Персонаж: Искусство создания образа на экране, в книге и на сцене (Character: The Art of Role and Cast Design for Page, Stage, and Screen)

by Robert McKee, Роберт Макки

- Поможет отточить творческие приемы для создания ярких и незабываемых образов в любом произведении
- Обогатит представления о природе вымышленных персонажей
- Научит разрабатывать сложные ансамбли действующих лиц
- Расскажет, как встраивать героев в развернутую структуру текста в разных жанрах

О чем

Эта книга Роберта Макки завершает его трилогию, посвященную искусству сторителлинга. После «Истории на миллион долларов» и «Диалога» один из самых авторитетных специалистов по сценарному мастерству рассказывает, как именно следует подходить к созданию персонажа в произведении — будь то роман, пьеса или фильм.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Film, Audiobook, Crafts, Reference

514 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Robert McKee began his show business career at age nine playing the title role in a community theatre production of MARTIN THE SHOEMAKER. He continued acting as a teenager in theatre productions in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Upon receiving the Evans Scholarship, he attended the University of Michigan and earned a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature. While an undergraduate, he acted in and directed over thirty productions. McKee's creative writing professor was the noted Kenneth Rowe whose former students include Arthur Miller and Lawrence Kasdan.

After completing his B.A., McKee toured with the APA (Association of Producing Artists) Repertory Company, appearing on Broadway with such luminaries as Helen Hayes, Rosemary Harris and Will Geer. He then received the Professional Theatre Fellowship and returned to Ann Arbor, Michigan to earn his Master's Degree in Theatre Arts.

Upon graduating, McKee directed the Toledo Repertory Company, acted with the American Drama Festival, and became Artistic Director of the Aaron Deroy Theatre. From there he traveled to London to accept the position of Artist-In-Residence at the National Theatre where he studied Shakespearean production at the Old Vic. He then returned to New York and spent the next seven years as an actor/director in various Off-Broadway, repertory and stock companies.

After deciding to move his career to film, McKee attended Cinema School at the University of Michigan. While there, he directed two short films - A DAY OFF, which he also wrote, and TALK TO ME LIKE THE RAIN, adapted from a one-act play by Tennessee Williams. These two films won the Cine Eagle Award, awards at the Brussels and Grenoble Film Festivals, and various prizes at the Delta, Rochester, Chicago and Baltimore Film Festivals.

In 1979, McKee moved to Los Angeles, California where he began to write screenplays and work as a story analyst for United Artists and NBC. He sold his first screenplay, DEAD FILES, to AVCO/Embassy Films, after which he joined the WGA (Writers Guild of America). His next screenplay, HARD KNOCKS, won the National Screenwriting Contest, and since then McKee has had over eight feature film screenplays purchased or optioned, including the feature film script TROPHY for Warner Bros. In addition to his screenplays, McKee has had a number of scripts produced for such critically acclaimed dramatic television series as QUINCY, M.D. (starring Jack Klugman), COLUMBO (starring Peter Falk), SPENSER: FOR HIRE and KOJAK (starring Telly Savalas).

In 1983, McKee, a Fulbright Scholar, joined the faculty of the School of Cinema and Television at the University of Southern California (USC), where he began offering his now famous STORY SEMINAR class. A year later, McKee opened the course to the public and he now teaches the 3-day, 30-hour STORY SEMINAR to sold-out audiences around the world. From Los Angeles (where his course is only taught two times a year) to New York (two times a year) to Paris, Sydney, Toronto, Boston, San Francisco, Helsinki, Oslo, Munich, Singapore, Barcelona and 12 other film capitals around the world, more than 50,000 students have taken the course over the last 15+ years.

Through it all, McKee continues to be a project consultant to major film and television production companies, as well major software firms (Microsoft, etc.), news departments (ABC, etc.) and more. In addition, several companies such as ABC, Disney, Miramax, PBS, Nickelodeon and Paramount regularly send their entire creative and writing staffs to his lectures.

In 2000, McKee won the prestigious 1999 International Moving Image Book Award for his best-selling book STORY (Regan Books/HarperCollins). The book, currently in its 32nd printing in the U.S. and its 19th printing in the U.K., has become required reading for film and cinema schools at such top Universities as Harvard, Yale, UCLA, and USC, and was on the LOS ANGELES TIMES best-seller list for 20 weeks.

Reviews

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to both NetGalley and Twelve Books for providing me an advance copy of the third installment in Robert McKee’s ‘on the art of fiction’ series, Character, in exchange for an honest review.

Character is an eponymously titled reference work on…drum roll please…creating characters. The book is divided into four main sections that each contain one to three chapters, with the exception of part two which has ten chapters and is the primary focus of the work, namely, building characters. Every chapter is then further split into bitesize subsections. This format can be convenient for those who intend to use this book as a reference guide.

Part one offers a discussion on characters versus humans. The author posits that examining this dichotomy can train writers to become more observant, which in theory, will help them reach maximum creativity. He also debunks the character versus plot debate in this section and explores the two grand theories (i.e., intrinsic vs. extrinsic) through the lens of various cultures.

As mentioned, part two contains the meat of the work and is where the reader learns how to build unconventional characters. The author uses a plethora of examples from various mediums to demonstrate how a writer can draw on inspiration that stems from five concentric spheres: external, internal, genres, backstories, and reality/self.

Chapter five includes some great examples of the “four selves” as applied to the cast of Mad Men; which I never watched, but the break down of each character using this method was intriguing. He also conducts character studies of Odysseus and Tony Soprano in chapter nine to convey how multidimensional characters are created, as well as provides snippets of how a positive arc operates with the women from SATC. This is just a quick summary for review purposes. There are many more examples throughout the text.

Part three examines characters based on the genre of a work, their actions, and from the perspective of the intended audience. Here, readers learn about the ten plots of fortune and the six plots of character, or alternatively, the sixteen primary genres. There is a wealth of material in this section that may or may not be useful, depending on how advanced you are as a writer.

Finally, part four looks at how to map and design a work’s cast of characters in a way that will benefit the protagonist or co-protagonists. Fortunately, there are many case studies in this section to demonstrate how such character maps operate. Just beware that if you have not read or seen something yet, there will be spoilers.

In short, the idea of contradictions runs rampant throughout the text. There are dozens of examples that the author pulls from, despite claiming that this is a “what is” and not a “how to” book. There are also some bits of amusing commentary scattered in different sections, which a reader might miss if they are not paying close enough attention. For me, those little jabs made it easier to tolerate some of the hyperbolic absolutisms being preached by the author in that he may not be as sanctimonious as those statements would lead one to believe. Overall, fascinating work!

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

McKee is a masterful writer and a masterful teacher. He cuts to the heart of stories and characters, what makes them engaging and profoundly moving (and what would ruin that, too). I was prepared to give this five stars in the early stages of the book.

However, as the book progresses, McKee's nihilistic worldview starts to bleed through more and more. After sharing story examples, he can't restrain himself from adding his own commentary about how it's all random, there is no meaning, and morality is a comforting delusion.

And then, at the end, he applies all of his principles to story examples. These are brilliantly done, but he chooses some of the darkest, most vulgar stories of our time as his examples. The tamest one he chooses is Breaking Bad. The worst example that he uses I won't say because it's so graphic and disturbing that I don't feel comfortable sharing it in a public review. I will say that it's a play that is infamous for being offensive, explicit and twisted. It's not well known outside the theater community, though.

I've been to McKee's various training programs in person multiple times, so I wasn't shocked by his worldview (he managed to keep his nonstop profanity out of the book, at least). But his first two books don't slide into the same darkness that this one did. So maybe read the first 2/3 of this book and then bail. You will have gotten all the good stuff and don't have to listen to him pontificate about life in ways that reveal his own despair.

[Dominique · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll be honest with you, I don’t think this book is worth reading. If you’re interested in an overall guide to writing, I’d highly recommend picking up Story by the author instead. It covers pretty much all the same ground, but in more detail. That said, I did find the penultimate chapter, entitled “Cast Design,” and the 'Character Dimension Charts' contained therein, very useful.

[Diane Alméras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert McKee at his best

I have been a convinced McKee's fan since being part of his workshop "Story", given in Santiago (Chile) in April 2009. I later bought the book and always returned to it's lessons while working on "El Intento", and now on the following novel. The second book of the trilogy, "Dialogue", is useful, but doesn't bring much more lights than what has already been said by dozens of writers and manuals. "Character" is simply genious! It is the ultimate analysis of the fundamentals of characterization and plot building, based on a deep knowledge of human nature and good writing. A must to anyone who writes or just love stories.

[Adam Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Character by Robert McKee gives us another screenwriting bible, only this time a book dedicated to characterisation. While his other books outlined the fundamental structures of narrative, genre & story, McKee gives a complete detailed account of creating fictional characters. He separates his thoughts into four chapters, discussing the philosophical discussion of character interpretations, the building of a character; the universe the character is portraying in; and the relationships that character interacts with other characters.

This is easily the most robust book that you'll find on the philosophy and art of characters. However, like "Story", I feel that the information, as eye-opening as it is, could be organised/formatted better and sometimes described more clearly from the get-go. At the very least, all the perspectives and ways of breaking down a character could be tied into one another in a final chapter to make this stuff more directly applicable for us writers. Nevertheless, you could highlight as you read and then create your guide through all this information, as I do.

McKee's discussion of the 'inner' and 'outer character(s)' is summarised best in this quote: "A character's public and personal personae combine to form his characterisation, the outer facade of who he seems to be. His private and hidden selves generate his true character, the inner person he is in fact." And "The composite of vivid social and personal selves that make first and ongoing impressions on readers and audiences - this collection of outer-facing behaviours, mannerisms and personality traits becomes the role's characterisation." Characterisation is a significant term used to describe a character's outside world. If you don't have characterisation in character, the audience won't be interested.

McKee is the master of teaching storytelling for page, stage, or screen, and the list of works created by McKee alumni on the book's back cover makes vivid the impact he's had on writers' careers and the stories that have become beloved the world over. It's no surprise here that his breadth of knowledge and ease with the subject matter soar off the page. He draws on a stunning range of literary, philosophical, show business, and film expertise and insights on human psychology to help you understand character creation—and yourself as an author struggling through the process of creating art. You always feel McKee has your back.

[Jonne Roelofsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific book about writing characters that really inspired me to really start writing as well. A lot of good examples used as well and I recommend this to everyone who wants to dive into writing fiction as well. It also has a lot of philosophical and psychological lessons in it.

[Mimmi Kass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un imprescindible para todos los que escribimos. Mi favorito de la trilogía junto con el de "El guion". Ejemplos prácticos extraídos del cine y de la literatura que dejan las ideas claras.

[Nelson Zagalo · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Character: The Art of Role and Cast Design for Page, Stage, and Screen" (2021) é o mais recente livro de Robert McKee e o quarto livro que leio dele. Tinha demasiadas expectativas sobre o mesmo já que o tema da criação e desenho de personagens é bastante complexo. Ao contrário da discussão geral sobre o desenho de histórias ou criação de mundos, a criação de personagens assenta muito na particularização, na criação de personas completas que almejam à realidade do que somos. Nesse sentido, por mais fórmulas que se construam, a sua definição fica inteiramente dependente da capacidade de observação e expressão de quem cria. E essa é, talvez, a grande razão pela qual este livro fica bastante aquém daquilo que McKee nos habituou. McKee constrói um modelo de análise e trabalho com um conjunto alargado de categorias, que vão dos simples modelos — redondas/lisas — a grandes discussões filosóficas sobre o que significa estar vivo, numa ânsia por conseguir chegar ao âmago da definição da figura que denominamos personagem, mas fica a meio do caminho. Se por um lado nos oferece imenso sobre os fundamentos do que contribui para o desenho de uma personagem, por outro, sinto que chegados ao final não nos deu muito mais do que aquilo que já tínhamos no seu livro principal, "Story" de 1997.

Continuar a ler no blog:
https://virtual-illusion.blogspot.com...

[Luke Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is something that draws me to all of these writing craft books. They appeal to something immature inside of myself, “if I just read this book my writing will improve.” However I think I know myself enough to know that isn’t quite true. When I was much younger I tried to solve my problems through intellectualizing my way through all of my problems. Don’t have any friends? Read a book on how to talk to people. Dont have a girlfriend? Read a book on how to date (cringe). I say all this to say that a writing craft book is like catnip to my feline mind.

McKee does alright in this although I found the prose insufferable. He writes a lot about what it means for a character to have dimensions, how creating a cast plays on those dimensions in character, and how the change of plot crosses a character from one dimension to another. He is mostly successful. I think I have a deeper understanding of character now, but I don’t think it needed 300 pages for that to happen.

[Faith Enck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book by Robert McKee, but I think it could’ve been half as long. It’s a fine line between writing a book on how to write good characters and delving into literal psychological study that the reader could do themselves elsewhere. There are definitely four or five chapters in the middle of this book that have not stuck in my memory at all, as it was so much psychology. So, worth a read, but only if you have the mental stamina for it.

[Carlos Wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

相當實用的工具書。
不過舉的例子，如果看的電影、小說等什麼不夠多，印象就會很淺薄。

[Paris Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third time re-read.

[Hots Hartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but not great.

McKee does present some creative ways to design characters, from central protagonists with multiple dimensions to secondary characters and supporting cast. He defines what dimensions are and how to generate complex personalities from contradictory traits, such as

Openness/Closeness
Conscientiousness/Capriciousness
Extraversion/Introversion
Agreeableness/Argumentativeness
Rationality/Neuroticism
Pragmatic/Idealistic
Obedient/Defiant
Truthful/Deceitful
Brilliant/Blundering
Protecting/Jeopardizing
Honorable/Thieving
Cool/Raging
Loyal/Unfaithful

The book draws examples from novels like Harry Potter as well as plays like Shakespeare's Hamlet, screenplays and movies, TV series like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad.

He defines cliché as well as when to use one:

"A cliché is a once-superb idea that's been copied to death and is now done without originality. As Henry James pointed out, clichéd characters are used but never used up. Are the old miser, young spendthrift, penny pincher, gambler, drunk, and teetotaler never to appear again because they've been done before? Of course not. In the hands of an imaginative writer, a stock can be wonderfully idiosyncratic."

He describes situations where clichés may suffice, and where and how to be original, by providing a fresh view or unforeseen combination of dimensions.

"To evolve him into a complex protagonist, we need to transform his traits into dimensions. As noted above, when one trait consistently contradicts another, the tension between them fuses into a dimension. So, let's take each of his traits, imagine its opposite, and see where that leads."

He deep dives common tropes like the Collector, the Player, the Obsessive, the Businessman, as well as ways to twist them into something unique, unexpected, and interesting.

He shows how to use subtext and reader expectation to go beyond surface observations, and into more suspenseful, imagined personas, so different readers can relate in different ways.

Only problems are

1.) Too much sexual innuendo. Many of the examples talk about cheating, adultery, sex life, and killing people, which is not appropriate for middle grade or young adult literature. In fact, the author rarely discusses reaching a young audience at all. Everything seems aimed at the cynical, jaded adult.

2.) Too much fluff and theory without getting to the point. Hooking the audience, vignetting a character in a few lines, and other tactics for high-concept character go largely untouched. He assumes we can hold the reader to see the entire character, when in reality, we're not all established Pixar studios with the luxury of a patient viewer/reader.

3.) Not enough in-depth discussion of how to chart, plan, and profile a protagonist in terms of process. Everything written is prose, with a few diagrams for cast design. The book is dense, but mostly with theory and examples of existing works. I'd have appreciated more step-by-step processes and creating from scratch, rather than commenting on what already exists. We're creators, after all, not commentators!

Otherwise, a solid manual with inspiring, original examples!

[Raúl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro más de consulta que otra cosa, no llega a ser una obra académica ni tener el rigor de explorar el personaje bajo un punto de vista. Quiere examinarlo bajo una multiplicidad de aspectos, de una forma completa, y pese a las referencias bibliográficas, quizá le falte referenciar de una forma clara esa visión de puntos de vista a una evolución de la teoría crítica y psicológica de una manera más clara, así como las definiciones y citas originales. Tampoco es esto lo que quiere McKee, sino elaborar una teoría del personaje que, como tal, se queda coja en su intento de ser completa. Sin embargo, no deja de ser útil, aunque quizá lo amplio del tema dé para una extensión mayor. Momentos de mucho interés unidos a otros en el que el autor parece repetir definiciones de otra manera. Pero, sigo insistiendo, como texto de referencia, puede ser muy útil.

[Matt Falber · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overly academic and removed from the art and craft of writing. The author has credits and seemingly knows how to write but I can't imagine anyone in a writers' room ever speaking in the way this book is written. The book has so many intellectual takes on what makes a character but never practically explains why character is important or how letting a character's point of view drive your story is beneficial. The only time it gets close is when it examines the difference between plot and character in the time of Aristotle. Might there not be a more relatable way to immediately get at this topic? The book also begins by contrasting characters to humans. Not only was this a waste of time, but it misdirects from an important truth. We should be seeing characters react in human ways to the larger than life circumstances they are placed in.

[Jason Wrench · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert McKee's acclaimed book Character explores the elements of compelling character creation in screenwriting and storytelling. Originally published in 1997, the book has become an essential guide for writers in film, television, theater, and novels. The version I reviewed here thanks to NetGalley is the updated version from 2021.

At the heart of the book is McKee's in-depth analysis of the drivers of human behavior and motivation that shape personality. He delves into the complexities and contradictions of the human psyche to illustrate how multifaceted, believable characters come to life. McKee eloquently argues that a well-written character "is an original human being, larger than life yet true to life."

Although the book focuses mainly on protagonists and major characters, McKee also provides insight into crafting strong antagonists, minor characters, and ensembles. He emphasizes the importance of understanding a character's inner values, motives, and weaknesses to drive the story forward.

Character offers a thought-provoking mix of philosophical discussion, examples from classics of literature and cinema, and pragmatic advice for writers. McKee's innovative perspective transcends basic notions of good and evil to create characters full of nuance, depth and truth. The book equips writers with strategies, tools, and principles for the entire process of character creation.

More than two decades after its publication, McKee's Character remains a tour de force exploration of the the elements of effective character development and persuasive storytelling. Writers across all genres will find tremendous value in revisiting this modern classic.

Overall, McKee's books are foundational texts for anyone interested in the art of storytelling. While the books may have been intended for screenwriters, I think novelists would also gain a lot of insight into writing effective characters as well.

[Damon Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a thirty nine year old wanna be writer who spends too much time in books about writing and not enough time actually writing, or even reading good writing. Character gave me a greater sense of enjoyment for reading, for writing, and even watching TV. After reading it, I want to sit down and watch all of the long-form, classic and cult classic movies, read every novel, and binge on every series that McKee disassembles to show his readers exactly how and why people connect with characters. I'm inspired to apply his principles like a set of directions, cultivating, crafting, and getting to know pieces of myself as they become fully fleshed-out ideas. Character has a strong structure, can be read chronologically or used as reference. I listened to the audio and also downloaded the PDF for annotations and highlights. In this book I found insights that connected to other areas of interest: the human condition, psychology, moral philosophy, rhetoric and linguistics. Admittedly there were a couple case studies that lost my interest midway through, mostly because I hadn't seen the subject material and thus, didn't have a frame of reference, and also because I don't have enough of a writing portfolio to be able to recognize patterns. But it will stay on my digital shelf and in my notes as I spend a little time each day trying to write characters, first from the "inside out", and then "from the outside in" as McKee recommends, alternating between left-brain, right brain thinking and lots of research.

[Lyri Ahnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely one of the best writing books on characterization.
Robert McKee’s Character is a potent how-to manual for aspiring authors and screenwriters. It covers multiple layers of characterization including the private self (identity), the personal self (in intimate relationships), the social self (in social and institutional roles), and the hidden self (subconscious desires).
McKee covers different genres of characters and different types of character arcs. His advice:
* Get “in-character” when storycrafting and ask “If I were this character in this situation, what would I do?
* Put characters under pressure: and their “choice of actions” will reveal their “true character.”
* “The deeper the risk and pressure, the deeper and truer the choice [and character revelation].”
* Contradictions add character dimension: unresolvable internal conflict such as sacrificing your desires for your family versus sacrificing others to fulfill your personal ambitions.
* Ask: “What [story] events would carry [your character] to the limits of…her deepest being? What pressures, conflicts, choices, actions, and reactions will take her humanity to its fullest? These answers become the story you tell.”
The final chapter explores cast design. “First-circle” characters are the major characters that help or hinder the main character. “Second-circle” characters help or hinder the course of the story, but reflect less directly on the main character.
This book is a rich resource for anyone crafting fictional people.

[Gamal Hennessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have recommended Robert McKee’s books to comic book creators for years, but his latest book might be his most relevant to this artform.

Character deconstructs the distinct works of art that populate stories. McKee analyzes the process of designing characters tapping into the psychological, philosophical, and social perspectives to create complex contradictions that readers identify with on both an intellectual and emotional level. McKee takes examples from every type of narrative art from The Odyssey to Breaking Bad to Waiting for Gadot to Mission: Impossible to A Fish Called Wanda to The Avengers to illustrate his points.

Characters are important to any story, but they might be most significant to modern comics because the characters can achieve so much life outside the narrative. Most of the Western world knows who Batman is, but not from reading the comics. The character has evolved and adapted to different stories and media over the decades in part because of his internal multilayered conflicts and the cast that surrounds him to highlight those facets of his experience. McKee’s book teaches you how to build that structure for your comics.

Our characters can exist and inspire beyond the confines of their story if they capture the imagination in the manner McKee lays out. If you want to create quality characters and comics on any level, McKee’s books are an important addition to your library.

[Alan Kraskow · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the 34th book I’ve read about writing and storytelling, and it’s the first time I’ve come across a concept that I just couldn’t grasp. I’d like to think I’m intelligent enough to understand basic ideas—especially when they’re accompanied by diagrams and graphics to make them clearer. And yet, I couldn’t wrap my head around how the map of cast relations was supposed to work.

Maybe that’s on me. Maybe I wasn’t focused enough. Maybe I didn’t try hard enough. Or maybe—just maybe—it’s because 252 out of the book’s 292 pages were filled with pure fluff. Hogwash. Rambling about absolutely nothing of value. Maybe, just maybe, those 252 pages could have been better spent explaining the 40 pages at the end, which actually had something useful to say.

I’ve read Story by Robert McKee and was blown away by his thoughtful, beautiful insights on storytelling and its spiritual, artistic essence. That book added more to my understanding of character creation—despite not being specifically about it—than this book, which was supposedly dedicated to that very topic.

That’s why this book left such a bad taste in my mouth. When it comes to books about writing, nothing irritates me more than a blatant cash grab, especially from an author who’d already earned my trust. I still have Dialogue by Mr. McKee sitting on my shelf, and I hope it redeems him. But for now, I’m deeply, deeply disappointed. This book is a complete waste of money!

[Esteban Plata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert McKee once again shows his great knowledge on the subject, I learned essential things to take into account when writing a script. But unlike the Script and Dialogue, in this book, the author lets his worldview affect certain parts of the book. It seems that because he wanted to lengthen the volume of his book, sometimes he extended the examples unnecessarily and I don't see the reason to insert a chapter in a feminine form and another in a masculine one, the latter distracted me from reading, it seemed silly to me.
Nothing compared to his other books, partly it was a disappointment.

Robert McKee muestra de nuevo su gran conocimiento en el tema, aprendí cosas primordiales para tener en cuenta a la hora de escribir un guión. Pero a diferencia del guión y el diálogo en este libro el autor deja que su cosmovisión afecte en ciertas partes el libro, parece que por querer alargar el volumen de su libro en ocasiones se extendiera en ejemplos innecesariamente y no veo la razón de intercalar un capítulo de forma femenina y otro en masculina, esto último me distrajo de la lectura, me pareció una tontería.
Nada comparado con sus otros libros, en parte fue una decepción.

[Mattheum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert McKee is known for his brilliance in his understanding and teaching of the art of writing. He should not be known, however, for his expertise in psychology, because he has none. There is a saying in psychology that "nothing is more dangerous than a half-baked education." Being a professional myself, it seemed to me that he had a lot of facts and concepts memorized but no understanding, and this led his long soliloquies into the realm of cheap speculation and psychobabble. He should have stuck to his own expertise and left psychology and philosophy to the experts in those fields. His brilliance was there at times, and I still gained from reading this book, which is the only reason I rated this a 3, but the amount of garbage I had to filter through to get to the passing moments of quality is borderline disgraceful, and I am now rethinking whether I ever want to read another book written by Robert McKee.

[Eduardo Vara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Después de 'El guion' y 'El diálogo', Robert McKee añadió otro volumen a sus textos didácticos sobre la escritura narrativa: 'El personaje'. En mi opinión, el menos brillante de los tres. En parte, porque el modo en que los escritores construyen personajes es tan variada como su propia psicología como autores; y, en parte, porque, al querer abarcar el máximo de esas perspectivas, McKee se pierde en divagaciones culturales y religiosas, patina al intentar apoyarse en algunos conceptos neurocientíficos que no domina y acaba ofreciendo una interpretación demasiado personal y simplista del presunto proceso mental de grandes creadores del pasado y el presente.

Y, aun así, es un texto interesante para que los escritores reflexionen y forjen su propia opinión sobre el gran reto que supone construir personajes creíbles, evocadores y memorables.

[J.B. Mangold · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully in depth study of character creation. Robert McKee provides a thorough examination of not only generating individual characters that live and breathe in the narrative of your story, but also how to create a solar system of supporting characters with your protagonist(s) at its center. Using cinema, plays, and contemporary entertainment programs as examples, Robert McKee demonstrates how this all comes together to draw in the audience and captivate them in the tangled web of your characters' lives. A fascinating read that I plan to revisit soon as I know there is still much more I can draw from his enlightening lessons.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I enjoyed this more than McKee's book on story. It was pretty enlightening to really exam character and the many different ways it works in a story. He goes into great depth about Breaking Bad and analyzing the show and how characters work within the show. He also seems to really like Succession and Game of Thrones. That's the only thing I didn't really enjoy about the book, because I've never seen either of those shows and I think they're pretty nuanced shows in the grand scheme of things. But I know they're considered ground breaking shows, so I can't blame him for using them for examples. Otherwise, pretty good stuff.

[Becky L Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio book read by the author.
Brilliant. So much excellent information. Pretty sure I need to go through this at least 10x to just start scratching the surface. Unbelievable depth of information. I've loved his other books. Going through his live events series is totally on my bucket list. Absolutely essential reading for the writer or aspiring writer. Heck, pretty good insights for anyone in leadership or interested in human nature. Good insight to human nature in general. The best characters are the truest to life. Self knowledge is the key to creating real characters.

[Jed Herne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful guide to perhaps the most critical element of storytelling: crafting great characters. Following on from his wonderful work in 'Story' and 'Dialogue', McKee continues to be one of the most insightful writing-advice teachers that I've had the pleasure of reading. I must've taken about 300 highlights, which I'm slowly transcribing onto my index cards. Not only is there great stuff here about writing characters, but there's a lot of interesting philosophical and psychological discussions which have helped me become more self-aware in real life as well. Highly recommended.

5/5.

[Al Kratz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a year to read this but mostly because of what I was working on and not wanting craft to get in the head. This is a great addition to the McKee collection, now a trilogy with Story, Dialogue, and Character. The cornerstones to my person DIY MFA. Great stuff but also dangerous for a writers head lol. Some of it is more for criticism and if you thought this deep about it all the time you’d never get a sentence done.

[Daunte Gaiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soooo this book is very interesting in the since that it taught stuff I didn't even wanna know about writing characters. It's like I feel like I over studied the roles, Traits, purpose, and actions of characters. Idk... in a way it kind of takes away the fun of imagining how your character would react to a certain situation, because you know so much about them you don't about have to think about it. Regardless a VERY informative book.

[Leonard Makin · Rating 5 out of 5]

CHARACTER is the third book of Robert Mckee's trilogy on the craft of writing. Together with his previous books, STORY and DIALOGUE they form a bedrock of wisdom, someone described him as the Aristotle of our ages. His alumni includes 70 Academy Awards, and 100 Writers Guild of America Awards. For any writer, screen, stage, novel, he provides a wealth of insights into the art.