Storytelling That Moves People: A Conversation with Screenwriting Coach Robert McKee cp hyol et Slike » ws ee Harvard Business Review Reprint noxo6eFirs Storytelling That Moves People Forget about PowerPoint ‘and statistics. To involve people atthe deepest level, you need stories. Hollywood's top writing consultant reveals the secrets of telling them. A Conversation with Screenwriting Coach Robert McKee rsvsion fe centre [Psst ote stot be convinced oy out compan pris or ry om pepe saaguestog ln th Saou nee nore, ines to uy (orn al Yur sec and nen toan ee Bit eee the etl mporance of perme, mst exes sug (Gomori tone ape. eo nen ty gether ef conpayspen: Powe ses, dy memos an hype mise tr the enone cmmustations Ccpuomest fea te mow ety ‘Cee ad comet efi st foun exeted wth ct {ideo ois di iy is pean so ia a atau dotosetpeees Teach of meer tw hve geen, Ft teior eter bromo eps oh 02 Harr Buss Sh bing Copin Al ah ea avistronsber Mekeehewarsbes non and mas respected serene Inglecture athishomefntosangels Mee moved Calfomtaater uy. Ing fr Bs PD. fa nema tsa the Universit ehigan He een aught at the Unversity f Sethern Calor IS Scho of Cine an elislon efor forming he own company Two ‘Ae ote lectures onthe tof soryellingwerdvide to an aucence of wees decors, poduces 2c, fndenerainment eects. eka dents have writen, d ect nd produced hundteds of hit ‘msg Foes Gump ra Broek nit The Cao Parle, Can Hons thon andthe Holy Gri Sees in ‘Stale, To Stay and Neo. Tey hase ‘won 16 Academy Aves 109 Ey ‘oad 9 Wakes Guilt Asad an 16 Dieters Gul of aera fovaede stmmy Avard winner Brian Cox por teas Make Inthe 200 fl Apt tion whieh lotta fe os een ‘wer eying f0 adapt the book The Orchid hig Meee also serves 252 pojecteansla to mand tevin production companies sich as Disney, Pres and Parmint a wel a or expontonsinciding Meet eh replayed hel ete rea als tons eet, eke belo that escties n ngageltenetsona whol newlaelt hay toss thee PowerToie sdes and Icomta el good trier intend ns besten book Sr: subtney Se tr, Sand the Prinape of Secon. ving, published in 1997 by Harpe Colin eke seuss thts 2 protund harem ned to rtp the DuterasIvg=noe mela. elect! exec baie avery pet sonal erina experience" What lonsisanetedand abide tanscit cf ttae'sconaration with HBR. sos ceo ora manage pay ‘big partofa CEO's ob sto mothate ‘prope toreatheeraingslsTodothat, heer she must engage thei emetons, ad the hey to tele hea Is try ‘Thee are two waystoperade people. “Te fist sb wing conventional het ove which what most executes re Tene in yan fntectal proces, inte usnes rl weal eon fltsota PowerPoint de preentition fnvtih yous Here Gourcompany’s Daze challenge, and hee Isat te ea to d to prosper” An yo bul your es by ing ais and facts nd utes fom authors Bu there ‘re to prdles wth metric Fist, the poope youre talking fe hit ‘msetof authors arse. ard ex parle While youre ting to er Sade hem they ae aigulg with ou feta bends secon, sou dosuceed Inpersadng tem, ou dones000ly ‘nan let ats Thasnot got enough beens pooper nat nied toxcty eon aloe. “Tne the way persue people and ultiately 2 RUE ox owe ‘ ‘eay-Lsby uingan idea with aneme- ton-Thebewnaytodotbatisy tng compel sory. Ina sy you net nly weave alot of infomation Into {heteing but you as arse youre tenes emlons and ene. Fess Ingvith stor shad fining patson can sit ven and make st {aks eto bt eee to eign anargument using conventional etre Bute demas vv sight and sorjeling sto preseatan es ‘at parks enbush emotional pesto bememocble you eanharsesinog fs andthe pieporersweltalt stoythenyou gat peope rigor fee amid thunderous appaue stat ‘of amin an ienoring yo. sawhatieanan? verily ory expres How and soy te changes begs nt tl owen fe eltiely in = ne: You come to work dy fer dy, eok afer nest, and erenting ie ‘ou eapect lg 0 that way. Buk thentheresanevent-insceening, throws cut blaceYougstanenr Johocthe bos dies of steseatacor Hg castomer heats ae The ary ges en to desere how inane featanenoreblanes he pags subjective executions crash Ioan uncooperative bce ely. A goo ‘sovalr dasbes whales ihetdeat with these opposing fore, cng on ‘he protagontoig deeper nk th seas resoures, mae diet dc Shon take acon despite stan ub imately aor the wut. Al pest onsale since the dave of Ue fre aelent rec though Shake Spear aru othe preset dy have elt hs fandarentl cotitbe- tween subjective expectation and eal reali Howwouldan eeetveleen ‘etait Storia have been implanted fn you thousands of ines ce yu mother toskeyouon berks Youve esd bed books seen movies, tended plas Whats more, human begs naturally wana workthrough store, Cogitie povhlogits dsebe how he human Irn ini step undertand ad ‘emenbermsmblerhe Bian pier ‘texperence no a sory, beginalag ‘wha patonal cesta bec, Brethenporayngth zu azlst theforerthat ack ht esr Stars are how we remember we tnd tf ‘ii and bullet pots ‘Businetpeople Nt ely have toun- ersandtheicompane'pa butthen they ust poet the fate. And bow 1 ou Imagine the fate? Asa 80) ole ftice events 0 0 ant ate the lie of Your company oF your bvmperealli S,abasnespetson Uingerand thats ron rind aural want to me experece in 1 ary the ey evi eee [snot to resi hsp Dt to en brace by telinga good try. Youemphataly do net wan totes beginlagtoend tale deserting how sts meet enpetens THs bo Ingand banal Instead, you wants ‘iy the strug between expectation Sedvaaiy ial ts asin. Fecexampeesimapinethe ory abioech startup welll Chemo, ‘whose CEO has to parsiade Sore Wal Sirestbankessoinvestinth company. He oul tel tem that Chemeary at Sisosted a cham mpound tat Droentshestatacksandofeypalot ft sds showing them te sz the ‘het he busine pln the orgie ioral char and 3010. The Bankers ‘would nod pllly and stfe yawns ‘ne enn fa te other compas nies beter pooned ie Chemenps rake, ‘Alternatively. the CEO could tum is pitehintoa oy begining ithe fre cloe thim= sy, ather~who Ses ofa near atch. So natu elt Isthe ist antagonist the CEOas rotaonit mist overame. The sary ‘ght uno The ths: ni ee fess that there had ees tome chemical eto of heart ses hs fathers death couls have been preStoryaing hat Moves Feopie «BH vented. His company discovers a ro- theory of our trees against re tein thats present inthe blood just be- antagonists, your audience sees you fexcheartataksanddewlopsaneasy as an exling, dame peso. And twadmninnerowror tes, hot thatthe toryeling method ‘ulnowltacesanew aniagtsihe wes, becuse afte | onulted wth FDA. The approval proces is fraught a duen corporations whore prizcss wih and anaes The FDA toms tolexclg terest Wal Sree. they ov the fit applet, bt nave llgothelr mane. search eval thatthe le perform ‘ven beter than anyone ha expested, Whats wrong paning 2 pose sotheageney appoiesasecond apt pee? ‘ation Mean Chameorp Isrun- ft does rng tus You can snd oat ‘ing ut af money and sky parts: pes eles talking aout eereied Sropeou and goer tot ison lesan are but your aut mpg Not Chemcorp tra ght ene notre rever tot eas. They toxnetaih patent ac now youre nt spotless they S08" “Thisacumulationofanagonitcre- your competitor doesnt wear a Wack ateseet suspense The proapoisthas hat. They know you've slanted yout {sled the iden nthe bankers esas sateen tomake your company ook ‘atthe try might not have a happy goo, Poskve, hypothe pictures fing By now be hes them on the and ballepae pre eleses actu edges of thee seas and be says; "We work agaist you becae they foment wor therce, we got the puter, wee dtr arongibe popleyeure ing “rf you can harness imagination and the principles of @ welltold story, then you get people rising to their feet anid thuderous applause instead of yawning and ignoring you." ee eine tere a fetal ac Just thon monay ath andi thy cat believe the ype hy shouldbe poe? ‘erty ely king aut "Te eet ony of exten [that Gppentionandrmaiploen? har mes ie weet eng dees ot ‘NovAiQough bslncapeaple ar ofen cme fom the roy se Weyl ll ‘usps sss tor thaeasns your be lotusestes Et lif wl t Sugestthe fact stat starscsare reflow Tenet to ve comes fom {oteliesand darn ies, wile ceoun) pe darks. Ieore fam everyting ingersratinssh able AFT ls Aw se ‘nines Enon an WorléCar. ins these negative powers, Wee ‘When people ask ne top them fared wove ne dee mo By tara tel presentations irc sxe bepnbyastingctesionsTindots-Soackneweding his side mes ‘hears thsteompanieyandamas youmareconicig? ing dare pour out But mor compa. Ofeoure Benes youre arte nes and executes sweep the diy ¢-ape othe principles of goed stony edgier hemes Qi the undead that al fsndthe gle under the apt. The) en iad. Fars when you Gy certs pene snag ccd oiag= "Enga WIST Bg ohapes Deals Piureothewerd Btasastayteler, woonjeuknowwhaesgohetokarren ® Sou want oporkon the problems In and tees rating you en do to top {he foreground and then show how | eDeathisthe great ewe eld ‘youve overome them. When jou tall an ever hiking shadow time and nn feet les ‘between ra an then al kinds of bat things coulzhappe. Mos of us repess ts dead. We gat tid fit aft ton ether people ‘rough easy heating basi ference crushes get alsa. We acon ths lite eas thai the peur and ke w fel bee “Then we rational os ba shar andconnceousevesvee good peo ‘Be stton doth sanething They Any the exten ofthe nate wile Heicting thle ress on er nit Alon ortel employee youre areal jou bow that his Ishunan nario fac oureate Dat ths tebaror the foundton ofa ture, The imperative nature fo Tol the elon ula sual D> thet har hey 8 uta. aur you ofr cooperation a get ‘operation bck, you gt log. Bit you eter cooperation and get antag "im ack the gouge anagonia ‘sten=in spades is ssf BUS et oad te fe Ur eaves we fd tors ep usa te eet ee and ‘he srugae to sure Al eeatstres ‘inte th dah. nothing thee is such hag We ae ale ‘goed and thee ies continual acl Kenneth aysysnipingout po ‘eS obs and life sans eas unin foal Hanne Lecter yeknam ing an tng and he es eope's Iners auenesapprect the wth Tulaes of 2 sryeer wo acknow- fae he at ide of human bangs ne dest nest with antagonists nts The sory engenders a pst but ealsicenergy inthe people wb ear Dossthismaan you tavetobe Ie} nota queton of whether youte optimizer pesiiteseemstome ‘thttheclts amen binges tie-someooe who belles nothing st factale Shep isaether pe pe ofthe tortlet The skeptic ure ‘tsa the diferece betwee tent fd subtest a alas seeks Whatsrealy gsng on. The sep huns fo the tit Beneath the surface of de bnowingthat thea boughs andl ingestion or iia te _weonecousand wreprsedTheshep {es alas looking behind the ms Steet is for example, wh thet toosplereng hans an eather amzing mask, bt the haptic Kns ‘the mates only pasoa. sean ‘one woking thar Hardt eo Ere Srna Genuinely ha people make noe Sa,norythatenbrace nets produces 2 postive energy intstenes? “Avot We allo peopl a tom tne beleve The bt laces del ‘with producers and diretors~ hate ‘ametote thcarkeae tend ‘feommanizatingaepn gocorh) Tene ther actors and rev though the amtagonsmof yore inh theo (of geting the fim msde, dtibute, and sold to millons of movezers re thousand one Thay apeeitetbat the people wh work forthe othe ‘orks desta ‘ontrbte to thefal etm, ‘CEOskewse have tsar the head ‘ofthe ble orn font af the ero phone and navigate ther companies "rough the toma of bad econans aneecugheompttion yeu ek yout sudence in the yout your ely ‘ean chalngeyandsay "Wel be ae sll got trough thi bu ere ha thnk shold A ty wie enojou, “Tostpeopebebind you youcan strut soy. Te ory of General ‘Bec wonderland bat eating tooth Jack Weehscatofelesy Iyouhavea gandview of osear seeitonal tscompler eve andl bate Rin aster A eat C20 some ‘ne who has come to terms ith iso: her own moray anes res has ‘ompusin foraters Thscompasdon Irexpesotin ses “Tk the love of work fr ample ‘yrsagnnten isn gates "oor ivuranc faintest) [tor Te claimant nese wean migrant who sutra erie ead inry on a earmaker' assembly lie. He's been the fest window et ‘amblerenthsline snd toca is [nhswedk hen octet im beat sring to hae 8 anio pte fe ‘ered noni ess ‘Theman hadbee risus jure, but tha company thought he as 2 (esa. spite that herein ie credibly deated Ae wared watt etek o wore new te value ot ‘eh po mater how epetie He tok beelaitanderenintecompanyhst ad ily acused him. How wont fale would have ben the CEO of {hcearcompary trate ale how Dis managers copied the fens of thei seuston andthe evan the employe for his deieation. The oman tun, ould have bose feuded wth redubed ef fom a ‘Me employes who eae tat son Hondo soryters discover od “The ayer decree try by a oes my protagonist wantin fener balzneinbisor eri fe the Mood of soy, De Bi ‘Sroppingln but score redhat ‘shes would topthe ory tntstaks. Ne what keeping ray Frozagentst ftom achieving sox her deste? Fores thin? Doubt? Fes? Confusion? Per saat exit wn end, fy lr fr? Schl cents ring Inthe ar fous fsttatios ia Sole? Physeat onic? The ores of Motes Nate? ‘Leta sass inte al? Not encush tn ge things one? The dae sutomobie tht won tr Anta ins come from peopl ei tie, Space andevery objector any cme ‘inno of thes forces at once. Then, hom woud my prions decdetoact, Inorder to achat ie her dsr in thetaesot hese antagonist fret Is Inte ansvertoarquetonthatsian- ‘eles oer te tah of tee ca fcters, because the heat of human ng is ealed inthe coe ho ot she males under esse. ily the ‘sone leasbckttom the design of vets Be or he hs ered and “Dotbaline hi Isrts anerg: ‘enti nor asotsouprgotthe sug 1B? I thls an tones tlng tho eave ay fal” Dots being goed strate me you good lace? Not osc but f you understand ‘he pints ostorjteng ou po syne agoedundersuncingof our Selfandothunan natu nd that tls the on yur fer can each the formal principles of Rove bat ro t9 apeoomhohasnt real ed Theat of sorelng take lneigece bu Siodemandsabeexperince tat Te otedinaited indirect pine lidhoad. Crib’ trauma frst Lt = Bnd of ail seiophvenla th aes youself sinataneatly In oo ways: Fs Ws dec realtime cexprene, bt a the ste moment, our bran ecards itas sternite. Fil ost of which you wl eeate bust seas scence orate adobe: Salienowdge tharet fi eseat “aoriing. A storyteller crests al hart lm the el by aking the (question, “i ver eis naracter In thasecrumstanees, wha would 12" “The more you understand your on Ihumanty, the moze you can ape! asthe humasiyof thers la al take eostwrurev uggs woularzue ‘hat the great leaders Jin Colins de scribes ae people wth enormous le Snoaledge. They hve eight and setfespest lined by septic. (rest stoyelis~and, spect get lesdess~ te skepts who wndertand ‘hel one mass sve arte st of We andthisundertaning maketh hurt They the hur n> cs and deal wih them in» compar Sonat yet raise wny That ca nates fra wonderfallsde, aR “paced omnes