Character: The Art of Role and Cast Design for Page, Stage, and Screen

“Character” by Robert McKee completes his trilogy dedicated to the art of storytelling. After “Story of a Million Dollars” and “Dialogue,” one of the most authoritative specialists in script craft explains exactly how to approach the creation of a character in a work—whether it’s a novel, a play, or a film. For the reader, it’s a detailed guide and a brilliant master class, where theory and practice are skillfully fused. Alongside drawing on the classic tradition of the past, including ancient Greek theater and poetry, the book offers numerous examples from literature, drama, and cinema of recent years. The author carefully studies the laws of character creation and development—giving them depth and volume, complexity and multidimensionality. Using examples from different genres, he shows how, within an ensemble of characters, the main characters interact with supporting and auxiliary ones. The creative process is individual, and there are no ready-made recipes. But the knowledge the author shares—his aesthetic principles—will help writers grasp the subtleties of shaping images, making them alive and unforgettable. Quotes—Fictional personalities help us understand the world and, especially valuable, understand ourselves and the people around us. — An idea that initially seems brilliant usually runs into a dead end of clichés, but over time the most valuable insights will lead to success—even if through a winding path. — The main rule: the development of story events reveals the character’s true nature, different from external traits or opposed to them. For whom is this audiobook? For writers, screenwriters, dramatists, students of literary institutes and workshops, as well as for people who are passionate about storytelling. About the author: Robert McKee is a legend in the field of story creation. Nearly 40 years ago, he began leading his famous STORY seminar, which gained popularity worldwide. Over these years, many screenwriters, novelists, dramatists, poets, film documentarians, producers, and directors have gone through McKee’s school. More than 60 of his students have received awards from the American Film Academy, 200 have been nominees, 200 are Emmy winners, 1000 people were nominated, 100 became laureates of the Writers Guild of America Award, and 50 received the Directors Guild of America Award.