Monthly Archives: November 2013

Phil Parkers 10 Story Types and Robert McKee ‘Story’

In 1999 Phil Parker created a book called ‘THE ART AND SCIENCE OF SCREENWRITING’ and within this book he suggested that there are 10 basic story types:

1) THE ROMANCE – person is missing something or someone. There is lack and desire for that thing or person. The character struggles in overcoming all or many of the barriers between him/herself and the object of desire. The closure of unity is eventually achieved once the character unites with the object of desire. Example: When Harry Met Sally

2) THE UNRECOGNISED VIRTUE – A virtuous person enters another world and falls in love with a powerful person in that world. The person seeks love but the power gets in the way. The person tries to help the powerful person and their virtue is eventually recognized. Example: Pretty Woman

3) THE FATAL FLAW – A successful person uses opportunities for personal gain, often at the expense of others. Then, seeing the damage, the person seeks to repair it, but the quality that led to success eventually leads to failure. Example: Macbeth

4) THE DEBT THAT MUST BE REPAID – A person wants something or someone, for which there is a high price. The person accepts the price, pursues their original desire but seeks to put off paying the debt. Eventually, though, they have to pay it. Example: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

5) THE SPIDER AND THE FLY – A person wants another person to do something. Lacking the influence or power to demand it, they seek to ensnare the other person, tricking them into compliance. They are successful and a new future is faced. Example: Double Indemnity

6) THE GIFT TAKEN AWAY – A person has a gift which is lost. Seeking to regain the gift leads them into a new situation, to which the person eventually becomes reconciled. Example: Rain Man

7) THE QUEST – A person is set a task to find someone or something. The challenge is accepted and the quest is eventually won. There may or may not be a prize for the success of the quest. Example: Star Wars

8) THE RITES OF PASSAGE – A person knows they have reached a new stage in life and seeks to find what must be done to complete the transition and adapt to the new stage. They pretend that they already know, then meet a challenge that shows they do not, yet also provides the route by which they achieve the full transition. Example: Stand By Me

9) THE WANDERER – A person arrives somewhere new and finds a problem there. In facing the problem they show why they left the last place. They then seek to move on, repeating the pattern. Example: Shane and Of Mice and Men

10) THE CHARACTER WHO CANNOT BE PUT DOWN – A person demonstrates prowess in a challenge, but then faces a bigger challenge that tests that prowess. They succeed. Example: Die Hard

 

In 1998 Robert McKee wrote a book called Story and it included a list of story types, ‘a genre and sub-genre system used by screenwriters’, which includes entries based on settings as well as story structure.

– Maturation Plot – the coming of age story.

– Redemption Plot – moral change in protagonist from bad to good.

– Punitive Plot – protagonist changes from good to bad and is punished.

– Testing Plot – will power versus the temptation to surrender.

– Education Plot – protagonists view of life/self/people changes from negative to positive.

– Disillusionment Plot – protagonists worldview changes from positive to negative.