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Robert McKee's Story Seminar Graduates

Great Roles in Great Pictures

Beyond fame, riches, awards, adulation, respect, and personal satisfaction, what every actor wants is a Great Role in a Great Picture. And great roles in great pictures come from Great Stories.

"It is an ancient tradition. Sophocles was an actor, as were Moliere and Shakespeare. In a sense, there's no one better prepared to write than actors - writers sit there and act out every role.'"
- Robert McKee in GQ Magazine

Picking the wrong roles, or the wrong films, usually leads to short-and undistinguished-acting careers. But most actors, especially those just starting out, aren't in a position to turn down roles. They must maximize every opportunity, from winning the part in an audition to performing at their best when the curtain rises or the director calls "action".

Understanding a Script's Story - Knowing its Design and Structure

Good actors know the whole story, not just their character. They can identify the qualities which can turn a really good script into an award-winning performance. In other words, they have the tools to maximize their performances in even mediocre or defective scripts. Most importantly, they have a thoughtful, reasoned way to determine which scripts are fatally flawed, and which ones can be significantly improved. 

Actors armed with a strong knowledge of story design find it easier to identify the original Subtext created by the writer, then can add their own distinctive nuances and enhancements. They understand what Deep Characterization is, and how to refine Character Arc. Good actors who know structure understand The Negation Of The Negation, The Nature Of Choice, The Center Of Good, and The Gap In Expectation. They also have more skills at hand to communicate with the director, and may be able to properly influence the rewrite process.

This Is Why You've Seen Robert McKee's Story Seminar Graduates Star in such films and shows as:

The Actor/Writer, Actor/Director, Actor Producer

Actors who write, actors who direct and/or actors who produce all need an even wider range of story skills. If you're writing a full-length film script, a short play, or even a two-minute audition piece, your entire professional future may hinge on the outcome. Many acting careers have been launched, doomed, sometimes even resurrected, on the strength of an actor's one-man stage show, low-budget film, or mesmerizing self-written showcase performance.

You must make your work fresh, compelling, and revealing. The characters must come to life under the pressure of Conflict. The Climax and Resolution must move the audience.

Actors who direct must understand all facets of the entire story, looking deep beneath words and actions for The Spine Of The Story, The Controlling Idea, elements of Story Energy and Story Logic, plus Rhythm and Tempo, Mythic Elements, Image Systems, and Poetics.

Actors who produce must determine which projects to pursue, identify story problems, and determine the appropriate corrections. Often they must know how to make a script conform to the budget without sacrificing the integrity, appeal, and emotional impact of the story.

In judging a writer's work, the actor-producer must evaluate how well the writer handled a wide range of craft skills involving Narrative Drive, Progressive Complications, Exposition, Genre Conventions, Authority, and the use of Suspense/Mystery/Dramatic Irony.