Robert McKee

Robert McKee

New York, New York, United States
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McKee STORY Seminars

About

Robert McKee occupies a unique crossroads in modern media storytelling, a position…

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Activity

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Experience

  • McKee STORY Seminars

    United States

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    International

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    Europe

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    New Zealand

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    Greater Los Angeles Area

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    New York, New York

Education

  • University of Michigan Graphic

    University of Michigan

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    During his University of Michigan studies, McKee won the Best Directing Award and went on to direct over 60 plays for both University of Michigan and for professional companies such as Toledo Repertory Company, Ann Arbor Civic Theater, and Aaron Deroy Theater in Detroit.

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    Attended on Full Evans Scholarship.

    Studied Shakespeare under famed teacher Kenneth Rowe.

Publications

  • STORY: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting

    Harper Collins

    - Currently in its 21st printing.
    - Still in top 1% of Amazon
    - Translated into 25 languages

    [From the Book Jacket]

    Unlike other popular approaches to screenwriting, STORY is about form, not formula. Employing examples from more than one hundred films, McKee imparts a philosophy that reaches beyond rigid rules to identify the more elusive components that distinguish quality stories from the rest of the pack.

    Beginning with basic definitions (What is a beat? A scene?…

    - Currently in its 21st printing.
    - Still in top 1% of Amazon
    - Translated into 25 languages

    [From the Book Jacket]

    Unlike other popular approaches to screenwriting, STORY is about form, not formula. Employing examples from more than one hundred films, McKee imparts a philosophy that reaches beyond rigid rules to identify the more elusive components that distinguish quality stories from the rest of the pack.

    Beginning with basic definitions (What is a beat? A scene? A scene sequence? An act climax? A film climax?), McKee not only brilliantly unravels the mysteries of standard three-act dramatic structures but also demystifies atypical structures such as two-act, seven-act, and even eight-act films, exposing the limitations of each genre; spotlighting the importance of theme, setting, and atmosphere; and highlighting the importance of character versus characterization.

    But this book goes well beyond the essential mechanics of screenwriting. From concept through final manuscript, STORY elevates writing from an intellectual exercise to an emotional one, transforming the craft of screenwriting into an art form by carefully exploring the subtler considerations at work in film, such as the nature of irony and the symbolic power of image systems. Packed with examples from such films as CASABLANCA and CHINATOWN, McKee expertly dissects classic scenes, guiding us step-by-step as only he can to reveal not only how a scene works but why it works, getting beyond the fundamentals of composition to the enduring values and conflicts that separate the classics from the cliches.

    This insightful, practical book has become the gospel for screenwriters everywhere. Hollywood studios don't buy great ideas-- they buy great stories that can capture an audience's imagination. And no one has helped more writers turn great ideas into great stories than Robert McKee.

    See publication

Projects

Honors & Awards

  • Cine Eagle Award

    Cine Eagle

    Won for his short film DAY OFF.

  • Artist in Residence

    National Theatre in London

    Studied Shakespearean production at the Old Vic.

  • Short Film Award

    Brussels Film Festival

    Won for his short film DAY OFF.

Languages

  • English

    Native or bilingual proficiency

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