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I found the Netflix show "House of Cards" to be extremely helpful in learning about complex characters. Frank Underwood is a modern day  King Lear - except his children are members of Congress. His relationship with his wife, Claire, is so dimensional it draws me in every episode. Watching the episodes daily and a second time really helps to understand and spot the complexities. It's so well written.

I have to listen three times to each video to fully understand it.

Excellent! Helpful.

Great stuff, dude...x

Like all the lessons, this one is packed.

Formula: "something that writes one [a character in this case] for you."  Abstraction is a cataract.

PS - Everyone, thanks for all the Shakespeare links below.

Fantastic beginning! Tried listening several times, however the video sticks at the same 10:17 spot - Can this be remedied, please, I want to hear all of McKee's lecture - HELP!

This is Mia from Storylogue.  Mr. McKee just recommended Harold Bloom's book: Shakespeare: Invention of the Human.

I think Lao Gong below also mentions this book.

Where else can you find this kind of intensive delving into the craft of writing and character creation in such rich detail? I have to say that It might be nice to have the comments collapsable, or hidden from view before you first watch a video. Then, if you care to join in the discussion, you may expand them. Otherwise, it can be distracting. If one prefers to start with the discussion, they may. There's something nice about viewing the lesson with a virgin mind. Any thoughts on this?

I for one find the most challenging aspect with character development is balancing the richness of a character and his or her underpinnings versus reigning in character and making sure the voice and drive are unique. Also, discovering that object of desire -- there's the rub. I look forward to the MO's.

Lastly, I took the Love Story Genre Day in the Fall and I just recently transcribed my notes for a pilot I'm working on. I must say that this lesson is rich with resources and clarity for a rather tricky genre. I am so ready for Lesson #3!

I'm all about Shakespeare, I definitely look to his work for insight into character complexities, among many other things. But by the end of the lesson, as engaging and intricate as it was, I still couldn't get that phrase out of my head...my future corpse.... =o

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Another excellent lesson on character. I have a question on Bob's Shakespeare point: I have the text of all his plays and sonnets in one volume, but have yet to accumulate a sizeable collection of audio and video versions of his plays -- and, obviously, film renditions of his plays vary widely (think of Mel Gibson's portrayal of Hamlet, for example). For those of us coming to Shakespeare late in life, does he have any tips on how to quickly experience the ouevre? I realize that Shakespeare is a lifetime study all its own, but a good beginning is the best first step.