What is an Antihero — And Why Are They So Compelling?
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Publicado 2023-06-12
What is an Anti-Hero? ►► bit.ly/wi-ah
StudioBinder Blog ►► bit.ly/sb-bl
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Anti-Heroes
00:56 - Anti-Hero Defined
02:48 - Chapter 1: The Anti-Hero Spectrum
06:21 - Chapter 2: How To Write An Anti-Hero
14:38 - Chapter 3: The Wolf of Wall Street Deep Dive
18:01 - Takeaways
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WHAT MAKES AN ANTIHERO
Traditionally, heroes are good, and villains are bad. But somewhere in the middle lay antiheroes — morally ambiguous characters that have only grown in popularity. But what makes an antihero so compelling? In this video, we will explain the murky antihero definition, explore some of the most iconic examples of antiheroes, and provide considerations for anyone interested in writing antiheroes.
WHAT IS AN ANTIHERO
Most people agree that an antihero is the main character in a story who simply lacks the qualities of a traditional hero. But, beyond that, the antihero definition is not set in stone. The boundaries that qualify this character type are subjective because they are based on our own sense of morality.
In fact, we consider the antihero definition to be more of a spectrum, and where each character lands on that spectrum is a combination of our understanding (or sympathy) for them and how much we approve of their actions. The bad things an antihero does might seem justifiable for one person and inexcusable for another. The further toward “disapproval” a character goes, the closer they get to being labeled a “villain protagonist,” another category built on subjectivity.
WRITING ANTIHEROES
It should go without saying that writing antiheroes can be tricky. Unlike the well-established boundaries for what makes a hero and what makes a villain, writing antiheroes is a bit like walking a tightrope. Making them too sympathetic reduces their complexity, but making them not sympathetic enough might alienate the audience from engaging with them.
But there are considerations to keep in mind when writing antiheroes. The first is to give them a backstory or present actions that explain how this character has become who they are. The audience needs to understand or relate to these characters on some level. Another related technique that will help engage the audience with the character is using voiceover. Hearing the thoughts and feelings of the character is a common way to build rapport.
Furthermore, it helps to give the character an internal conflict. This allows room to change or grow, but it also reminds us of our own moral quandaries. On the flip side, charisma is a great way to counteract any nastiness of the antihero. Likewise, the piece's tone is also a way to soften the harshness of these characters and their actions. And finally, if the character’s actions and behaviors are tied to the overall theme, it helps the audience understand their purpose.
The complexity and ambiguity of the antihero are perhaps what makes them such compelling characters. Hopefully, with these examples and techniques, you can navigate these morally ambiguous characters just as effectively.
#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking
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♬ SONGS USED:
“Confusion (Pump Panel Remix)” by New Order
“A New Morning” by Portal
“Dojo Tradition by In This World
“Revenge of the Sith” by John Williams
“Quantum ii“ by Makeup and Vanity Set
“Whistle Stop” by Roger Miller
“Kyrie” by Bruno Coulais
“Courtroom” by BT
“Breaking Bad Main Theme” by Dave Porter
“Kits” by John Murphy
“Tonight The Comedian Died” by Tyler Bates
“Everlasting” by Lustmord
“Taxi Driver (Main Title)” by Bernard Harrmann
“Tech Talk” by Audionautix
“Fairytale” by Harry Greyson-Williams, John Powell
“Trainspotting” by Primal Scream
“Flower of Carnage” by Meiko Kaji
“The King” Robin Carolan & Sebastian Gainsoboroh
“Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3
“Kong On Broadway” by James Newton Howard
“Corporate World” by The Dust Brothers
“What Is Fight Club?” by The Dust Brothers
“Surrey With The Fringe On The Top” by Ahmad Jamal Trio
“Meth Lab Zoso Sticker” by 7Horse
“Cast Your Fate To The World” by Allen Toussaint
“Imagination” by Falls
“Last But Not Least” by Chelsea McGoug
“Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” by BJ Thomas
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Music by Artgrid ► utm.io/umJy
Music by Soundstripe ► bit.ly/2IXwomF
Music by MusicBed ► bit.ly/2Fnz9Zq
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Todos los comentarios (21)
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Where is the posh British guy? :( Miss him
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I honestly believe that the Anti-hero is literally most of us human beings in general. The way life is actually so complicated and layered it's hard to judge someone being morally right or wrong from one point of view. People need to realize that life has too many grey areas and not as simple as choosing a stance in an AVENGER Vs THANOS style.
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My defintion of anti-hero is someone who does immoral things for moral reasons. Such as the Punisher massacring mafias or Magneto using violence to defend an oppressed race. And the reason I think we find them so compelling is because they serve as a kind of wish fulfillment for people who wish they could act in those ways but cannot.
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the amount of effort you guys put into your videos- i love it. as a young aspiring filmmaker who doesnt know much about the art, this is like my safe space. thanks, studio binder.
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BoJack Horseman is one of the best examples of an anti-hero in my opinion. He’s well written, even though he’s a terrible person. What can be the problem, especially with shows like Velma, is that when the show presents these characters as heroes. People to look up to, and inspire to be. Velma and BoJack both aren’t good people at all, but are handled differently in each series. Velma presents our main title character as a hero who thinks she is better then everyone. The problem with her character is that she’s so pretentious and unlikable that you question why you follow her anyway. BoJack Horseman on the other hand does this differently. The title character may do terrible things, but you understand him like we do for a lot of these type characters. Velma judges people, laughs at romance, and gets away with it all, but BoJack has effected various people throughout his life, especially a lot of women. Unlike Velma, he gets consequences for his actions, and has some remorse for what he does. BoJack feels guilty about a lot of his actions, and he even fears himself. While we don’t approve of what he does, you understand him because of his past, making us feel sorry for each action. Another thing that makes him likable is his needs to actually become a better person, and he actually tries, but he sometimes slips out and goes back to his old self, but with his new change, he still doesn’t want to do anything what he does, even though he’s doing it.
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Great video. Nobody is perfect, but you guys certainly getting closer to perfection with each video.
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StudioBinder always makes top tier content 👍🏾
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"I'm not locked here with you, you are locked here with me!" the goosebumps
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I would love it if you guys did a video like this covering B-stories. It’s something that I struggle with while writing, and I’d love to learn more about them!
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Always in love with the narrative content. Thank you SB team!!
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What a way to start an epic video. Using the intro of blade, one of my favorite vampires movie and with an intro who gets me into music. Antiheroes. The new heroes for this society, what a great way to explain what makes them unique but also complex. Many people just sticks with the negative side but forgets to add the complexity of the dilemmas they are. Is not just doing wrong things for good sake, it is because they have a goal that has so much meaning at the end. I like to think that the cynicism they have is what makes the downfall or lift up the antihero, which path he took on his believes is what makes his fate interesting.
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Great video as always StudioBinder, I appreciate the effort that goes into these videos, keep em coming!
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I think Jaime Lannister is one of the antiheroes that goes from disapproved to approved from the audience, even why some of his actions remain the same
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Learned a lot. Thank you for the beautiful editing, soft voiceover.
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Thanks for it. Been waiting!!! ;-) Oh and for the ones asking: the song in the beginning is Confusion by New Order
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Here I got what I needed. Your notification is like blessings.
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Have literally been holding my breath waiting for this video… Some of these insights apply directly to a character I need help with.
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Antiheroes are so Badass. This is A True Masterclass. Now I understand what means to be an Antihero in a story. Thousand Thanks StudioBinder for this Inspiring video.
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Fargo the series also has a very good example of anti-heros from both end of spectrum racing towards each other.
