What Is A Flat Character? Meaning & Examples In Film

The Sidekick, The Bad Guy, The Wise Old Mentor. Flat characters - the archetypes that serve specific purposes without bringing any real depth or emotional investment to the table. They're not meant to be nuanced or complex, but rather to do one thing and do it well.

What Is a Flat Character? And When is it Okay to Keep it Simple? Let's take a look at the world of characters defined by a single trait rather than any real depth.

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What is a Flat Character?

Flat characters: one dimensional figures that are pretty much defined by just one or two traits - and that's it. They start off that way and they stay that way throughout the story.

Think of them as props to help the plot along, rather than actual people. Flat characters lack that all important depth and subtlety that makes characters so compelling. They're predictable - you know exactly how someone like this is going to react to a situation.

But while they might seem like a bit of a bore at first glance - flat characters are actually kind of vital to good storytelling. See, you don't need every single character to be a fully fleshed out human being. Sometimes it's enough just to get the job done - and that's what flat characters are all about.

The term "flat" comes from the great E.M. Forster - and it's a pretty apt description. Think about it like this: a flat character is like the perfect one-trick pony. They can do one thing really well, but they're never going to surprise you with anything new or interesting.

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Flat Character Meaning

Flat characters are basically just people with one defining characteristic. They're the comic relief, the straight man or the heavy. But while all this might sound a bit dull - the thing is, well-executed flat characters can actually be really useful.

For one thing, they're predictable. And that can be a good thing. Take for example, the Stormtroopers in Star Wars.

Oh sure, they might not be the most memorable characters in the galaxy - but they do their job, and they do it well. They give us a clear sense of the Empire's might without ever getting in the way of the heroes. It's a great way to use flat characters - to make them invisible.

Examples of Flat Characters

And it's not just Star Wars that has some great examples of flat characters. C-3PO in the Star Wars franchise is another great example - he's a golden protocol droid who is always a bit of a nervous wreck. And that's it.

He's never going to win any awards for subtlety - but he's always good for a laugh.

Alfred Pennyworth in the Batman comics is another great example. He's the kind of guy who always has Batman's back - and never, ever loses his cool. And that's exactly what you want from a character like that.

It's a great example of how flat characters can be used to support the hero's story - rather than getting in the way.

Creating Flat Characters with LTX Studio

LTX Studio makes it easy to create flat characters that do exactly what you need them to do. The platform has all the tools you need to generate consistent character desings and catchphrases - so you can make your flat characters really stand out.

You can even use the AI script generator to give your characters the kind of dialogue that fits their personality. Take for example, a character who is always a bit of a wise-cracker - you can use the script generator to give them the right kind of banter in your scenes.

Conclusion

Flat characters might not be the most exciting thing in the world - but they're a vital part of any good story. By keeping things simple and focused, flat characters can provide a lot of value to your narrative - without ever getting in the way of the protagonist.