Event

TR!CKSTER Symposium 3

SYMPOSIUM 3:
Friday, 7/22/11, 1:00PM to 3:00 PM
INVISIBLE INK: THE UNDERSTRUCTURE OF STORY with BRIAN McDONALD
Learn the secrets of Dickens, Steinbeck and Billy Wilder in this popular class taught by award-winning writer/director/producer Brian McDonald. This workshop is to the storyteller what an anatomy class is to the illustrator. You will learn how to construct a story from the ground up by examining classic films and stories. Like a mechanic listening for the knocks in an engine, you will learn how to look for clues that tell you where your own stories are misfiring. In addition, you will learn how to listen to and interpret the critique you get regarding your stories. Most people critique subjectively, not objectively, and you will learn to know the difference. You will begin to see stories in a way that most people are unfamiliar with and you will become a better storyteller because of it.

Topics covered include: The concept of 'invisible ink'; What is story structure?; The seven steps to a better story; What is three-act structure?; The importance of the 'set-up'; How to spot the armature or central idea of a story.

PERFECT FOR: writers and storytellers of all types, in film, prose, comics, and beyond, looking to hone their writing skills through intense discussion and analysis with a top working storyteller.