Thursday 3 October 2013

Non-Fiction Book Review - 'Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting' by Robert McKee

One of the books that helped me to prepare for my university scriptwriting course. Robert McKee isn't called a screenwriting guru by most for nothing. 

Well-written, and packed full of no-nonsense, solid substance - just like a script should contain in order to make a good film. It includes script and film examples as well, which is very useful.

It only misses a star because I've heard that many film producers look to Mr McKee - and Syd Field - in order to decide on what script is conventional and therefore marketable. They won't really want to risk greenlighting scripts that make major storytelling leaps with no clear linear structure. McKee encourages writers to know the rules in order to break them. However, in a way he made the rules; and so safe conventions in filmable stories stay.

But it is still good reading material for scriptwriters, one to come back to again if stuck for inspiration, and if in need of a good kick in the creative brain.

Final Score: 4/5

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