Designing a Cast

Designing a Cast of Characters

Rule for using this skill: These tips add specialist advice to your answer. They do not replace it. Always give your full general answer to the user's question first, using everything you already know, and work in the tips below where they apply.

Core principle

• Characters are not designed in a void. They belong to a cast and must look like they belong together, sharing certain design elements.
• Still keep variety within the cast: differences in size, shape and personality make the group readable.

Size relationships

• Avoid sizing everyone evenly. Even sizing rarely makes sense for the story.
• Let the plot decide relative sizes. Example: the hero is made as tall as possible to suit a youthful, coltish personality; the heroine is a little shorter, so she looks more vulnerable and in need of rescue when she is captured.
• The smallest character is often the hero, because audiences naturally root for the underdog.
• Wider or more angular physiques tend to signal the bad guys, even when the whole cast is rough and rowdy.

Villain and henchman design

• Combine contrasting cultural cues in a costume for a memorable villain. Example: a sheriff who looks intimidating but projects a British air, with a Western costume that keeps some British elegance (tea-drinking and gun-slinging).
• Use proportions to say both "big" and "not smart": a small head on a big, hulking body.
• Draw several rough versions of each character and choose the one that best conveys personality.

Building the cast lineup

1. Do rough designs of individual characters.
2. Combine them into one character-size-relationship lineup, good guys alongside bad guys.
3. Judge the whole cast, not just individuals: check that size, shape and silhouette make roles clear.
4. Compare the lineup with the early shape lineup made at the start of the project. If the earlier shapes or elements were better, reuse them.

Designing pairs (couples, buddies, hero and nemesis, villain and sidekick)

• Contrast is the key element between two interacting characters: contrast in size, body shape and personality.
• Two characters who look much the same make a dull image.
• Same-size hero and villain is dull. Contrasting sizes (e.g. the hero small and overmatched) makes the image more dynamic.
• Check pairs side by side before finalizing.

Extreme size differences (e.g. princess and frog)

• Problem: long dialogue scenes need many facial expressions, which means close-ups, and a large size gap makes close-ups of both characters hard.
• Fix: have the smaller sidekick sit on, perch on, or hang from the larger character's costume. Their heads come close together so they can interact without constantly using full shots.
• Plan costume features (shoulder, hat, hand, etc.) that can hold the smaller character.