| Title | Introduction |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Jens Eder(author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0283.01 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0283/chapters/10.11647/obp.0283.01 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Jens Eder; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-07-29 |
| Long abstract | This introductory chapter outlines the fundamental role of characters in films and other media, emphasising their importance in telling stories, evoking emotions, shaping identities, and creating meaning in culture and society. For various practices of artistic creation, aesthetic interpretation, or cultural criticism, characters are crucial and just as important as plots or storyworlds. When analysing characters, however, common approaches based solely on intuition or incomplete theories are not sufficient. The chapter therefore argues in favour of closing theoretical gaps by integrating findings from different disciplines. Fundamental to this is the conceptualisation of characters as fourfold phenomena: as represented beings, artefacts, symbols, and symptoms. This multidimensional perspective enables holistic analyses and a deeper and more precise understanding of characters in their sociocultural contexts. |
| Page range | pp. 1–22 |
| Print length | 22 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
Jens Eder is Professor of Dramaturgy and Aesthetics at Film University Babelsberg in Potsdam, Germany. His research focuses on the intersections of audiovisual media, narrative, and society. He has published books and articles on narrative theory, characters, emotions, political documentaries, video activism on social media, and image operations in societal conflicts. Currently he is heading the research group ‘Film as a Catalyst of Social Transformation’, which investigates the impact of engaged films.