Do you have to prepare yourself to play the role of an antagonist? Are you tired of playing the part of the hero? You may have noticed that in movies or comics the "good" always wins against the "bad", but the latter is always more fascinating and "cool". It's not easy to get rid of the nice guy look, but with a cursed look and wild behavior, you too can play the "bad guy" role.
Steps
Step 1. Dressing in an "evil" way
Black is traditionally recognized as the color of the wicked. Those who impersonate them tend to lurk in dark corners and spaces and often, from here, sneak past their victims. The dark colored clothes help these characters blend into the typical gloomy settings. Wearing black clothing will also visually emphasize your dark side.
Step 2. Understand the reasons behind your cruel ends
Antagonists tend to be bad because of their past and negative upbringing. There are therefore reasons to be evil, and in most comics and movies the very weaknesses of the antagonists cause their pressing need for power. Take, for example, the Harry Potter series: Lord Voldemort has heard a prophecy that he cannot survive as long as Harry Potter is alive (or at least that's what he believes). Due to this, Voldemort tries to kill Harry so that he cannot be killed himself, in an attempt to become the most powerful wizard in the world.
- Understanding why the antagonist in question (the one you are playing) is bad will help you stage his actions.
- "Sometimes I remember one way, sometimes another … if I really have to have a past, I prefer multiple choice. Ha ha ha!" - The Joker in "The Killing Joke", 1988.
Step 3. Keep some aces up your sleeve
A villain acts to destroy / kill / maim the hero in most movies and comics, and they treat the fact with ease. Villains are sharp and cultured in serious situations / conversations and often walk out with a trick before disappearing to go plan their next moves. To look intriguing and come up with tricks:
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Observe and study your opponents and anticipate their moves.
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Listen to what they say and respond with a teasing tone that suggests power and knowledge.
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Use sarcasm and cynicism in simple sentences, such as Loki does in "The Avengers": "I am Loki, from Asgard, and I am filled with glorious purpose".
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Step 4. Having a bright but dangerous mind
Most villains are extremely intelligent and manipulative; they know a great deal about weapons, gadgets, minds and / or the society they live in. The antagonists twist the truth into their own, insane lie. They take what they know, use their shrewd mind and construct a distorted view of reality - to then come to a total manipulation of it.
Let's take Khan from "Star Trek: Into Darkness" (well, from all the Star Trek series, actually). Khan reveals to Captain Kirk that the Admiral is corrupt and has used his intelligence (of the Khan himself) to build weapons. Upon discovering this to be true, Captain Kirk agrees to plot revenge against the Admiral, with Khan's complicity (and his pledge of allegiance). Once he has gained the trust of Captain Kirk, he decides to follow his own plan and comes to threaten the fate of the "Enterprise" itself
Step 5. Be elusive and lonely
The bad guys usually behave ambiguously in hopes of manipulating the gullible for power / wealth / sex, etc. Although some of them employ collaborators, they are generally very introverted and keep only the most important details of their diabolical plans to themselves. In mimicking the antagonist's ambiguity, try to:
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Stand behind and move with a stealthy attitude.
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Have minimal interaction with the entire public or with society in general.
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Generally act alone and do not rely on anyone.
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Step 6. Remember that the wicked have no friends, but they do gather followers
It is unusual, though not impossible, to find a bad character represented as a self-centered individualist doing his dirty work completely on his own (unless you want to portray him as a psychopath or a sociopath - in the manner of "Psycho" or "V for Vendetta ", but with this we would end up wandering). They often have an army of underlings or bodyguards who follow their path of wickedness and carry out the minor stages of the evil's plan:
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Ration the diabolical orders you give to your followers (if you have any), keeping secret actions and motives to accomplish your intent to destroy good.
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Make sure you show your power frequently. This will help your underlings understand that you have total control over them and the situation, and that they are not your friends.
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Step 7. Study a bad expression and pose
Most villains have an unpleasant grin perpetually on their faces and exalt it to the max with an evil expression. Traditionally, theatricality is extremely important in the art of cinematography. However, some professional directors may instruct the actors playing the antagonists not to show any expression. This is the case of "The Devil Wears Prada", where Meryl Streep elegantly gives orders using soft and monotonous tones of voice combined with expressionless but frank faces. However, in general, it is important that these show how much they actually rejoice in the beginning to the end of having the cruel situation in hand, as evidenced by the character of Jack Torrance in "The Shining", played by Jack Nicholson.
Step 8. Define a skill and use it
It is always a good thing to ensure that your character has a particularly destructive talent such as the ability to speak in puzzles, the ability to wield a sword, the ability with guns, possess nuclear technology or political power. Any ability, no matter what, can be used to his advantage when confronting their enemy.
Advice
- Don't forget to insert a truly iconic trait to effectively bring out the wickedness in a character… The wicked laugh!
- Don't copy ideas - be original.
- Make sure the characters have a place to take refuge - the villains burrow into an underground base, a tower, space or even the forest. You decide where they live. Sometimes, especially in the suspense / thriller genre, the villain acts for all to see. Most Western filmmakers have abandoned the concept of "villain's manor", while some Eastern filmmakers continue to use this concept.
- Give your villain a motivation! Many of them have distinct evil ends such as the urge to make money, lust, or rule the world. Give them a reason!
- Speak with an exaggerated tone from normal: it can be overly serious or overly comical - but it shouldn't be NORMAL! This technique works well in characterizing a formal enemy. Not every villain has to do this - sometimes you can make your villain behave in a completely normal way - especially when you plan to write a suspense / thriller movie.
- Add some makeup, paint your face or apply a thin layer of powder on your face to look scary and deadly. Don't do this if your villain doesn't have to look terrifying! Remember, some villains can act wickedly even without wearing makeup!
- Villains sometimes wear a cloak, so why not add one to your costume?
- A warning: never make your character use the same deception twice. The public gets bored if the same action is used for the umpteenth time. Make sure you equip your villain with multiple tricks to trap the hero. Remember: if the vampire is shown on screen too often, the audience loses the fear of the evil old rogue.
