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Notes on Robert McKee's "Story"

Story was the breakthrough book for me. What every other book was trying to explain this book managed to get through my thick skull. After I read it, every other book was clear and self-evident. It was like eating the apple in the Garden of Evil. You're not innocent any more, but you know. 

Story is a book about screen-writing, not musicals, but most of what it says applies. The amount of detail it goes into can feel overwhelming, which is why I spent a month writing these notes - it was an effort to absorb what the book says. They are not a substitute for reading the book but after you've read it, these notes may help you lock in the main points. 

Because these notes are lengthy (it's a lengthy book), only the Table of Contents is included on this web page. You can download the entire Word document is here.
NOTES ON ROBERT McKEE'S STORY
Table of Contents
 
 
WHY STUDY STORY?
 
BASICS
      Terminology                                                                                                                             1    
            Values, event, structure, beat, scene, sequence, act, story, and spine
 
      The Structure Spectrum                                                                                                        2
            Archplot, miniplot, multiplot, antiplot, nonplot
 
      Controlling idea                                                                                                                       3
            Controlling idea and its contrary; relationship to event structure and to meaning
 
      Structure and Genre                                                                                                           4-5
            Genre conventions and advantages; genre as a pact with the audience
            Abridged list of genres with brief descriptions
 
 CHARACTER
      General principles for writing character                                                                           6
            Characterization versus true character; desire is key; complexity from contradiction
     
      Creating the protagonist                                                                                                   7-8
            Kinds of protagonists; what makes a good protagonist
            Protagonists compared to supporting characters; is protagonist's story worth telling?
 
      How to reveal character                                                                                                       9
            Through choices made under pressure; character and event structure; character arc;
            other ways to suggest character
           
 SCENE ESSENTIALS
      The gap: the keystone of McKee's theory                                                                        10
            Protagonist takes action expecting one result but gets something different
 
      Scene design                                                                                                                             11
            Story in miniature; objective; value at risk; action under pressure; gap;
            value change; turning points and their effects
 
      Text, subtext and scene analysis                                                                                         12
            Define conflict; identify opening and closing values; survey beats; locate turning point
 
STORY STRUCTURE
      Overview of story structure                                                                                                13
            Set-up, inciting incident, progressive complications, crisis, climax, resolution;
     
      Inciting Incident and its set-up                                                                                          14
            As related to the protagonist; as related to the audience; provide minimal set-up
 
      Complications, conflict and forces of antagonism                                                        15
            Related to story spine; conflict; forces of antagonism; complication vs. complexity
 
      Complicating progressively                                                                                            16-18
            Points of no return, alternating value charges; degrees of negativity;
            expressing progression; using coincidence
 
      Crisis, Climax, and Resolution                                                                                           19
            Crisis locked to inciting incident; crisis as dilemma; climax and turning point;
            purposes of the resolution
 
      Act design                                                                                                                                20
            At least three reversals; rhythm of events; subplots
 
      Connecting scenes together                                                                                                21
            Pacing; rhythm; tempo; preparing for the climax; transition
 
METHODS
      Setting                                                                                                                                      22
            Small knowable world; research; cure for writer's block; creative choices
 
      Writing a step outline                                                                                                          23
            Writing from inside out instead of outside in; step outline; pitch; treatment
 
      Writing character from the inside out                                                                             24
            If I were this character in these circumstances, what would I do?
 
      Exposition                                                                                                                               25
            Dramatizing exposition, spreading it out; back story; flashback; narration
 
      Dialogue and title                                                                                                                 26
            
Not conversation: compression; suspense sentences; what makes a good title
 
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FILM AND MUSICAL THEATER
      Opening out the musical                                                                                                    27
            Representational vs. presentational; fourth wall; multiplying locations
 
      Visual versus aural information                                                                                        28
            Storytelling technique in film vs. theater; images systems; dialogue
 
      Miscellaneous issues                                                                                                        29-30
            Rhythm and tempo, can characters be complex, treatments, using narration


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