How to Write "COOL SIDE-SHAVE ACTION GIRL" Played by Hailee Steinfeld 

I'm usually not the biggest fan of celebrity voice actors but goddamn every penny was worth it when hiring Hailee for these roles.

Hailee Steinfeld has a Kick-Ass resume. Being in Two Marvel Franchises, playing an LOL Fighter, a Classic Western character, hanging out with an Autobot, becoming a writer in the 19th century, and sang in an Acapella group.

schnee explains why everybody should simp for Heilee Steinfeld for 19 minutes straight

Hailee Steinfeld is defintely a talented individual. i do prefer her voice acting over her acting roles like Kate Bishop in hawkeye but I sense that may be just those properties didn't use her well. she really does well showing emotion in her voice and she is a good example that normal actors can be good voice actors if they just put in the work.

dude a spiderverse video and an arcane combo?? hell yes

If I had a nickel for every animated character voiced by Hailee Steinfeld who are among my favourite characters ever, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but its weird that it happened twice.

Also they happen to be in a beautifully animated, boundary pushing 2.5D animation that comes out of nowhere and becomes a giant hit based on a preestablished super famous franchise.

Not only is this well written and explain, it's edited well and almost every shot is appropriate exactly for what is talked about even without stating it outright. And it's like that for 18 minutes? That's effort. That's strength of presence in this world.

this just made me realise how similar vi and gwen are. hailee really kills it in both roles

okay, fine, i’ll go rewatch arcane for the 40th time 😔

Thank you for dedicating this video to our queen

I really love how well written, flawed and tridimensional both these characters are. In a time where people eat up any "stoic badass" female archetype who has no real personality outside of being strong and having snark remarks, these two are so refreshing to see. They're allowed to be a lot of things at once, to be strong and vulnerable, to fuck up and do the right thing, to have layers and important relationships both in the romantic and platonic sense. They are what we should aim for when we talk about well written female characters.

Hailee Steinfeld is the gold standard for who screen/stage actors should look to when faced with a voiceover role. She just makes voice acting seem so natural and effortless. I hope that more animated movies take this into account rather than having big names to pull in audiences! All actors can lend their voices in animated movies, but voice acting certainly seems to require a wholly different approach.

The first 3 minutes is freaking hilarious

Is slightly unrelated but thought you'd enjoy it because it's one of those little details that help a lot in building the characters but observe how spider-gwen uses her webs against her father. It's constantly keeping him away, restraining, limiting but then when they have their heartfelt confession she finally brings them together with it

hailee steinfeld is one of my favourite celebrity voice actors - she's very well cast in both cases and i love how her softer voice offsets the tougher appearance of the characters she plays. i think that's exactly what she brings to these roles, adding to that careful balance both vi and gwen have between masculinity and feminity, strength and tenderness, through how her voice contrasts their outward presentation.

That intro is amazing! What a resume indeed! Somebody, please send it to Ms. Hailee because we do indeed appreciate her!

I'm currently writing a story about two brothers based on my relationship with my sister. After seeing this video, I realize I'm writing them so similar to this archetype you're explaining. (which is why I love arcane and spiderverse SO much). This was so helpful, thank you!!

Huh.. Hailee Steinfeld has found her voice acting genre. Nice

Impeccable intro! Both Gwen & Vi are two of my favorite recent animated characters so just really glad for a video on them both. It is absolutely amazing that they're both voiced by Hailee Steinfeld tho.

I knew they were similar but didn’t realise there were THIS many parallels even Powder and Miles is spot on

Hailee Steinfeld is just peak. I hope she does get to play another Oscar worthy role again.

it's really funny to me to refer to "either Gwen or Vi" as just "Heilee Steinfeld" :D Fun video

I relate to these girls so much because... I am these girls. Maybe not in the sibling dynamic, but in the emotional struggle for self worth and failing and picking myself up when the world knocks me down. And hardest of all, for picking myself up even when I knock myself down.

I'm so glad that this character type is emerging in the modern day. One of the problems with writing female characters is that history is dominated by only male characters, and writing is based on past writing. So authors and creatives have a vast swath of male archetypes to play off of and remix, but they really only have like three character types for female characters eg the madonna whore dichotomy. It's been a rough start for the past 20 years, (lots of female characters who are just gender swapped men, lots of seductresses 'but they're empowered because they can control men for power,' lots of 'and she's our token girl character who'll act as the heart of the group,' lots of girlbosses), but I feel like we're finally reaching a point where we're actually making something new that'll inspire new writers to write/remix girl characters!

No side shave, yet the character we deserve... The character that made Hailee Steinfeld. Book smart and articulate yet highly naïve. Tough and courageous yet headstrong and reckless. Stoic at times yet emotionally expressive and vulnerable at other times. Lost her father yet gained a protector in Rooster Cogburn. Ladies and gentlemen... MATTIE ROSS FROM TRUE GRIT! In all seriousness, many of the admirable traits and character arcs of Gwen and Vi were found in Hailee's fateful silver screen debut (and written in the source material from the 1968 novel). Without Mattie, there would be no onscreen appearance of Spider-Gwen nor Vi...

schnee: Should I do another Spider-Verse video or one for Arcane also schnee: Both. Both is good Thank you for your videos, schnee. I love your analysis into character arcs and development; to me character arcs make or break a story and your videos do a great job on what works and the moving pieces that make them tick. I have a lot to learn to being a writer. thank you for another lesson, sensei.

"Protective and Strong in a wrong way" is a very nice way to put it. If we are to expand a bit further and consider more mature characters like Maiev in Warcraft or Lae'zel in Baldur's Gate 3, we improve the blueprint a little. We can define these characters as fiercely protective not only to their close ones, but to the broader things like their people at large, their leaders, their cause, or even antagonizing a certain other character and making them the end goal (which also works with more evil aligned characters like Sylvanas and Minthara), with a bonus in form of existential crisis after said character is defeated. There is enough variety in setting up such character, but I see that most of them develop that 'false strength' as a reaction to a severe trauma that sometimes occurs even before the story starts. Either that, or a harsh, spartan upbringing, or even both! Then we see that false strength lead them to even bigger failures before they restart and probably right the wrongs by breaking the chains / uprising against the false cause / coming at peace with their antagonistic urges and therefore regaining a respected position in their society / developing great relationships with their allies. Long story short, go play some videogames, there's plenty of good stuff to analyze too! Now I'm thinking about similar arcs with more feminine and less side cut girlboss characters, like Jaina or Shadowheart, which also creates pretty interesting food for thought about mistakes of the past, agency and powerlesness. Oh, and voice actresses like Debi Mae West and Devora Wilde are absolutely killing it for their characters and certainly deserve more love and attention as well!

What a strong intro!!! First 2min of the vid got me so hyped. Well done

Completely off topic, but I wrote about you and your video analysis for my college essay over a year ago. They have a roughly 50% acceptance rate. Fast forward to now, I attend that university. Thank you for the time and effort you put into your videos. It is an entertainment and delight like no other. I like to tell people this channel got me accepted. Can’t wait for the next one.

I've been saying I love Vi and Gwen for the same reasons literally since I first found out Hailee voiced Vi but holy shit I never realized they were *that* alike Also schnee if you're seeing this I love your video essays so much and this one is no exception. Keep up the great work!

12:20 I actually never caught this point, but it makes so much sense now that you pointed it out! I think it’s because I play League of Legends, so when Powder used the hextech bomb and it slew her friends and alienated Vi, it wasn’t an “I never saw this coming” moment but a “so this is the catalyst”. The most surprising part for me was the first three episodes because I was already familiar with Jinx thanks to LoL, and Powder came as a huge shock.

I think what's really interesting is how both of these properties pull this "character you thought had their life figured out actually doesn't" trick for *so many characters* - on the spiderverse side there's gwen and aaron and peter and kind of hobie and miguel. for arcane they do this with vi and vander and heimerdinger and kind of silco. it's a writing trope that can get a lot of mileage

watching this honestly made me realize how much inspiration i got from these characters, i knew it was definitely similar before but i think these characters had a bigger impact on me than i thought they did

Schnee, it never occurred to me how similar Vi and Gwen’s stories are, despite watching arcane earlier this year. Also, it is funny how a significant part of the video is just (rightfully) praising Hailie Steinfeld, she does a great job as both Gwen and Vi.

00:00 🕰️ The video discusses the appeal and structure of a specific character archetype played by Hailee Steinfeld. 00:44 🏋️‍♀️ The character archetype is a strong, athletic female lead with a distinctive appearance, such as a pink side shave, who excels in combat and urban traversal. 01:28 🗡️ These characters often have a special bond with a younger character, acting as a protector and mentor figure. 01:57 👨‍👧 The archetype features tough yet emotionally vulnerable characters, comfortable with subtle gestures of affection. 02:24 💪 The character's strength, both physical and emotional, plays a crucial role in their development and overcoming challenges. 03:34 🎭 The character embodies a balance of feminine and masculine traits, protecting others while also needing protection. 04:15 🌟 The initial trajectory of the character, as seen through the eyes of a younger character, is subverted, leading to deeper character exploration. 06:09 🔄 The character's initial understanding of success and growth is challenged, leading to a more complex and meaningful journey. 07:32 🔄 The character's development involves confronting emotional challenges and embracing their true identity, not just physical strength. 08:55 👥 The character's strength is deeply connected to their relationships, emphasizing the importance of interpersonal connections in their story. 11:01 🎭 The character oscillates between projecting confidence and revealing vulnerability, creating a multi-dimensional portrayal. 12:25 🔗 The character's strength creates both triumphs and challenges, demonstrating that it's a double-edged sword. 13:07 🔄 The character's strength is driven by their goal of protecting loved ones, highlighting their dedication to relationships. 14:32 🔄 Avoid common pitfalls by giving your female character flaws, making them fail, and showcasing their emotional depth without fragility. 15:56 👥 Establish the character's strength as an integral part of their identity, reflected in their actions, relationships, and personal goals. 17:05 👥 Connect the character's strength to their relationships, ensuring that it serves a meaningful purpose in their journey.

A part of me wants schnee to make a video analyzing the importance of animating Imagine Dragons into Arcane just to see what he can deduce from it. But in all seriousness, your videos and analyses have helped RESHAPE what I write to where whenever I'm in a rut, I just re-listen one of your essays. Thank you, man. You’re the professor I never knew I needed. Take care.

It bugs me that nobody complains when James Bond or any of countless other male characters is written with a flat character arc and no weaknesses, only when female characters are written that way. This walls off a vast segment of the story space where we drop a badass into a situation and let them work and makes it male character only. And what boggles my mind is everyone just goes along with it. But anyway thanks for this analysis. It actually helps with a story I'm working on. Awesome!

really makes you think that 2 of the best written female characters ever in animation are voiced by the same person and have tons and TONS of similarities really makes ya think....

'Hope I enjoyed the video'?? SIR if this video was a dish I'd finished it clean off the plate and then ate the plate. You're the best

If you want a good protector character, read the stormlight archive by Brandon Sanderson. Absolutely incredible stuff

Haha, this was great! I love how Hailee plays both of these characters and I love them both. You did a great job of breaking down those 4 tips and exploring how Vi/Gwen avoids the pitfalls of so many female characters

It’s a great day when schnee uploads

the paralleling of miles and jinx here too was really good. its so crazy because both of them are characters that i consider my kids😭

These girls were also, in a way, the “first born” of their families in their world. They used to be the little sibling but had to step up with the strengths they had and learn more on their own. Or if they were lucky, have a mentor to give direction. (But then the mentor tragically leaves them too. Leaving them almost right back where they started, alone. 😭 and they have to find some other way forward.)

you showed just one shot of sarah connor from terminator 2 but i think she's also an excellent example of this sort of character!!! love her

the amounts of parallels you rattle off is crazy i just started laughing at some point, and picking out every scene from both films, yeah these characters ARE exactly the same huh

Another phenomenal video essay, always super enlightening! Thank you!

Ugh this is my favorite video ever! Thanks for this!

(sorry for my bad english) please do an analysis on simon pretikov, this is the character with the deepest development story in Cartoon and the most tragic history, specially now with the fionna and cake series you can see how much this character is important for the all plot and history in adventure time. his my favorite character right now when i noticed how much he sacrifice and suffer for the people he loved, is almost how all the years of making these series of adventure time was just for you cry seeing what simon represent and do in the series

i am so excited for the next season of arcane about 50% excited for the new plot, and the other 50% for a new wave of schnee arcane analysis videos :D seriously, i learn so much about story telling from your videos (and not just the arcane ones) and also, you talk with so much passion about all these details i would've never figured out myself... it's amazing good work

This is so brilliant! Thank you for explaining all those connections in a way that totally makes sense. Again, undoubtedly a 10/10 video

i love the idea of making a character's strength their flaw. i never thought about it like that but its very useful advice. also a big part of why these characters (and all the other good ones) work is that they arent afraid to be women. they dont try to make femininity a bad thing they just dont define them by a steriotype. they are more "masculine" in a lot of ways but not for the sake of saying hey look girls can do it too. they do have that natural feminine side they're just not as traditionally womanly as a lot of other characters. they feel like what real tomboys are like when you know them irl. they feel like REAL HUMAN PEOPLE

i love hailee steinfeld. all my homies love hailee steinfeld.

I’m convinced the ability to break down material like this is some sort of genius, so amazing, love your videos ♡

It is AMAZING how you're able to analyze the elements of a story in such great depth. I would love to know how you go about doing so, in what specific way you look at a story to get such a good hold of it and its characters.

Literally just listened to your MIguel video for the third time - now I see you uploaded another video. Love your videos man!

Shnee, never stop. (Unless you want to?) You gave me a passion for storytelling and analysing cinema. Thank you

"if i had a nickle for everytime hailee steinfield played a 0:03 - 1:59, i would have two nickles, which isnt a lot, but it is weird that it happned twice"

Amzazing shows! I cannot wait for your update video!

Your videos are always a pleasure to watch. Great explanation and visual aid.

another banger, keep up the great videos

Welcome to the Steinfam!! 😄

7:15 i love the symbolism of "every step you take" as Amity is taking steps towards her own better life, well done analysis and great edits! :)

this intro.. wow.

your video essays are actually one my favourite things ever like my jaw droppeddd during the breakdown of their character arcs, great analysis as always

Schnee to Arcane "were done, when I say we're done"

You are brilliant, this analysis is so spot on that it's emotionally moving all on it's own. Thank you

Both are some of my all time favorite characters!!! I love the parallel scenes in the beginning- I didn't realize how similar/shot for shot their arcs/personalities were I'm actually going crazy

YES! This is the video i needed for my character template. Im inspired, you're awesome and i absolutely love your videos! Keep it up.

Hilariously accurate title 😂 thank you for the hard work and insightful character breakdowns! This video helped give me some direction for my own flat feeling goal-less characters. Loved how a well written character type can help you learn about character writing in general!

Only a matter of time, for Hailee's characters to sing

Okay your intro comparing arcane and Spider-Verse was so good I watched it three times!

basically what its like to be the oldest sibling with gifted kid syndrom

Honey Come Quick Schnee Uploaded a New Video ❤

Hey!! havent even watched it yet cause this came out a minuter ago but i just know its going to be a good one

@schnee You are good with the essays.

I love this video, great analysis

Awesome breakdown! I really enjoyed this

After watching this, my brain can't help but think that the Gwen/Vi and Jinx/Miles dynamic works is because the dynamic is an encapsulation of "the five(six) man band" into two characters.

Love your analysis videos , so many good points

Two minutes in and this is so damn impressive Schnee - you're amazing!

the coolest part about both characters similarities is how different they actually are as people so wild

Your skill at both analysis and presentation is truly enviable. The way you approach complex, nuanced topics seems to draw out all the threads that swirl around in my head in an abstract soup -- but then you weave them into an ordered tapestry that anyone could appreciate. It's the difference between being simply *perceptive* and being *scientific*.

Thank you, schnee!!!

Been waiting for this one!

Im SO READY for this video!!!

I loved the intro, it was really funny. I like how you suggest casting Hailee Steinfeld in the eventual voice acting role for the story XD.

Killer exploration, great job. I was completely engaged the whole way through.

amazing video!

I love this video! You think you’ll do any more analysis on Miles? I really want to see you talk about him aswell!

Omg I just began watching this but I already love the intro 😂

Just realized I can apply this to a couple characters I’m writing that have a kind of Eda/Luz dynamic, but I didn’t want the mentor character to be as much of a caricature as Eda could sometimes be (since The Owl House was a comedy kids show among other things). Making the mentor character more like these Hailee Steinfeld characters can add some much needed weight to the mentor’s narrative, and I had a tragic twist in mind for the apprentice character which works well with all the stuff you comment on about Miles and Powder.

this video is so wildly well put together.

I love both of those characters 💕

You content is so great in so many ways. Thank you deeply for all of this work. Your insight is delightful to listen to, both at an emotional and intellectual layers. Thank you, Schnee. PS: great work on the editing. These 2 masterpieces really put Hailee Steinfield at another level!

I loved tha pace of the video, and the content itself of course :D

Now I wanna see a movie / series with Kai'sa as Hailee Steinfeld

Excellent video essay.

Amazing analysis as usual