Robert McKee's story seminar

Started by jtm, April 14, 2004, 05:23:03 PM

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SoNowThen

#30
March 01, 2005, 07:52:22 AM
It's worth it. At basest level he's an entertaining man. I hope you enjoy it and it sparks something for you, creative or otherwise.
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

jigzaw

#31
January 21, 2006, 12:06:57 PM
I have not been to one of his seminars, but my advice would be if you're considering it, read his book first.  The book is very dense and packed with his theories and tons of examples.  And it's only 25 bucks. 

socketlevel

#32
February 14, 2006, 12:39:04 PM
Quote from: jigzaw on January 21, 2006, 12:06:57 PM
I have not been to one of his seminars, but my advice would be if you're considering it, read his book first.  The book is very dense and packed with his theories and tons of examples.  And it's only 25 bucks. 

it's the only, and best book written for screenplay writing.  i've read a few and they all suck, except this one.  very applicable information here
the one last hit that spent you...

soixante

#33
February 16, 2006, 04:48:03 PM
I would imagine that his seminars would be packed with too much info to absorb.  Reading the book is cheaper, and you can re-read parts over and over again.

What's cool about McKee is that he emphasizes story, not marketability.  He also emphasizes digging into your own experiences and your own personality, and telling a story that only you can tell.  That doesn't mean it has to be autobiographical, just that it reflects your own world view, and that you are passionate about your point of view.

McKee even fits disparate filmmakers like Altman and Godard into his framework, which shows how open minded he is -- he's not just analyzing all the Hollywood blockbusters, he's looking at many different types of films.

Another thing he touches upon is that the same story can be told differently during different eras -- he uses Joan of Arc as an example.  The same is true with Jesus Christ -- Jesus Christ Superstar was a product of the hippie peace/love era, Passion of the Christ fits in with our current culture's fascination with torture and gore (what I would call the "Extreme Sports" version of the Gospel).  Last Temptation of Christ reflected an inward, philosophical struggle.  The 50's biblical epics were a different thing altogether.

Music is your best entertainment value.
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