Download the remastered version of “Writing the Power Protagonists of AMC, HBO and Showtime” webinar by Daniel Calvisi here.
A great television series is always anchored by a great main character. A leading man or woman who is our compelling guide through a fascinating new world. They can be pure charisma or pure evil — love them or hate them, we can’t stop watching their exploits.
But not all leads are what are known as POWER PROTAGONISTS.
A Power Protagonist is the central character in a serialized drama that is chiefly a long-term character study of a complex individual who is in a constant struggle for status, in the shadow of a powerful institution. The world of the series is built around their arc of transformation. Their actions inevitably lead to collateral damage to loved ones and associates. In their ongoing struggle for redemption, their past sins and gaping “core wound” (i.e., Achilles Heel) constantly threaten to ruin them. They exhibit a powerful force of will and an expert skill set that allows them to battle an equally strong Nemesis. They can be selfish and contradictory, unsympathetic or heroic, but they are never boring.
For a series to become iconic, it must introduce a Power Protagonist that will tap into the zeitgeist and quickly establish its place in the cultural lexicon. The great ones of our “New Golden Age” of television are synonymous with their popular, award-winning shows — Walter White in Breaking Bad…Tony Soprano in The Sopranos…Don Draper in Mad Men…Carrie Mathison in Homeland…Jimmy McGill in Better Call Saul…Bobby Axelrod in Billions…Olivia Pope in Scandal, and more.
In today’s crowded marketplace of serialized television, there are a LOT of protagonists, but not enough with the potential to become cultural icons. For a writer to truly stand out in such a competitive, crowded field, it is crucial that they create a series with a Power Protagonist, dynamic Allies, and, of course, a delicious villain, as this webinar will also delve into the psyche of the Arch-rival Antagonist!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- The importance of creating a powerful main character and building a world around them.
- What to do if your main character is passive or just plain boring, and how to build much-needed conflict and contrast.
- The key questions you must ask yourself to construct your own Power Protagonist.
- How their writers created the most influential Power Protagonists of the “New Golden Age” of television.
- How to create the dynamic between the Power Protagonist, their chief Ally and their nemesis, the Arch-Rival Antagonist.
- BONUS #1: Exclusive Power Protagonist WORKSHEET.
- BONUS #2: Beat sheet of an award-winning, hit series pilot.
- NOTE: This is the only site that sells the REMASTERED VERSION of this webinar!
Buy “Writing the Power Protagonists of TV” webinar for $39…
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Dan Calvisi
Instructor: Daniel P. Calvisi is a Script Doctor, writing coach and the author of Story Maps: TV Drama: The Structure of the One-Hour Television Pilot, Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay, Story Maps: 12 Great Screenplays and Story Maps: The Films of Christopher Nolan. He is a former Story Analyst for major studios like Twentieth Century Fox, Miramax Films and New Line Cinema. He has coached many professional screenwriters with credits that include Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Apple TV+, Disney and more. He has been endorsed by Script Magazine and featured on The Story Series, Indie Film Hustle, Film Courage and L.A. Screenwriter. He holds a degree in Film and Television from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. He lives in Los Angeles.