Well, I’ve just got back from three 9.00am-8.30pm days with curmudgeonly old Bob McKee at his Story seminar, and I’d highly recommend the experience to any writer who loves movies, even if you have no intention of ever writing screenplays.

For a start, he’s a terrific performer who’s an effing and blinding combo of John Wayne, Jack Lemmon and Rick Blaine (Casablanca). He’s an intelligent guy who speaks with great authority, and I certainly believed that what he doesn’t know about telling stories is probably not worth knowing.

I had read his Story book before doing the course, and much of what he said was in that, but I think it was worth splashing out the money to get what’s not in the book: Bob’s ranting views on the world, his humour (which is considerable) and the scene by scene analysis of Casablanca, which I enjoyed enormously. Also, there are lots of other writers there to chat to in the breaks, including the likes of Tony Parsons (to whom I didn’t feel drawn after reading his recent boastful interview in the Telegraph, but who seems to have a lot of fans).

Details of the course are here: http://www.mckeestory.com/homepage.htm. It’s worth saving up for.

Now it’s over and out from me for a while as I go away and turn my novel into something easily filmable in five acts

Happy writing,

Adele.

Hi Al,
Sounds entertaining! Don't make your novel too film-like though, I've heard agents can smell a disguised film script a mile off! Also, your narrative will (hopefully) naturally fall into that pattern!
Elspeth

Thanks for the advice Elspeth. However, having had a crash course in what Bob thinks a screenplay should be, I can say with conviction that my novel is not a screenplay. However, I think there are few things that would make my agent happier than selling the film rights. I'm sure you understand, I'm only thinking of him

Adele.


<Added>

Too many howevers! Brain still full of Casablanca!

Adele, I went on his weekend course years ago. I didn't want to write a screenplay, I was just curious about how the discipline differed from prose writing. I agree with you completely, it's worth every penny because so much of what he is saying applies across all types of narrative. Shyama

Hi Shyama, I'm glad you enjoyed it too. Perhaps we could start a Bob McKee fan club. I can just imagine his reaction: "Aw, c'mon, ladies, that's total horses*** and you know it!"

Adele.

Hi,

I was at the course too. It was an excellent few days. Well worth the money. I agree with you entirely. Bob is an excellent presenter, teacher and good fun to listen to. Well worth a look next time he is over.

Richard

Hi Richard, if only Bob knew how highly we rate him, perhaps he might stop being so grumpy! But then, of course, part of his act would be lost, and we know the difference now between true character and characterization...

Btw, did you look at his Ten Commandments in the workbook? It wasn't until the course was over that I noticed that after things you would expect like, "Thou shalt dramatize thine exposition," number Ten says, "Thou shalt not sleep with anyone with more problems than you," - curiouser and curiouser...


Adele.

Yeah, I saw that. I think Bob has been round the block a few times. His storys about his various wives and mafia 'button men', etc.
I dont know about you but his seminar has made me take a whole new look at my writing and how I go about doing it.

Richard

Richard, not only has the course made look afresh at my approach to writing, it's also changed how I watch drama and read novels. For example, last night I was watching Spooks, which I like a lot, but I found myself shouting at the screen "Guys, please, dramatize your exposition!". I met a nice lady on the course who was one of the programme's producers, I hope she'll send the writers along next time!

Adele.

LOL! Thats funny! I know what you mean. I annoyed my girl friend the other day by complaining about the poor act 3 turning point of the film we were watching.
The most annoying thing though, is that I wrote a panto a while ago and the local drama group I'm involved with is producing it but now all I can see is the undramatised exposition and its too late to rewrite it!

Richard, is it too late for you to edit your panto? I'm sure the next one will be a triumph! You know, I'm really thankful that none of my fiction had been published yet, as, looking with new eyes, the lameness of past efforts makes me cringe with embarrassment.

Btw, I just checked the credits and was surprised to see that last night's Spooks was written by Howard Brenton, who's very experienced and successful in UK terms. I guess everyone has their off days...

I also watched The O.C. on Sunday, and was mighty impressed by the quality of writing in that. But then Bob did say that the best screenwriters in the US are working in TV.

Adele.

Oh my God, I've turned into Donald Kaufman - "Bob says..., Bob says..."

Adele Kaufman,

I admire The O.C. for its quality of fit fit nubile actresses, tho I dunno about the writing!

The McKee thing sounds mad, I love all that stuff two. I'm the biggest film bore in the world if allowed to be! 3 Act Structures, major plot points et cet e rah.

I really admire the way Charlie Kaufman managed to f@#k up the traditional system though, and Adaptation is really a special work, especially the in-joke with McKee. I'll shut up before I start dribblin on about how Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is possibly the greatest screenplay ever written...

Luv, plot points n' Three Act Structures,


D. Skyflyer, Esquire.

Dav, I must defend the poor, misunderstood Bob against the charge that he tells people to write in three acts. He doesn't. However, what he does say is that three acts is the minimum "to reach the limit of human experience". Casablanca, which we took apart, is in four acts. City of Dreams will divide rather nicely into five.

I will, though, stand up against Bob in his taking a pop at David Hare's two act play Skylight. I saw it with the fabulous Michael Gambon, and enjoyed it enormously at the time. For a start, on a personal note, it made me understand why I like old movies - "You like old films because they're romantic." However, I would really like to see the play again with my new McKee goggles on.

Luv n moving the audience,

Miss Adele T

Adele - be careful. We all know the dangers of beer goggles. I hate to think the trouble you could get in with McKee ones. You'll be hyper critical of everything and everyone!

I clearly misunderstood McKee, but the 3 act thing is in alot of books I've read, and works really well so nowt wrong with it! Empire Strikes Back does it for me everytime...

Luv n' The dark second act...


Sir David of Skyflyer

xxx

Bob does a mean Darth Vader impersonation...