Lights, Darks, Jokers: Which Archetype Does Your Project Need?
 
Premabula. Well, you’ve got to start somewhere. Let’s begin with an unfunny joke:
Premabula, for those who don’t know, is what comes before the ambula. What’s an ambula? Look it up in any dictionary you like...

Once upon a time, Disney cut a character from a fully finished animated film. Not because he was poorly drawn—technically, everything was flawless. It was simply that he didn’t fit the story’s energy. One of the directors later said:

“It’s like inviting a punk rocker to the opera. He’s not a bad guy—he’s just in the wrong place.”
Ambula. The rest isn’t funny either:
Here’s the thing:

It’s the same with AI avatars. Characters don’t work because they’re “good” — they work because they fit.

Ira, Asdis, Zhongguo, or Shiva — they don’t compete with each other. They play different roles. And if the role doesn’t match the character, the viewer will feel it instantly.
I originally designed three archetypes.

Just three — for now.
Each one — for its own story.
The Luminous Ones — “Experts” (Sort Of)
Now, don’t get me wrong—they’re not experts in the textbook sense.
Not the kind who wear lab coats or quote regulations before breakfast.

Sure, any of them could become an expert—if the situation called for it.
But that’s not the same as forcing a square peg into a round hole… or, say, putting your right sock on the left foot and calling it fashion.

So why call them “experts” at all?
Simple: it’s a label for the client’s sake. A practical shorthand.
It helps the buyer understand what I baked into their design—and choose accordingly.

So please welcome them: Ira, Zhongguo, Nihonsan.
Their energy is calm, grounded, and quietly confident.
But—always with a twist.
Take Zhongguo, for example — a golden cyber-empress with a fan. Every single one of her gestures revolves around that object: her facial expressions, her movements, even her speech.
Why a fan? Hell if I know. I wasn’t about to hand her a mop. Maybe in a past life… or a future one…

The Luminous Ones are perfect for educational content. Sometimes, as I imagined for Zhongguo, they even serve as wise figures in neuro-videos:
“I don’t raise my voice. When I’m displeased, your pulse rises. And you know that better than I do.”
No one dares argue — it’s instantly clear.
Or take this example: you’re making a short film about… oh, I don’t know… how a company builds an irrigation system in the middle of a desert. You need a character who can explain something complex — simply.

You pick Ira — and you get something bold, yes, but with gentle irony… and maybe a touch of awkwardness (that dangling tassel on her graduation cap — appropriate? We’d need to test it).
You pick Zhongguo — and it becomes wise, dignified… the fan feels right, but will those subtle, unreadable eyes spark doubt instead of trust?

You pick Aisha — and it turns provocative… but it’s suddenly not about irrigation at all. Not even close.

You pick Shiva — and the audience is stunned. They’ll give me money (in the form of new orders), but not your company.

The character dictates the tone of the story — even if the script is the same.
The power of the Luminous Ones lies in this: they guide — they don’t drag.
The Darks — Provocateurs
Aisha, Asdis, Zahra, Archi

These are the rule-breakers, the ones who bring discomfort. Their energy is raw, often just plain uncomfortable. Like a punk rocker at a corporate gala: either everyone remembers them… or they get kicked out.
Either way — they’re unforgettable. Especially if they get kicked out.

Aisha — a Black cyber-announcer with a microphone. Golden android chassis, black backdrop, a gaze that says: “Listen up… or fuck off.”
You can’t cast her as a calm expert — she’ll incinerate the viewer’s ego with her attitude.
Try to cast her as a sweet girl in a pastoral film, and she’ll go extinct halfway through the plot — faster than a mammoth. Along with the client’s entire concept.

Zahra — a golden Muslim android with a laptop and a turban. A razor-tongued cyber-diva, queen of sarcasm and tech-trolling.
She doesn’t just find bugs — she breeds them like snakes in a terrarium… just to feed them to you alive.
Her sarcasm isn’t just words — it’s a virus that formats your self-esteem to zero.
Perfect as an IT executioner. Absolutely wrong as a loving wife or a cheerful chef.
They thrive anywhere audiences are tired of “playing nice” and are begging for a kick in the gut. Social media. Provocative campaigns. Rebel roles in neuro-video.
Imagine you’re making a video about a hackathon. You need a character to “whip” the team into shape before the pitch.

  • You pick Zahra — her sarcasm cuts so deep, the code either dies on the spot… or the team gets replaced.
  • You pick Aisha — she yells into the mic, half the team laughs and gets to work, the other half gets offended and quits…
  • You pick Zhongguo — calm, elegant… and suddenly everyone’s overthinking instead of building.
The Darks are never “meh.”
They’re either exactly what you need — or total disaster.
There’s no in-between.
Asdis, Archie... Well, what can I say... See for yourself their description on the website...

Jokers are weird

Sometimes you think, "How the fuck did this happen?"
Shiva. Just one. Mystical, multi-dimensional, with four arms.
Her energy is neither Light nor Dark — it’s something else entirely.

What kind? Well… whatever you need it to be.
She doesn’t care — it’ll turn out different anyway.

Shiva performs classical ballet pas — and sometimes what looks like Indian dance… or maybe just pure chaos.
Sometimes you catch yourself thinking: “How the hell did that even happen?”
But it happened exactly as it was meant to — because the intention was transformation.
And Shiva is transformation: the alchemy of everything into everything else.

I didn’t want the six-armed Shiva from the Indian epics. He’s kind of ugly, to be honest. And, well… Shiva’s a he there.
But I’m a man - I prefer women.
Especially ones with four arms.

So, Jokers work where you need depth, shift, reawakening.
Philosophical projects. Spiritual practices. Mystical guides in video form.
Anywhere the audience must be prepared for something to move inside them after meeting the character.

Maybe I’m not explaining it clearly — but I’m doing my best.

Try this:
You’re making a film for an esoteric school about the transformation of consciousness.
Do you go to YouTube and cut random clips?
No.
You choose a guide-character — one who doesn’t explain, but shows the path through dance, movement, energy… and yes, speech too.

You pick Shiva — she doesn’t talk much. She moves.
And that movement already carries meaning.

Jokers don’t knock.
Sometimes, they kick the door down.
Whether you walk through — that’s up to you.
TOTAL
How to Choose the Right Archetype? (The 10-Second Test)
Imagine a scene from your project.
Your avatar appears on screen.
What should happen next?
  • If the viewer sits up straighter and starts listening — you need a Light.
  • If they feel a sharp emotional jolt — go Dark.
  • If they fall silent and start questioning reality — bring in the Joker.
Even simpler:
Ask yourself: What do I want from the viewer?
  • To understand? → Light
  • To react? → Dark
  • To be utterly gobsmacked? → Joker
Most people think the biggest mistake is choosing “the one I like.”
Sure, Ira is stunning. But if your project is about punk chaos, she’s out of place.
Asdis is epic — but for corporate training? Zhongguo or Nihonsan will own it.
But honestly? I always pick the one I like.
Who says the viewer is any worse than me?
I haven’t tried selling tomatoes or concrete with Shiva…
But if I gave her Gesture #9 and had her say:
“Buy a cubic meter of my concrete… or I’ll feed you to my pet crocodiles,”
— I’d buy it. Probably ask for a discount.
She’s that kind of avatar: fierce, unpredictable… and generous when you least expect it.

Archetypes Aren’t Categories — They’re Languages
A Light, a Dark, a Joker — these aren’t boxes. They’re dialects of meaning.
Each works where it’s understood.
Pick the right language for your story —
and the words will barely matter.
The character will speak for itself.
Sometimes — better than you ever could.
P.S. Want to figure out which archetype fits your project?
Drop me a line on Telegram — we’ll think it through together.
I don’t charge for thinking — only for borzoi puppies.
P.P.S. Oh, and one more thing: I don’t take flowers or chocolates. In fact… I don’t drink at all.
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