Land of the Dead: Lessons from the Underworld on Storytelling and Living

Description

Wielding his massive experience from film, TV, comics, and more, Brian McDonald lays out a history of storytelling and shows the reader how the best tales tug at our truest biological instinct: the need to survive. Readers will see how different forms of survival-physical, emotional, spiritual-inform the arc of character development in a way that makes them more complex and compelling. And how plot and circumstance must then force the protagonist to meet their worst nightmare. Toby Cypress's electric art guides the reader through the underworld, visualizing each narrative masterpiece, and bringing the ideas to life.

Brian McDonald is the writer and director of the award-winning short film White Face, a sought-after lecturer and teacher, and a story consultant for clients such as Disney Feature Animation and Cirque du Soleil. His book Invisible Ink is required reading at Pixar Animation Studio. Toby Cypress grew up in New Jersey spending most of his time skateboarding the boardwalks, exploring arcades, and reading comic books. In 1997 he graduated from the Joe Kubert School of Cartooning and Animation and began a career in freelance illustration. He lives with his family, Gretchen, Jack, and Isabella, in Glen Gardner, New Jersey.

"...those who appreciate and take inspiration from musings on mythology and the underlying soul of great literature will be rewarded." --Publisher's Weekly "Brilliant. Indispensable advice for writers in particular and humans in general." -- Gene Luen Yang, New York Times-bestselling author of American Born Chinese "This delightful graphic novel is in fact a master course in storytelling." --Danny Rubin, screenwriter of Groundhog Day "Absolutely epic." --Jim Uhls, screenwriter of Fight Club "Brian McDonald is a master storyteller." --Charles Melcher "Brian and Toby take us on a journey of discovery designed to equip us, not only to live a life of wisdom, but to weave these truths into the stories, scripts, and movies we create." --Glen Keane "Can't wait to read it again." --Frank Oz "Erudite, with gorgeous art that never falters. A treasure." --Paul Chadwick "Magnificent. A pleasure to read. I would love to see this book used as a text in every MFA program in America." --Charles Johnson "Spectacular. Life-affirming. Otherworldly. This is a work of art that deserves to be in everyone's bookshelf, on everyone's coffee tables, and in everyone's hands." --Bill Sienkiewicz