Robert McKee is a renowned screenwriting teacher and his method is widely respected in the film and television industry. While his method is primarily geared towards screenwriting, it can be adapted for other forms of storytelling such as novels, plays, and even marketing campaigns.
- Story concept: Begin with a strong, original concept that will engage and captivate your audience.
- Premise: Develop a premise that encapsulates the essential conflict of your story in a single sentence.
- Character: Create complex, fully-realized characters who are motivated by their desires and fears.
- Genre: Determine the genre of your story and use the conventions of that genre to create expectations and fulfill or subvert them.
- Structure: Use the three-act structure to organize your story and create a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- Scene construction: Craft individual scenes that have clear objectives, stakes, and obstacles that advance the plot and develop the characters.
- Dialogue: Write dialogue that is specific to each character and advances the story and theme.
- Visual storytelling: Use visual storytelling techniques, such as camera angles, lighting, and composition, to create meaning and emotional impact.
- Theme: Develop a theme that is both universal and specific to your story, and use it to deepen the emotional impact of your story.
Marketing: Consider how your story will be marketed and use that to shape your writing and pitch.
Robert McKee is a highly influential and acclaimed screenwriting teacher, known for his Story seminar, which has educated thousands of writers and filmmakers worldwide. He has written several books on screenwriting, including “Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting,” which has become a classic in the field. Many successful screenwriters, directors, and producers credit McKee with helping them to develop their craft and achieve success in the industry.