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Writing the Antihero: Flawed Protagonists We Love to Root For
Writing the Antihero: Flawed Protagonists We Love to Root For
Taught by Brian Herskowitz
Screenwriter & Producer of over 3 dozen feature films and television shows
May 20th, 1:00 PM PDT
$49.00
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Summary

Learn from a prolific film and television writer and producer who has worked with HBO, NBC, CBS, Universal Television, FOX!

Receive script samples, antihero brainstorming tools, and a cheat sheet to build your most unforgettable flawed protagonist yet!

 

Why are some of the most unforgettable movies and TV shows centered around the antihero? What is it about characters who bend the rules—or break them entirely—that makes them so fun to root for? In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, we’ll dive into what makes flawed protagonists tick and why they resonate with global audiences. From sharp writing to powerful emotional cores, you’ll learn how to create an antihero that keeps viewers hooked.

 

It’s easy to confuse a compelling antihero with someone who’s simply unlikable—or even just a villain. Many creatives struggle to balance flaw with empathy, making their protagonists too cold, too confusing, or too weak. In this webinar, we’ll look at the common traps writers fall into, including the mistake of writing a character’s flaws without anchoring them to a deeper humanity. You’ll learn how to avoid those pitfalls and shape a protagonist who’s both watchable and unforgettable.

 

Your host, Brian Herskowitz is an accomplished writer and producer whose decades-long career spans film and television. With credits on projects for FOX, HBO, NBC, CBS, and Universal Television, Brian brings a wealth of industry insight and hands-on experience. He’s worked with talent like Jason Alexander and Michael Welch, and he’s passionate about helping writers develop the kinds of characters that stick with an audience long after the credits roll.

 

In this webinar, you’ll explore the full landscape of writing antiheroes, including how to define your character’s flaws, how to make them emotionally engaging, and how to build their moral compass in a way that resonates with your audience. Brian will walk you through what separates a good bad guy from just a bad guy, how to craft an antihero’s strengths and weaknesses, and when to lean into likability versus watchability. You’ll also learn to identify different types of antiheroes and apply brainstorming techniques to elevate your story. Whether you’re just starting or revising a draft, this session will give you real tools to bring your flawed protagonist to life.

 

PLUS! You will receive the following handouts to help you:

  • TV & Film Script Samples

  • Types of Antihero Cheat Sheet

  • Antihero Brainstorming Tools Cheat Sheet
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Praise for Brian’s previous work with Stage 32: 

 

"As a collaborator with Brian and a guest in his class, I am hugely impressed with his screenwriting knowledge. I heartily recommend him and his course."

- Jason Alexander(Seinfeld, Shallow Hal, Listen Up)

 

"The course was everything I needed and then some. An excellent course."

 

 "Mr. Herskowitz  is very knowledgeable, patient,  and superb at discerning problems and helping us solve them."

 

"A solid course in which I felt I had learned a LOT by the time it was over."

What You'll Learn

  • What Is An Antihero?

    • Antihero vs. hero

    • What are character flaws and how can you utilize them?

    • The differences between a good bad guy vs. a bad guy

 

  • Defining Your Character’s Flaws

    • Is your character really an Antihero?

    • Defining  the antihero's strengths and weaknesses

    • Making the audience care about your Antihero

 

  • Brainstorming Tools

    • Creating a well-rounded antihero

    • The flaws that  help and the ones that don’t and what to do with that information

    • Watchable versus likable – how to decide where your character lives.

 

  • Different Types Of Antihero

    • Examples from film and TV (includes handout of examples and definitions)

    • The antihero code

    • Understanding the antihero moral compass

 

Q&A With Brian

 

Who Should Attend

  • Screenwriters at any stage developing character-driven stories for film or TV

  • Writers who want to push beyond traditional protagonist archetypes

Executive

Brian Herskowitz
Brian Herskowitz
Screenwriter & Producer of over 3 dozen feature films and television shows at

Brian is a veteran film and television writer and producer who has worked on over 2 dozen films and television shows.

Some of his film credits include the feature film BUCKY AND THE SQUIRRELS, which starred Jason Alexander from SEINFELD, BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT, which starred Michael Welch from TWILIGHT, MUSICAL CHAIRS, which was directed by Susan Seidelman from SEX IN THE CITY and TIO PAPI, which was directed by Fro Rojas. As director/writer/producer, he is slated to begin production on a new film BEFORE MOONRISE.

In television, his writing credits include working with HBO, NBC, CBS, Universal Television, FOX on shows such asHERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS, DREAM ON, BLOSSOM, RENEGADE and more. He was on the producing team for the critically acclaimed TOUR OF DUTY where he was recognized by the TV academy for his contribution to the show by the Emmy winning post-production sound department. Brian co-wrote the FOX pilot MANTIC with Jason Alexander. Also, he worked as a punch-up writer on BOB PATTERSON and LISTEN UP.

As a director Brian wrote and directed the award-winning short film ODESSA OR BUST starring SEINFELD’S Jason Alexander and RUSHMORE’S Jason Schwartzman. His new short content series MURRAY GHOST which he directed, produced, wrote, and edited is currently making the rounds on the festival circuit.

He currently has a nine-episode podcast, IDENTITY THEFT, running on Spotify. This is the first offering from the THRILLING STORIES podcast series.

Testimonials

Praise for Brian’s previous work with Stage 32: 

 

"As a collaborator with Brian and a guest in his class, I am hugely impressed with his screenwriting knowledge. I heartily recommend him and his course."

- Jason Alexander(Seinfeld, Shallow Hal, Listen Up)

 

"The course was everything I needed and then some. An excellent course."

 

 "Mr. Herskowitz  is very knowledgeable, patient,  and superb at discerning problems and helping us solve them."

 

"A solid course in which I felt I had learned a LOT by the time it was over."

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