1. Robert McKee
Robert McKee is an
accomplished writer,
director, playwright and
writing instructor.
McKee looks into the
narrative design of work
and what makes the story
compelling or not.
Similar to other ideas from
theorists, Mckee proposes
that media texts follow a set of stages;
Firstly the inciting incident where some form of event occurs which starts the
story. Secondly comes the progressive complications where bad events
keep on continuing for one particular character. The situation keeps on
getting worse until the crisis is reached. It seems as if things cannot possibly
get any worse for the main characters thus reaching the climax, meaning
drastic action is needed to help salvage back any chance of peace. As a
result the action works and problem is fixed in the resolution.
http://www.storylogue.com/page/1/about-robert-mckee.html
http://www.slideshare.net/smcmediastudies/2012-narrative-theories
Christopher Vogler
Vogler also believed that media texts have a range of
different characters all going through particular stages within
a story. Vogler believed that characters go through 12
separate stages;
1) Ordinary world
2) Call to adventure
3) Refusal of the
call
4) Meeting of the
mentor

2. 5) Crossing the first threshold
6) Test, aliens, enemy
7) Approach to the inmost cave
8) Supreme ordeal
9) Reward
10) The road back
11) Resurrection
12) Return with the elixir
Adding to this, he also believed that certain characters had
particular functions that are important towards the text. Firstly
the hero’s purpose is to serve and sacrifice. The mentor’s is so
guide. The threshold guardian is to test, the shape-shifter’s to
question and deceive and the shadow is to destroy.