[…] By working with these five Primary Character Archetypes, we can identify the core narrative function of every key character, then use that knowledge as a guide as we build them out in …read more […]

I just wanted to say that I'm loving this series. Your considerations about the Innocent character type gave me a better understand about my last script. Concerning the Clown, I was just wondering: would it be possible to have an attractor that is a Clown? The chaotic and disruptive nature of the clown works fine when the clown is the hero (like in Life is Beautiful), but it's hard to imagine a hero actually pursuing a person with such trait without being him/herself a clown of sorts.

Glad you are benefiting from this series. I'll provide a whole take on how to work with archetypes when we get to the end of the month. Re your question: Absolutely! Any character type can play any primary archetype (Protagonist, Nemesis, Attractor, Mentor, Trickster). That's one of the most innovative and creative aspects of working with archetypes: you can imagine endless possibilities. A character who is uniquely tied to the emotional development of a Protagonist is an Attractor. So what if the P is a real left-brain personality, a bookish figure, lives in the world of concepts. There's a heart underneath her exterior, but for whatever reason, it lies buried deep within. What if a Clown type enters her life? Someone perpetually having fun, embracing the moment. Throw them together and see what happens. And if the P grows emotionally as a result of her relationship with the Clown, then the latter is in effect functioning as an Attractor. That's just the start. You can explore all sorts of layers of both characters. Why is the Clown the way she or he is? Why does the P need a Clown type to open her up? How do they function together as a couple, romantic or otherwise? Archetypes and types are a great way to focus one's understanding of characters, drilling down into their core essence, then using that as a foundation to grow multilayered, multidimensional characters.