will hardly notice if their husband/father are killed in space?

[@EVERYDAYSI]

I’m really learning so much

[@brandsintel]

I could listen to this Prof throughout the day. Made me miss class all over again ❤🙏👌

[@tekannon7803]

Good teachers are things we all cherish and remember from our days in class, but Professor Edson brings teaching to an entirely new level. This is real teaching.

[@petergreen5337]

Agreed

[@arzabael]

Is this information right though? Or is it right now? There are surely fixed Aristotelian laws being described, but essentially conventional teaching on writing will always be a matter of the mentors preceding the instructor. In a small town where many have had the same mentors, something that’s simply right now, can be perceived as something that is right. We can’t do any of the same things in movies. Everything has to be subverted at some point, so the rules will always change, and we are living in a window of time where the rules are the way they are. Rigidity toward them though is surely the easiest way to crack.

[@ChrisKtheHealthGuy]

I'm so glad to be able to hear this wisdom since this quality of teaching was not available in my liberal arts College.

[@thezenviking8191]

Incredible watching this for free. Every field of study at universities should have a certain percentage of lectures be digital. For example 1 for each course, before being in the classroom. Bringing competition and raising the standard, and giving everyone some shared knowledge

[@arzabael]

A great man analyzing great films with great insight into them, is a truly great thing. I almost feel like tearing up during each film summary.

[@zerocells]

The passion this guy exudes makes me want to listen to him all day.

[@by_katrin]

Eric Edson has no idea what he's talking about. He said "Thank you for your patience" He is so humble and has no clue that I would hang on his lips for hours! 😀 Best wishes from Switzerland and thank you a thousand times for this Masterclass for free on KZbin) ♥

[@brandsintel]

No clue at all. For hours and hours and hours ❤👌

[@PeterStawicki]

First and foremost this man is a fantastic professor and secondarily it would be really nice if they gathered up all the people in Hollywood and force them to actually take his class

[@incognitomcde1360]

The last thing we want is those lunatics to insinuate their propaganda subtlety in a competent story.

[@michaelvoorhees7812]

@@incognitomcde1360 XD

[@poulwinther]

You think more than 10% of them are clever enough to learn anything?

[@SuperIrish98]

He's the best lecturer on screenwriting and this is the best channel for filmmaking. Thank you!

[@filmcourage]

Cheers!

[@poeticalgore6500]

Jill Chamberlain is much better (she has videos on here) and she makes a great case for what she says.

[@satioOeinas]

@@poeticalgore6500what does she do better?

[@AaronBreezeComposer]

Eric Edson is everything you want in an educator! Fantastic!

[@ComicPower]

Absolutely

[@icanrelate]

100%

[@NY_LA]

I can not articulate how valuable these videos are. Thank you so much. For anyone else reading, Keep Creating! Tell your stories like only you can

[@filmcourage]

Great to see you finding value here Amira! Also great to see that we aren't the only ones who enjoyed this class!

[@FlipArt57]

Although I watch other interviews from Film Courage, Eric Edson I can say I learned the most. I recorded all of his lectures and listen to em fanatically. Not a dull moment. I wish he was here in San Diego where Writing Classes are $$$, but I'd PAY for his classes.

[@janejohnson1750]

I was a Hemingway fan too in my teens but remember Pilar younger. All his books very full of imagery

[@kevintheagle]

This channel keeps giving me so much to work with.

[@daichimax]

Thanks for Sharing Eric's invaluable knowledge. This video is a Master Class!!!

[@filmcourage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@reelscreenwriting8940]

Screenwriting Lectures are my guilty pleasure, thank you for this :)

[@Brandon.manga.]

Thank you to everyone involved in allowing me access to this video. I just learned so much I will be rewatching this over and over!

[@wattpadusergeek342]

I really like how he described the difference between novels and visual storytelling at the beginning. As a novelist using Film Courage videos as part of my self-made creative writing curriculum (thanks for the opportunity Covid19) it was important to hear this in order to avoid becoming rigid in my writing by taking the screenwriting concepts as the only gospel truth for writing. The human mind is funny that way, preferring to filter down information as much as possible to a specific category (why social media works like a charm) and it’s important to realize this and not get stuck in a bubble of specific teachings (why the current academic system doesn’t work as well, generally).

[@nebilimney]

That's more than a masterclass! Thanks for sharing! I took notes of each tips. I will specially thank to you and Eric Edson for the insights in my first published story :)

[@WillSellHomes]

Great lectures always learn something new. Thank you Professor Edson.

[@nicolearetz2703]

I learn so much here! Thank you! Without you, I would never have the chance to listen to Prof. Edson.

[@AnastaciaMary]

Professor Edson is such an excellent teacher! All of the examples make the theory so clear. Thank you for this!

[@ShekarRangarajan]

Brilliant thought provoking teacher par excellence. He is so encyclopaedic and graphical in describing the nuances of every scene from a range of movies.

[@filmcourage]

Which part of this lecture was most helpful to you?

[@vitorbalbino8024]

You know, You know, from beginning to end!

[@DBSG1976]

The first part alone made me eliminate several characters from a story I'm working on. I thought that principal characters served the plot and that supporting characters fleshed out the world. Since every character must serve the plot...the list of characters has shrunk by quite a few. Thanks for the vid!

[@Wearethemakerss]

story structure

[@AnastaciaMary]

The types and purposes of the characters, the traits that must exist to properly create them, and the examples given for each.

[@mohammadrezasafari2957]

Cannot wait to watch the other categories features🌹❤️ hope for it!

[@darrengrenfell9225]

Excellent - absolutely excellent. Thank you all for sharing this

[@arzabael]

One of the greatest monologues of all time was in Sideways. When he likened himself through the subtext of the delicate and weak nature of Pinot grapes. 😊

[@SARbeaver1]

Only 1 person had read "For Whom the Bell Tolls." I can feel his inward groan.

[@GIJha]

This was wonderful! Thank you for putting this series together

[@Tubeflux]

Great lesson. Very charismatic and motivating professor. That's the way!

[@LDEPOV]

Awsome lecture! I'm Hooked. In the story whether good or bad, write each character with a purpose. It has to move the story.

[@Username-o6zf]

After getting my diploma, my next agenda on the plan is to go to Toronto Film School and get that degree. Maybe work in Gaming as a Scriptwriter or become a Screenplay writer

[@j-new6278]

So great, excellent job Eric Edson!!!!

[@joannkelly7994]

I love this man and how he teaches. Thank you and God bless,

[@gp3256]

Outstanding fresh perspectives.

[@brittsade3713]

This was exactly what I needed. Thank you.

[@Leto85]

Thank you for this lesson. I hope that in future ones the other character types will be discussed.

[@allanredhill8682]

Great lecture - its also very helpful for comic scripts, as Im writing it similar to a screenplay

[@hnttakata713]

Mahalo. I learn more from these Film Courage lectures, than the six years spent in traditional college. Very specific. My character development is based upon experiences of heroines that I have spent time with, and these traits are apparent.

[@IndyAtlanticCity]

I can watch this over and over - sooo good!

[@raulpierri]

Thanks for sharing this. It is gold.

[@jeremybarnes7873]

Thoroughly enjoying these lectures. Delighted to have found them. Thank you.

[@filmcourage]

You're most welcome!

[@JMaynardGelinas]

The interviews are good. But actual course lectures and syllabi would be a great addition to this channel.

[@PixelateForWork]

Superb upload. Can't thank you enough for the fundamentals this channel has helped expose people to.

[@HarryVoyager]

10:27 And that deluge of information is an amazingly double edged sword. On the one hand, you can fill it with so much sidebar information that you simply cannot put in a novel: it will be far too slow, and you can hide clues and layers in it that you could never do in a novel (the minute you spend words on it, everyone will notice it), but at the same time, you've got this massive channel of information that may or may not actually be usefull to telling the story that still has to be filled with stuff that is both reasonable, consistent and costs time and money to put in. A novelist can just about get away with saying the manor was an old imposing monolith festooned with peaks and lacy motifs along its eaves, that might have seemed elegant had they a fresh coat of paint. Boom, done! For a movie, someone has to find or build the cursed thing, and it will never be quite what you pictured in your head.

[@robertdufour2456]

Thank you, professor. I thoroughly enjoyed your lecture. I will be watching it again and again.

[@filmcourage]

Thanks for posting Robert, we are glad you discovered this one.

[@jimsizzle5288]

This video has helped me more than words describe......

[@wendillasfam]

the most useful knowledge for writers, what a great teacher! I need the list of the movies, as his students I haven't watched no even half of them! but I will buy the book because it is all so interesting, thank you!

[@william5159]

“No side trips”, except in The Godfather Part II. And, therein lies the danger of ‘rules’. Great lecture though and a great teacher. Great series!

[@william5159]

@Jessie Robert DeNiro

[@derrickdd]

@@william5159 Its not a side-trip... Its two stories mirroring eachother simultaneously.

[@william5159]

@@derrickdd Good point. Perhaps I misunderstood the original point. Cheers, I will re-watch the video.

[@droneeye2618]

Films have evolved though to be more like episodic novels in the last few decades and seasons of series have become the norm

[@ComicPower]

This is awesome. I learned so much.

[@jordankit1648]

What a gem. This is golden content from Prof Edson. Thank you.

[@filmcourage]

Thanks for watching Jordan!

[@princeprasad8272]

Film courage thankyou so much for providing great lectures from the masters ....

[@shireitalians]

This is gold! Thank you for helping!

[@filmcourage]

Cheers!

[@cultoay0utube]

LOL Every time that Eric asks "have you ever seen this movie?" the students are like ??? They must be in their first semester... or maybe he confused the classroom for the cinema studies with the driving school.

[@bootsthecat6718]

I would love to hear him transition into going over traffic regulations after the first hour

[@RichardHannay]

“Uh, sir, this is an AA meeting”

[@anavonrebeur6121]

Shameful how illiterate and icinemated they aré.

[@brianregan75]

@@anavonrebeur6121 yeah you would think for a screenwriting “masterclass” they would know their classic films. Should be a prerequisite lol

[@anavonrebeur6121]

@@brianregan75 its torture for the teacher haaa

[@frankjames8278]

Great lecture. Character is everything. Will really have to dig into this book more. Get the character right and the rest will follow. Hopefully was successful in my current web series. Keep up the great videos

[@DBSG1976]

Are you writing a web series or writing/in production of one? How many pages are you writing per episode?

[@frankjames8278]

@@DBSG1976 Already filmed two episodes. Looking to shoot more as soon as all this mess is over. Check out my channel. Each episode is about 7 to 9 minutes which is about 5 to 7 pages. And character still matters.

[@tumblingrosesstudio]

This was captivating! Snagging the book! thank you for such outstanding teaching

[@filmcourage]

Glad you enjoyed this one Dannielle! Here is Eric's first class ‘Learning Screenplay Story Structure’ - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6rap4F_jLCVhqs (in case you haven't seen it and were interested)

[@chrisddawson]

Really enjoying these lectures - very helpful. Thank You.

[@filmcourage]

Great, glad to see you find these Chris!

[@PranavBhave]

Thank you so much Film Courage for these lectures. Looking forward to seeing more of these classes. His explanation is clear and precise. Guess I've found my online screenwriting Guru🙏 🙂 Respect!

[@filmcourage]

Glad you like them! You are very welcome. We are honored to have sat in on Professor Edson's CSUN class. Appreciate the compliment.

[@howardkoor2796]

Thanks Eric. Thanks Film Courage.

[@brofelixthecat8233]

What’s interesting is that Up can all be seen as either a way of letting go of the past, or as a metaphor in Russell taking or inciting Carl to the afterlife, in that Carl let’s go of all that had been keeping him from moving forward, and he finally leaves the house behind.

[@grazygoutam354]

I wanna thankyou guys for uploading This on youtube for free I finished it in one sitting amazing teacher Keep doing the good work

[@filmcourage]

Hi Babu, Mr. Edson has a book he wrote entitled "The Story Solution" (link in the description) where he goes into detail on everything he highlights here.. We believe you will find all your answers there.

[@Gunnplay]

Fantastic! Need more of this!

[@filmcourage]

Thanks! Not sure if you saw the first class? - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6rap4F_jLCVhqs

[@whitemansucks]

YES! Luv this guy!

[@RM-306]

So greatful for this erics work!

[@filmcourage]

Cheers!

[@yamaadeli6902]

Thanks to professor and to your incredible channel. 💯😃

[@filmcourage]

Thanks Ahmad, we are incredibly grateful to Professor Edson for providing us this opportunity to share his teachings. Love that you found this one.

[@nicklang6798]

This is very good. Lots of great examples

[@meh62]

thank you especially for the subtitles.

[@3kfilms128]

ur welcome

[@nijamechepta3226]

Awaysome lesson sir

[@petergreen5337]

Thank you very much.

[@sasany4]

Mr. Edson is a great mentor please upload more videos of him.

[@filmcourage]

Hi Sasan, here are all of our uploads with Eric Edson - rb.gy/uq08qy

[@SijinJoseph-kz7zl]

Thank you so much

[@kristine8338]

Music plays an unbelievably additional role in any movie.

[@trishahopkins6574]

I’ve learned more from this video than I did from my 2yr screenwriting degree

[@nerdimmunity7672]

These videos are brilliant

[@yibaibashimu6223]

The double meaning of Sideways is "drunk" as you properly pointed out and "the plan went sideways" as seen over the weekend in wine country. Awesome lesson though. I learned a lot. Wish I could be there in person.

[@zozoartstudio4727]

Watched this all the way through

[@tharindafilms5528]

Thank you sir and...channel..❤❤

[@camronchlarson3767]

I love these full lectures! :)

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Camron! This is the last of what we have for now. Hopefully we'll sit in on some other classes in the future.

[@SchoolToEmbassyProject]

Absolutely, I'm addicted to ALL this knowledge #BingeWatching

[@iraqiraq1950]

Me too .. i hope I can study there 😫 🙏

[@malin943]

Me too! 😍

[@leodouskyron5671]

OMG I have a list of movies to watch after this!

[@PreetiSingh-xg5pm]

brilliant teacher

[@FlyingOverTr0ut]

Just finished reading Eric Edson's book for the third time in three years. Still very informative and entertaining.

[@DanielEndy2]

@@babumurugesan6977 Helper-follower ally is an ally who follows the hero and assists them. Think Trinity in the Matrix.

[@DanielEndy2]

Cheerleader ally is a person who cheers the hero on. They provide encouragement but not much else.

[@DanielEndy2]

A hopeful savior is a an ally who provides hope. Think the Oracle in the Matrix. She is in disguise at first and seems to be discouraging.

[@DanielEndy2]

The comic ally is a friend of the hero who provides comic relief.

[@DanielEndy2]

He has a book you should buy.

[@anaginc]

One thing also that is a must is to see irish shorts and know Eamonn Owens movies. It opens your mind really

[@gerardovitale81]

The best part is from 00:00 to 1:48:36 Thank you so much!

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Gerardo! Thanks for watching!

[@cristinawilligs]

in the several versions of war and peace there is this character called Petya Rostov that changes role at the end

[@raul_lozanomusic]

Amazing lecture 💯

[@filmcourage]

Glad you liked it

[@jiayusai]

For those who are confused when he said the character categories don't change, I think he refers to mainstream Hollywood films with good box office performance (as mentioned in his previous video on screenplay story structure).

[@marckolsters2279]

outstanding class.

[@filmcourage]

Thanks Marc!

[@flesheater6676]

I watch these all the time.

[@filmcourage]

Thank you for visiting with us!

[@sambeg2]

I can't here for knows how, but the lecture was so good I had to stay.

[@RavinderSingh-ft5dw]

Superb

[@tj-uq4yz]

Amazing!

[@filmcourage]

Thanks for watching!

[@ManasGhosh_]

Thanks!

[@filmcourage]

Hi Manas, thank you so much! We love this class with Professor Edson and are happy to share it with you. We appreciate you supporting this channel!

[@mebleusiste]

Can you please provide video with slide show as you did with the story structure lecture ? Thank you

[@sushanthlokasani8336]

Could you please upload the 2nd part of the video where we could learn the qualities of other characters.

[@imrahill7]

Great video

[@fletchdavidson6079]

The missing pieces to my puzzle. Thank you.