Tips for Creating a Character for an Animated TV Series

Not many original characters that are appropriate for an animated television series are left. If you can come up with a totally unique character never before seen, you can probably build and pitch and create an entire series around him, her or it. In most circumstances, creating characters for a new series must be based on ideas that have evolved into standard conventions and expectations.

The face of an animated character can be a defining element. Conventions of facial expression and design have created an expectation of a certain type of character which you can either follow or upend. A short, squatty head atop a thick neck typically indicates brute strength and lack of intelligence, thus making it a good choice for a bully as well as an unexpected choice for a brilliant scientist. Humor is often added to an animated character through exaggeration of physical features so try out ideas related to the increase in humor that is achieved through adding a big nose, buck teeth, oversized ears, a small head atop a large body or vice versa.

The shape of the head can go a long way toward helping you to create a character who will take on a major role in an animated series. The great thing about animation is that you can elongate the head or exaggerate or just narrow it. Try that narrowing thing with John Travolta's big, wide face! The size of your animated character's head goes a long way toward helping you create the mouth. If you can manage it, try to fill your character's mouth with as many teeth as possible as this will allow you to play around with a variety of facial expressions ranging from painful grimaces to the most brilliant of grins.

Another very effective element in creating a character for an animated series is the clothing you give them. Think of Charlie Brown's zigzag shirt or Nelson Muntz's vest. A character can be quickly identified and then cemented into the viewer's consciousness simply as a result of choosing the right clothing. Since animated characters tend to wear the same thing every time we see them, this choice can be more distressing than Sophie's if you choose wrong. (By the way, is there anybody else out there who thinks Sophie was lying about her choice and that her choice was actually to save herself at any and all cost?)

Look to stereotypes from other fictions as well as reality to guide you toward the most effective clothing choices for your animated character. A chef isn't really a chef to most people unless he's wearing a chef's hat. Give it a twist by having the hat always drooping down and make a habit of the character always pushing it back up. Another way to use stereotypical clothing to your benefit in character definition is to add a piece of clothing that is out of place. A modern day cowboy wearing sneakers because he's got bad feet is a simple example; an animal rights activist wearing a Minnesota Timberwolves is a little more abstract.

Name your animated series character with great thought. Consider the potential for marketing applications and merchandising. Too many letters in the name won't look good on a shirt. A name that is hard to spell or pronounce isn't a very good choice either. Think about names like Hank Hill and George Jetson. Simple with not too many syllables.

Put together all these aspects of cartooning to create a character for your animated series that can become a quick and easy way to pitch the series idea to TV execs with limited attention spans and even more limited intellect.