"Story" by Robert McKee

stormy · Aug 8, 2007

I subscribe to Script Writing magazine. About a year ago I saw an advertisement for this book. I bought it and have read it a multitude of times (along with many others).

Anyway, I will soon be starting my journey into the world of scriptwriting and I want to know how "right on" Robert McKee is and is he as "respected" and "revered" in the world of screenwriting as is claimed?

Are there any other books that are a "must have" for everyone's collection? I also have:

"A Screenwriters Bible" - Trotter
"How NOT to write a screenplay" - Flinn

PLEASE, do not laugh at the newbie that is apparently VERY clueless.

scarletpeaches · Aug 8, 2007

It's the only screenwriting book I've ever read and I'm not even a screenwriter. It's definitely one of those 'crossover' books that many writers read, but as to how revered McKee is in the world of screenwriting, I haven't a clue as I'm a novelist.

One thing it did for me was confirm the fact I'll never write a script in my life. It's so not my thing. But interesting nonetheless.

Right. I'll scoot back to my designated forum, now. See you in Novels.

stormy · Aug 8, 2007

LOL Thank you Scarlet!

Scotland? We toured Southern Ireland last year - from Dublin to Galway. Beautiful. Scotland is next on our list (my daughter wants to go to college either in Scotland or Ireland).

krano · Aug 8, 2007

disclaimer: i've never attended his seminar.

Robert McKee doesn't have a single writing credit, yet somehow he's revered as a writing god by so many people. i don't get it. if you look at the list of notable students in his advertisement, you'll see that most of them are actors already successful before they took his class.

his presentation relies on acting and passion, gettting the audience geared up for nothing. joe eszterhas, a true professional, claims that McKee's a scam.

he relies heavily on formula.

did i say he doesn't have any credits?

krano · Aug 8, 2007

a book i suggest is "Writing the Character-Centered Script" by Andrew Horton.

and i do have the bible by Trottier as well.

stormy · Aug 8, 2007

krano said:
disclaimer: i've never attended his seminar.

Robert McKee doesn't have a single writing credit, yet somehow he's revered as a writing god by so many people. i don't get it. if you look at the list of notable students in his advertisement, you'll see that most of them are actors already successful before they took his class.

his presentation relies on acting and passion, gettting the audience geared up for nothing. joe eszterhas, a true professional, claims that McKee's a scam.

he relies heavily on formula.

did i say he doesn't have any credits?

You are hysterical!

His lack of credits is exactly why I asked if he is truly so revered as presented.

Am I to take it that we don't care much for formula? Is there a standard "formula" Hollywood loves, actors crave, and writers seldom violate?

stormy · Aug 8, 2007

krano said:
a book i suggest is "Writing the Character-Centered Script" by Andrew Horton.

and i do have the bible by Trottier as well.

I saw this in BaN just yesterday and did not pick it up. I will do so today.

Thanks.

Joe Calabrese · Aug 8, 2007

Save the Cat is good and easy to read and understand.
McKee is wayyyyy overrated.

Also the Joseph Cambell, Chris Vogler books on Myths are essential reads.

stormy · Aug 8, 2007

Joe Calabrese said:
Save the Cat is good and easy to read and understand.
McKee is wayyyyy overrated.

Also the Joseph Cambell, Chris Vogler books on Myths are essential reads.

Ohhhhhhhhh, thanks for the info - especially about the books on Myths.

That will be a great complement to my "Symbolism" dictionary.

whistlelock · Aug 8, 2007

Those books are a great starting point. They get you familiar with the terminology, the format, and how things should be in a labratory environment.

But your next step needs to be reading actual scripts. Actual produced scripts from spec's to projects.

Read 100 of them.

No, I'm not joking.

100.

AFter that, you won't have any questions about format, style, or what should look like what.

Then you get to start working on your structure.

Then you get to go back and relearn as a skill all the talents you had as a beginning writer.

stormy · Aug 8, 2007

whistlelock said:
Those books are a great starting point. They get you familiar with the terminology, the format, and how things should be in a labratory environment.

But your next step needs to be reading actual scripts. Actual produced scripts from spec's to projects.

Read 100 of them.

No, I'm not joking.

100.

AFter that, you won't have any questions about format, style, or what should look like what.

Then you get to start working on your structure.

Then you get to go back and relearn as a skill all the talents you had as a beginning writer.

Thank you for the info.

I have actually been doing just that. I try to find spec scripts and the actual shooting scripts so I can see the differences. But, spec scripts are difficult to find so I usually end up reading differing drafts if available.

I use scriptcrawler.com. If anyone knows of a better site please let me know.

UrBluffingMe · Aug 8, 2007

I think the problem most people have with McKee is that they think that because of all the praise he gets, they will buy his book and be magically transformed into a successful screenwriter. LOL @ that! This is like thinking that if Tiger Woods wrote a book on Golf, you could read it, grab a set of clubs, and join the PGA tour!

But hey, if Joe Eszterhas says he's a fraud, I guess it must be so.

By the way, MUCH of McKee's "theory" is derived from Aristotles Poetics. But hey, what did THAT guy know?

NikeeGoddess · Aug 8, 2007

they will ~~buy his book~~ TAKE HIS SEMINAR and be magically transformed into a successful screenwriter

this is what happened in Adaptation with the "untalented, non-writing" twin. it was hilarious to think this could happen so they made it so.

ANYHOO - his credits mean very little. those who cannot do, teach. and he applies the basics of storytelling (that have already long been established) to screenwriting. Find any successful screenwriter and there is no guarantee that he would know how to teach you to write better either.

movie critics don't make movies. what do they know?! but some people love to read what they have to say and guide their $10 decision making based on their opinion.

shooting scripts vs spec scripts - the difference is not significant enough to make a big deal about.

Anatomy of a Screenplay by Dan Decker is another book you should put on your list. i doubt he has any screen credits either but he does know how to map out a complex story for the screen.

nielsty · Aug 8, 2007

For scripts try: http://www.script-o-rama.com/

I can also recommend Save the cat.

zeprosnepsid · Aug 8, 2007

Site link removed per request of other site's Webmaster

*

Everything you need to know about McKee you can learn from 'Adaptation'. But I don't think there's anything wrong with what he teaches. I think it's just that he personally has become a bit of joke. But I've certainly seen his book on a lot of bookshelves around town.

Plot Device · Aug 8, 2007

To all of the above books I will add:

"The Complete Book of Scriptwriting" by J. Michael Straczynski

"How to Write A Selling Screenplay" by Christopher Keane

As for "Story," I bought it and skimmed it. It's been on my shelf for years along with almost a dozen other screenwriting books, and is the only one I've never read all the way through. It's SOOOOOOOOO long, and from what little that I did read, the tone that it's written in is kinda .......... self-important. It was a little off-putting.

::ETA::

I do NOT own (nor have I read) "Save the Cat." But I am eager to get it soon.

::ETA::

Oh, and ............ Welcome!

zagoraz · Aug 8, 2007

I read McKee's book and found it laborous at best. I've never met one industry person that "praised" him. People that write books about screenwriting are often thought of as people who failed at screenwriting. This is not always the case, and there are some good books out there. Like many others here, I highly recommend "Save The Cat." And though it's not a screenwriting book per se and more a book about struggling in Hollywood, I also recommend "The Declaration of Independent Filmmaking" by the Polish Brothers. There are a lot of great tidbits in there about the screenwriting process.

Hillgate · Aug 9, 2007

I don't like Robert McKee's book.

It's a dispassionate painting by numbers guide: the title is 'Story' but it doesn't focus on what makes a good story. It's like buying a book on writing and having to read about how much pressure you need to put on the 'r' key versus the 'y' key, then proved with a Venn diagram.

Read Trottier and Joe Esterhaz's books to get a feel for what it's really like. Trottier is especially good. Joe just plain evil. Save McKee for the winter when you're low on firewood.

stormy · Aug 9, 2007

There are two versions of "Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder. Which do I want?

http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/10...d-keywords=Save+the+Cat&Go.x=16&Go.y=14&Go=Go

nielsty · Aug 9, 2007

It's the first one I've read. The other one is more a collection of good films for inspiration as far as I can see in the description.

stormy · Aug 9, 2007

nielsty said:
It's the first one I've read. The other one is more a collection of good films for inspiration as far as I can see in the description.

Nielsty, thank you.

I just ordered Save the Cat and The Hero with 1000 faces. That should sufficiently tick off the husband and educate me as well. I will see where I am after I finish these (I also ordered Jenna's book on Freelancing).

shutterspeed · Aug 18, 2007

Reading McKee's Story is like reading a book on film theory. Why would you want to?

Seriously, he's got some good insights, but the book is so exhaustive and complex in its philosophy that it will actually TURN YOU OFF writing a screenplay--for he makes it sound as if only an engineer could construct one.

Beside all that, I remember losing respect for the book when McKee starting really venturing out on a limb. Raiders of the Lost Ark in... like... 18 acts?

Screenwriting is not rocket science. And it shouldn't be presented that way.

zeprosnepsid · Aug 18, 2007

shutterspeed said:
Reading McKee's Story is like reading a book on film theory. Why would you want to?

Whenever someone comes around and asks what screenwriting books they should read, I'm often tempted to tell them just to read film theory. (I've never read McKee's book, but) I think film theory is significantly more helpful than any how-to book. Because the how-to books tell you how-to but the film theory books tell you why. They explain what worked, how it worked, break it down. I find that significantly more helpful than just about any other books people ever mention around here. But that's just personal preference...

"Story" by Robert McKee

stormy

scarletpeaches

stormy

krano

krano

stormy

stormy

Joe Calabrese

stormy

whistlelock

Whiskey Rebel

stormy

UrBluffingMe

NikeeGoddess

nielsty

I write my own stunts

zeprosnepsid

Plot Device

A woman said to write like a man.

zagoraz

Hillgate

On location

stormy

nielsty

I write my own stunts

stormy

shutterspeed

zeprosnepsid