McKee's "value charge" / "charge" ?!?

Randall_Oelerich

Randall_Oelerich

Veteran
Can someone please define and explain in simple terms what Robert McKee means when he speaks of the value charge, or charge in his lectures, and give a couple of examples? He uses these terms quite often, I just want to get crystal clear on what he means when he uses the terms. Thank you.
randall
 
Watch this spoof on Mckee in the Nick Cage Movie Adaptation, what a riot! :)

http://www.gointothestory.com/2009/02/interviews-robert-mckee.html

I don't have my STORY book around ( I'll have to go dig it up) but are you referring to the scene changes where the protagonist gets what he wants in one scene but then in the next scene if he wins again, his desired want, then it lessens it's (value/charge?) in the mind of the audience. Is this what you're talking about?
 
Hmm, I don't think so. McKee talks a great deal about a "value charge" at the start of a scene that then should have the opposite value charge at the end of the scene. I have his book, I will try to decipher it out of the book again; but this weekend I did a lot of driving and listened to McKee's STORY audio CDs, great way to pass the miles on the road. He keeps using those terms charge and value and value charge, the only author that I know that uses those as they relate to scene beginnings and ending.

10s said:
...I don't have my STORY book around ( I'll have to go dig it up) but are you referring to the scene changes where the protagonist gets what he wants in one scene but then in the next scene if he wins again, his desired want, then it lessens it's (value/charge?) in the mind of the audience. Is this what you're talking about?
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Values, the plus/minus charges of life, are at the soul of story. Story is shaped around values - what's worth living for, dying for, foolish, truthful...

A scene is an action through conflict in more or less continuous time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character’s life on at least one value with a degree of perceptible significance. Ideally, every scene is a story event.

Progressions build by moving dynamically between the positive and negative charges of the values at stake in the story.

Meaning produces emotion. Not money; not sex; not special effects; not movie stars; not lush photography.

Meaning: A revolution in values from positive to negative or negative to positive with or without irony—a value swing at maximum charge that’s absolute and irreversible. The meaning of that change moves the heart of the audience.
 
Randal, I've read Story and listened to the audio book several times myself. I love hearing him read book.

Anyways, Please consider this scenario and maybe it will give you a better idea of what he means by CHARGE.
Two people enter a room, both are charged, the protagonist is + charged with the desire to get information from the second person, the protagonist is expecting to get what he/she wants from this other person however, by the end of the scene you find that this protagonist did not get what he/she desired and will ultimately leave the scene with a negative charge and some sort of new desire and action that must be taken. The second person that was involved in this scene will have possibly a - charge and will end up at the end of the scene with a + charge. The only reason why we would be watching this scene is because it would be dramatic, meaning it would be conflictual in one way or another.

If a character starts a scene with the/a desire or emotion that is + and leaves the scene with the same + desire and emotion the scene does not follow the fundamental principles of story structure.

Please let me know if that helps at all.

Blake Snyder - Save the Cat, uses this as well as Lew Hunter, I'm pretty sure they all do...
 
NC17z said:
Randal, I've read Story and listened to the audio book several times myself. I love hearing him read book.

Anyways, Please consider this scenario and maybe it will give you a better idea of what he means by CHARGE.
Two people enter a room, both are charged, the protagonist is + charged with the desire to get information from the second person, the protagonist is expecting to get what he/she wants from this other person however, by the end of the scene you find that this protagonist did not get what he/she desired and will ultimately leave the scene with a negative charge and some sort of new desire and action that must be taken. The second person that was involved in this scene will have possibly a - charge and will end up at the end of the scene with a + charge. The only reason why we would be watching this scene is because it would be dramatic, meaning it would be conflictual in one way or another.

If a character starts a scene with the/a desire or emotion that is + and leaves the scene with the same + desire and emotion the scene does not follow the fundamental principles of story structure.

Please let me know if that helps at all.

Blake Snyder - Save the Cat, uses this as well as Lew Hunter, I'm pretty sure they all do...
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You & jleo said it much better and more precise than I ... it's been a while.

To me I look at this as contrast. it starts one way and ends another. Too much of one thing and it looses the Drama of it, therefor the need to mix it up. It's much like tension & release in music IMHO.
 
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It's not contrast or what you describe as pacing. It is what makes a scene a scene. Time passes and there is a linear progression that is expressed through conflict that propels the story forward.
 
Can anybody give an example or two of famous scenes from some story/film/script, and describe the + and - charges at the start of the scene and how they change to the opposite charge at the end of the scene? That would help clarify this for me.
randall
 
McKee uses an example of how you can craft a narrative that feels genuinely organic and exciting. He provides an example. The following is similar to his example:

A woman (let's call her MAGGIE) has a big job interview in Manhattan. She's trying to get dressed and can't decide what to wear. She tries several outfits on and becomes frustrated. She finally settles on an outfit and leaves. (Self Confidence charge -)

In the cab ride, the cabbie compliments her on her outfit and they make good time. (Self Confidence +)

There's a road block ahead. Maggie is going to be late unless she has to cut through central park. (Survival -)

She cuts through the park and is attacked by thugs. She manages to utilize her AWESOME KUNG FU SKILLS that she learned in 9th grade and defeats the thugs. (Survival +)

Maggie arrives at the building. Out front she sees her reflection. Her hair is now completely messed up, she's soaking wet, her mascara is running... (Career --, Self Confidence --)

She goes in anyway. She arrives at the interview. She already feels defeated, so she goes in nonchalantly. Her (future) boss asks her what happened. She tells him the story. Her future boss is mesmerized by her story and her strength. He gives her the job. (Career +++, Self Confidence +++)

---

Charges should escalate in intensity and the really 'charged' fluctuations should occur around turning points. Like in this example, the last beat may be the break into two.

McKee basically says that without your scene working in this manner, it's not a scene ("Why is it in the movie?"). There has to be some meaning illustrated through a value at stake that by the end of the scene is not in the same place as it was at the beginning.

If you watch an action film I find it very easy to find these charges, because they usually have more simpler, external conflicts. Or an episode of 24, you can really feel the value charge swings. For instance, Jack is able to apprehend the villain, but at the last second he kills himself. Jack is able to interrogate an accomplice to get key information, only to find out that there's a mole inside CTU. Jack is able to apprehend the mole and thwart his plan saving lives, ONLY TO FIND THAT THE PRESIDENT IS BEHIND THE ENTIRE PLOT... etc.
 
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An Example would be how McKee describes the "The French Toast Scene" In Kramer vs. Kramer on PAGE 215 of STORY.
I think this would be the best way to understand what Mckee is talking about as well as what Chance is describing as how it pertains to Story, Script and Scene Structure.
 
NC17z said:
An Example would be how McKee describes the "The French Toast Scene" In Kramer vs. Kramer on PAGE 215 of STORY.
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I seem to remember this scene as being from "Ordinary People".

I could be wrong...


: )

dmc
 
dmc said:
I seem to remember this scene as being from "Ordinary People".

I could be wrong...


: )

dmc
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Nope, Definitely Kramer vs. Kramer, this scene is legendary. Mckee is not the only script god to make reference to the value changes in this scene.
Open the book to page 215 and read. You'll understand immediately how charges change through a linear passage of conflict. Its a miniature story in itself.
 
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