For screenwriters, directors, designers of games and interactive media, and others creating a story, Vogler, a story analyst, consultant, and author of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, joins McKenna, a stage director, acting coach, and film professor at Columbia U. and Barnard College, for this guide to the essential principles and techniques of creating stories. They discuss the tools of structure, character, and theme, reviewing the 12-stage structural model of the Hero's Journey and the character possibilities in the eight major archetypes covered in The Writer's Journey, then explain tools such as Vladimir Propp's analysis of Russian fairy tale structures, Theophrastus's book on character types, polar opposites, reciprocal action, and the want list. They also cover log line and synopsis, using six environmental facts to analyze characters and stories, creating a five-year plan, and what studios look for in a script. No index is included. Annotation 2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
