Inspiration from “Story” by Robert McKee
My Story
After graduating from Asbury University 12 years ago, I dreamed of one day becoming a college professor for filmmaking. I took the GRE, researched different programs across the country, spent a summer in LA interning at American Film Institute, and dreamed of the types of classes I would teach and students I would inspire.
In my research, I picked up the legendary book, “Story” by Robert McKee, and to my great shame, it has been sitting on my bookshelf, unread, ever since.
Every time I’ve moved (at least 9 times), the book has come with me. And every time, it sits on the shelf.
What is it about story that makes us hesitate?
I think one reason may be that deep down, we know that good storytelling requires us to look deeply at ourselves, and beyond ourselves. Sometimes that can be painful, or cause us to feel things we’d rather not feel. But sometimes, with the right perspective, it can be a great gift.
I’m on a journey to dive into this book, to learn more about story and art, and share it with you.
The Introduction of “Story”
"Story" by Robert McKee
Like any good introduction, McKee’s introduction sets us up to learn what McKee wants us to know about story, before diving into the mechanics and tools of storytelling.
His perspective seems to be that filmmaking is an art form, and way to influence a culture.
Published in ‘97, this seems like a far cry from where we are today with so much video content thrown together for streaming platforms, and videos made to chase the dollar, rather than make us pause to consider.
“Story is about mastering the art, not second-guessing the marketplace.”
He explains in the book that it’s not easy to predict what stories will sell, and which ones won’t. Today, it’s hard to know what viral trend will hit next, and how to ride that wave. But what if, instead of chasing trends, we thought about telling great stories?
“If you show a brilliant, original screenplay to agents, they’ll fight for the right to represent you…. yet because of Hollywood’s ravneous appetite for story, scripts are often picked before they’re ripe, forcing changes on the set.”
You’ve felt this tension too, right? The desire for quality storytelling with the demand for more and more entertaining content?
“Story is about respect, not disdain, for the audience.”
What if instead of seeing the videos we create as lead-magnets, KPIs, or making the algorithm happy, we thought of the audience as real people with desire for good storytelling? Your audience wants to connect with who you really are, and trying to contrive an image of yourself or your brand that is not authentic can come across as lacking respect. Desire to connect with your audience as who you are, to who they are, and your videos will start to come alive and get the results you’re hoping for.
“Story is about originality, not duplication.”
What makes your story original is you, and requires you to go deeper than the surface events in your life.
Anyone can tell you that they were born and grew up in a place, then studied for a while at another place, then decided to do their thing.
What if, instead, you shared about how a desire or a struggle in your life brought you to a realization about yourself, God, or the world, that caused a transformation in your life, and that’s why you’re doing what you do today?
You’ve got to get deeper to get to those original parts of your story. And those original pieces are the exact areas that will connect better with your audience.
What does this mean for me (and you)?
This post is an invitation to step out of the rat race of cheap content creation, and get back in connection with your why, your story, and your audience.
You want to have an impact on the world. You want to use your gifts to do good. You want to have meaningful connections.
Take some time and think about a few questions:
What first called you to the work you’re doing today?
What has changed since then?
What is the same?
Then share that story with someone you trust, and see what sparks from that conversation.
