The Easiest Way to Build a Character Arc

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In this video I walk through the specific elements of the story circle and how you can use them in your screenplay.
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Instagram: @mowery
Twitter: @JTylerMowery
#Rewriting #Storytelling

[@TylerMowery]

Get Practical Tools to Write Your Great Screenplay: www.practicalscreenwriting.com

[@ProMontreal]

I’m actually using your content as a reference for creating my own scripts, so from the community, thank you lad

[@greenflamingoentertainment8613]

Tyler, you really should make a complete book on how to write a story from scratch, your videos are some of the best and most clarifying on the subject. I would buy it. I’ve read a lot of some really great books on structure, mind you.

[@dollery2857]

This actually helped me understand the story circle a lot better. In hind sight, it's so obvious, but knowing where the choices need to happen made things a lot clearer for me. Thank you!

[@boshtovar]

This man spittin bars.

[@tashg9343]

Best way to arc a story is study your genre in and out. Before writing each scene understand the genre and what works w popular films

[@aldoandreu]

Great. So the pholosophical side of the story is what ultimately makes it meaningful and unique. Structure is essentially repeated over and over again but adding that philosophical thing with set of beliefs is what makes that repeated structure work. It makes sense. Thanks Tyler. Damned! This is good stuff. All the best from Spain

[@lovealways729]

can u explain? please?

[@harrypages-filmmaker6003]

GREAT stuff man, it's saving me a lot of hairloss for my next film. Helps a lot in those overwhelming times when you have so many ideas and need a quick reference on how to pave them into an engaging story. Definitely checked out your vids for my last short film that just got released; saved me feeling adrift during lockdown. Much love from the UK

[@squali1930]

I'm actually using you videos to create story arcs for dnd characters.

[@juanvela4636]

Panic room is one of the movies that have clear all this points about choice and change. That character is amazing.

[@yohanesgatotsubroto7461]

Hello Tyler, I am Yohanes Gatot Subroto from Indonesia, thank a lot for your video. I've been listening it again and again, makeing summary and notes from every video. It's really helpfull, hopefully one day we can talk one on one after i finish the script.

[@droctulfnineteenth1639]

I love getting proven advice from a successful, experienced screenwriter-manperson

[@3vivk]

Your channel is a writing block destroyer. Thank you!

[@adamhenrysears3288]

This content is equally relevant to writers of all sorts. Good job on the addition of moments of choice. In other three Act structures I've seen, some add more moments of choice, but this one can be applied to smaller stories, which is great. Sometimes, the simpler things get, the stronger.

[@lobbyboyluis7626]

Love your videos! One of the best writing guides to have ever been set foot on the internet! :))

[@keytamcclain8964]

you've help me so much Tyler with your breakdowns it make things a lot easier showing than telling I appreciate ya new subscribe.

[@calmblueocean1177]

this video is incredibly helpful! I’ve been trying to figure out How Dan Harmon’s story cycle works in simpler terms. Your explanation in this segment turned a room full of light-bulbs on for me. thankyou, thankyou, thankyou

[@ImaginaryShadows1]

You have such great screenwriter content. Your a lot better than my screenwriter teacher when I was in college.

[@tulliodesantis4290]

I love the shot at 9:37 where darth vader is chasing luke and, because of the overlay, it looks like he's using really shitty crosshairs lol.

[@thatguitarfiendeevee]

love your videos man !! started my first short script with the help of your vids

[@wiseauserious8750]

Wow. This is absolute gold

[@elinapiller3313]

Thank you for a great and clever hints, you are always the BEST!!!

[@rodannnkekw2866]

This is great. I was struggling with my character's actions in the first part of my story (I'm doing a comic, not a screenplay but the same fundaments apply). This brings so much clarity to my work. Thanks!

[@samuelbrandon4832]

Where do you go to find someone to do artwork for you? Or where can I learn to create art?

[@DUST35]

Anybody that knows of any movies where there's a dual arc to a character? For example; a Positive-change Arc for the first half, and a Disillusionment Arc for the second half? BTW, interesting video Tyler 👍

[@jianfalco2133]

Thanks for this, Tyler!

[@rahmamonassar1221]

Love your videos keep it up !! 💗💗

[@4gravyy442]

This fits really well with the story and structure of "The Northman" Robert Eggers new viking epic

[@shaghayegh5711]

Super helpful and inspiring thank u!🤘💜

[@cheriewi7874]

Thank you , this is really helpful.

[@DanCreaMundos]

So, interesting video, I liked it overall. I do have, though, some feedback that could help you improve future videos. First of all I felt it very slow paced, which is why I ended up watching it at 1.25x speed. You do have a calmed way to talk and explain, but due mostly to the second point, it felt just too slow. Second, you should try editing a little bit more before releasing it. And with that I mean cutting the unnecessary parts. For example, skipping the parts where you're trying to remember something for like ten seconds, mainly because if people see you doubt too much, it makes it look like you don't know what you're talking about, but I've followed you for along time so I know you do know a whole lot about this. I think this video could have been like 16 or 17 minutes long instead. You have great content, keep up the great work!

[@hi-five4960]

I think a character changes throughout the entire story (at least with non-flat arcs), they're constantly changing a little bit at a time. The two big choices they make are the points of no return, which are both very significant to them, but also very visibly show the audience that the character had fundamentally changed

[@robadob55]

Thanks for all your content man. I’m getting into writing (wanna make comics) and you’ve taught me a lot of invaluable methods

[@DeezneyMinusNg]

I recently started watching Yellowjackets and you neeed to go see it rn. You could make an analysis on it. Like a review or sth.

[@mustafaawad4031]

Are you by any chance the actor in the Grammerly advert? It came on right before I played your video here and the resemblance is truly uncanny. Great video here by the way!

[@cjpreach]

"Movie is structure." William Goldman (Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, A Bridge Too Far)

[@adriengaerlan5565]

Hi Tyler, I really love the fundamentals that you added when it comes to writing screenplays. They really help me. I just have a question. Is it possible to implement philosophical conflicts and Dan Harmon’s story circle in generic horror films that revolves around a ghost/monster (e.g. The Conjuring franchise) I once tried to write a horror story involving 2 characters (a man and a ghost). I wanted it to be character driven and implement a philosophical conflict but figuring out a philosophical belief for the ghost was difficult. It felt like it’s just there for the sake to just scare the protagonist.

[@spacechampi0n]

Flat Arcs maintain beliefs but do have to change their attachments -- either learning to attach or overcoming an attachment, regarding who they are loyal to, who they love, who they hate, what personas they wear in what contexts, what social structure they are supporting, etc. It involves exploring their psyche, particularly their unconscious. Change arcs instead explore changing beliefs needed by their ego to protect them from threats to their psyche. The psyche and ego are of course related.

[@pinakichakraborty8759]

❤❤❤thanks❤❤

[@jeanbarque9918]

yes this video is a video that appears to be a video..

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

Yes, yes.

[@paulgraunke6670]

Yes, character arc is a function of the choices characters make at critical plot points. However, Dan Harmon's story circle as illustrated and explained in this video leaves me confused and mystified. The story circle conveys the impression that the critical slices of the plot pie are relatively evenly distributed in time through the plot. But that is not so in the example offered, "Star Wars: The New Hope." Luke Skywalker doesn't "pay" with the death of his uncle & aunt some time about or after the 1/2 way point in the narrative. He finds out his aunt and uncle have been murdered in the 40th minute -- 1/3 of the way in the movie. 2/3 of the story has yet to unfold. And if the death of his uncle & aunt is the price he has to "pay for getting what he wants" -- well, exactly what and how has he gotten what he wants at that point in the story? (And he has initially rebuffed "The Call" offered by Obi-Wan -- the call to get what he really needs. He only accepts "The Call" after he's "paid" with the lives of his custodial relatives.)

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

Honestly, I think it would be more beneficial to not worry about how the template model looks, because Dan Harmon himself has analyzed the A-Story of Mortynight Run (alongside the B-Story, but that's not important right now). All the moments in that plot aren't evenly distributed along the entire episode. Some scenes are shorter than others, some longer than others. The story circle isn't meant to suggest the time length each plot beat should take.

[@swilson1989]

i've been following you for a long time! if you haven't addressed this already, how do you differentiate between character arcs and story/plot arcs?

[@happybirthdaypaulie8584]

I'm not interested in easy. I want my character arcs long and hard.

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

Good for you.

[@Jo_SW]

This is specifically the one that helps to the core writers who struggle with their boring stories. He's never been vague but insightful and practical.

[@nicolajesteban9211]

"hopefully this has been helpful to you" best joke I've heard in a while xD you have no idea how much this has just unlocked. amazing!!! thank you

[@blueskye2790]

Tyler, can you please respond, I am wondering if "structure" being about a change in a character's belief, still being valid for more episodic storytelling, like a season of television. In every episode, would structure still be about the character's change? That is, can an episode of television still be about a character changing their belief system, or is it more about what is revealed about that character along the season with 'change' not coming until the final episode?

[@josiahhab1148]

Is the character arc a part of the philosophical conflict?

[@frankiefrank4853]

This has helped with my storytelling and posting my IG Stories with structure to help other up and coming Technicians. From a Dishwasher to Technician and company owner.

[@Vent69420]

I wanted to ask how to fit in minor character arcs for secondary and tertiary protagonists/antagonists that may be shorter and not covering the entire plot duration. I managed to do so in my first few scripts through intuition but now that my next story has even more of these kind of characters who are introduced pate and killed/exit before the end of the plot, i don't know how to insert them into the plot. The plot isn't concrete yet but I know what I want the characters to portray about their humanity through their individual story arcs. Any ideas would be helpful, and when I do figure itnout, I'll leave ajother comment here too!

[@arnavagarwal4067]

Noice video

[@Thisiscinemalist]

Great video man! Thanks a lot for all the knowledge you give us. I'm sorry I am getting a bit off topic here, but I just wanted to ask : Can you also make a video about how to pace a screenplay? If you have made one already, I couldn't find it.

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

He's talked about the therefore-but method. It really makes your stories stay on a more causal sequence of events.

[@SaiRam-wk8jg]

Thank for example me brother❤😇

[@sergioortiz778]

Hi, I like your videos, what mic do you use???

[@losskopein]

Good Morning Sir. I just want to stop by and thank you for your work. It is helping me greatly. In return may I recommend a book I believe you would enjoy, Roots Of Renewal In Myth and Madness by John Weir Perry. Have a great day.

[@quintessentialplantenthusi3080]

great video

[@listianocrowe]

Brilliant as ever you sexy fella with your gravely voice! Be nice to see you analyse some godawful movie characters and explain them better.

[@robertmcdade8251]

Could this also be applied to antagonist as well arc wise?

[@ijasandeepsingh]

May yes because after all it is a character but more depth require

[@DeezneyMinusNg]

Is it okay for 2 characters to undergo undergo same sort of character arc but in different ways?

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

(Bane Voice) Of course.

[@pnr2736]

Yoo

[@ArmenAgaronian]

bro edit your pauses and mistakes please

[@daisyc1741]

There’s a lot of potential in this video. If it was scripted I think it might be easier to follow and get more views

[@gianthills]

It's not rock science. You simply introduce something that causes your character to see things differently. Once that happens you create a domino effect of conflict and risk. There is no story circle. Stories are linear, based on cause and effect. Characters cannot return to the place at which they started.

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

You're taking the "circle" part of Story Circle too literally. Obviously they're not always literally going to return to the place they started. The "return" is moreso to a place of equilibrium. The change your character has caused is now their new normal until the next story.

[@darnellmajor9016]

The fact that yall dont see that Tyler Mowery is taking advantage of you all is truly SICKENING!!!!!!!! He has NO CREDENTIALS!!! NO ONE hardly knows who he is!!!! This is just SICK!!!!!!!!

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

How is he taking advantage of us. Point out an example.

[@billybussey]

0:07 I know it's petty but I can't listen to anyone who says the word important as impordent.

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

Bruh Broh

[@tashg9343]

You’re making this too complicated Tyler- I would have writers write scenes that are needed- the scene has to serve a purpose- then have scenes that lead to something else that moves the story along

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

This isn't complicated at all. The scenes that are needed ARE the scenes that move the story along.

[@pinakichakraborty8759]

❤This video was not very good.Because of unclear vision and hand writing problem.

[@user-fj6ge6ks5j]

Hello Tyler, I am Yohanes Gatot Subroto from Indonesia, thank a lot for your video. I've been listening it again and again, makeing summary and notes from every video. It's really helpfull, hopefully one day we can talk one on one after i finish the script.