Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting

Robert McKee

Harper Collins, Nov 25, 1997 - Performing Arts - 480 pages

Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.

In Story, McKee expands on the concepts he teaches in his $450 seminars (considered a must by industry insiders), providing readers with the most comprehensive, integrated explanation of the craft of writing for the screen. No one better understands how all the elements of a screenplay fit together, and no one is better qualified to explain the "magic" of story construction and the relationship between structure and character than Robert McKee.

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - Paul_S - LibraryThing

There's a lot of shouting at young people but I have no interest in screen writing so I don't mind that much. It's all very preachy and the author is very sure of his rules despite them being so vague ...

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - JoniMFisher - LibraryThing

A screenwriter's Bible, this tome deconstructs and explains all aspects of story and storytelling. Though originally designed for screenwriters, any writer of stories in any form can learn from this book. Excellent reference book as well.

Contents

• Section 1: 3
• Section 2: 11
• Section 3: 29
• Section 4: 31
• Section 5: 57
• Section 6: 67
• Section 7: 79
• Section 8: 100
• Section 9: 110
• Section 10: 123
• Section 11: 135
• Section 12: 151
• Section 13: 181
• Section 14: 193
• Section 15: 195
• Section 16: 208
• Section 17: 233
• Section 18: 252
• Section 19: 285
• Section 20: 288
• Section 21: 303
• Section 22: 317
• Section 23: 334
• Section 24: 346
• Section 25: 374
• Section 26: 380
• Section 27: 388
• Section 28: 410
• Section 29: 418

About the author

Robert McKee teaches his 3Story Structure2 class annually to sold out auditoriums in Los Angeles, New York, London and film capitals throughout the world. A Fulbright Scholar, this award-winning film and television writer has also served as project and talent development consultant to major production companies such as Tri-Star and Golden Harvest Films. He lives in Los Angeles and Cornwall, England.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting
• Author: Robert McKee
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Harper Collins, 1997
• ISBN: 0060391685, 9780060391683
• Length: 480 pages
• Subjects: Performing Arts / Film & Video / Screenwriting