Two-Dimensonal and Three-Dimensional Characters

No matter how complex your story or how detailed the individuals who inhabit it, you can break each and every one of your characters down into one of two types: two-dimensional and three-dimensional.

Two-dimensional characters (also flat characters) rarely if ever amount to much. They usually don't have names, backgrounds, or meaningful dialogue. On occasion, they lack even a face which might allow you to distinguish them from their fellows. When a character grows more complex than this, you risk their becoming three-dimensional (not necessarily a bad thing if that is the direction that the story wishes to take, but try to avoid allowing it to happen en masse or in every tale you tell). Two-dimensional characters can be important to the story, even a driving factor in it, but they rarely if ever even ascend to the status of supporting character. We all know them by their collective names (Star Wars' stormtroopers, Star Trek's so-called Redshirts, virtually every zombie to ever shamble across the screen or the page, and so on) even if we at times fail to recognize the fact that these (often literally) faceless, mindless minions can be vital to the plot.

Star Wars' Imperial stormtroopers are perhaps the most stereotypical and instantly recognizable two-dimensional characters -- with the possible exception of Star Trek's nameless, red-shirted security legions -- in modern media.

Far less numerous than the two-dimensional character, but infinitely more important to the story, is his three-dimensional counterpart. The three-dimensional (or round) character might be the protagonist, a recurring supporting character, or even a one time only, throwaway character. He or she may appear on only one page, or one-hundred, or even be a vital part of the story from it's beginning to the end. At the end of the day this is unimportant. The three-dimensional character, no matter how small and unimportant the character may eventually prove to be, stands apart in that they are more complex and thoroughly developed than the two-dimensional character. Even the least of them may have names, distinguishing features and/or interesting backgrounds. There are reasons and motivations, good or bad, behind their actions. We may love them or hate them, but the best of them will make us feel something. Your protagonist and central antagonist will always be a three-dimensional character.

Saving the Cat:

In his award-winning book Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need, author Blake Snyder suggests that you provide your central characters with a "Save the Cat" moment early in the narrative: something that the reader or viewer can latch onto or identify with, something which will allow the audience to identify on some level with even less-than-lovable characters. One of the differences between two-dimensional and three-dimensional characters is that the best of your three-dimensional characters will have a good Save the Cat moment; two-dimensional characters rarely if ever need them.

A good Save the Cat moment may not make us see the character in a positive light, but it should make us feel something. We may not like them, but we will be able to see something recognizable in them, something identifiable. It is recommended that you provide any character, protagonist or antagonist, with such a moment. It makes your characters more interesting, and makes the reader more interested in them.

Next time: Human and Non-Human Characters