Some interesting storytelling from Toyota in this video.
Storytelling With the Magic of Threes
“If we start to remember the familiar stories of our childhood, or look back on the fairytales collected by the brothers Grimm, or even recall or discover plots and characters in folktales from all over the world, we will notice a universal element — the use of threes. Remember “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” and the “Three Little Pigs.” Usually, if someone is given wishes, they are given three wishes. Many tales include three brothers. In this article, I am going to suggest why I think the use of threes in storytelling is so prevalent.”
Landscape Narrative (moving image draft version)
More than one way to tell a story.
Screenwriting Technique Number 7 – Moral Storytelling
“But recently a very different model of storytelling has appeared. These stories often frame a character’s lifetime. Instead of going for a single emotional hit, the writers weave a detailed and complex moral accounting. and they’re not content to show a single moral event, although that is often the catalyst for the bigger picture. These storytellers depict an entire moral universe that tells us whether human life has meaning or not.”
“What’s more interesting, that Subway offers seven sandwiches that are under six grams of fat or that those sandwiches helped a guy with a 60-inch waist get off the fast track to heart attack station? Answer: The story of Jared, of course. In this installment of Made to Stick, Dan Heath explains how stories about triumph over adversity make for better brand messages than … math. Watch and then go find your own company’s Jared.”
Drowning in Overly Complicated Storytelling
“When did endings become middles and beginnings? It used to be that you could watch a film and lose yourself in the slow unraveling of the plot. Bit by bit things would play out and (hopefully) come together in various satisfying and entertaining ways. But then every new feature had to “up” the ante, and it has left our entertainment a flipping mess of terribly convoluted storytelling.”
Quite a story.
“In a future post I’ll introduce you to an extraordinary storyteller (alas, no longer with us) I met in Paris years ago. His name was Mohammed bel Halfaoui. He had lived in Paris many years as a professor of Arabic literature.
He gave me two collections of his folktales, in Arabic and French. I translated and published one of the stories before his death. “Man With No Brain” appears in Margaret MacDonald’s Peace Tales: World Folktales to Talk about.
“Habra and the lion” is one of my favorite of Mohammed’s stories, even though North American audiences often find it troubling. Outside North America there seems to be less insistence on happy endings.
The version below retains the story line but eliminates Mohammed’s longer embellishments. Perhaps one day his stories can appear in their entirety. They would be best in Arabic, with their poetry and imagery intact.
Mohammed began the story this way: “Mama Zohra loved this story and enjoyed telling it to us. And as always, the lesson to draw from it was of most importance to her: ‘You must take care not to hurt people’s feelings because the offenses are impossible to forget.’ And that’s why I ask you to listen to the adventure of Habra with the lion.”
A nice slide deck from Gavin Heaton, Servant of Chaos if you follow him on Twitter or in your RSS reader.
Secondhand Store Showcases Previous Owners
This is kinda’ neat.
“Pass the Baton is an attractive concept on various levels: the strong story element not only adds value for potential buyers, but might also make it easier for sellers to part with their possessions, knowing that an object’s story is carried along with it.”
Haven’t tried it yet.
“Last month’s vacation photos can too easily become this month’s blur of forgotten details. MemoryMiner 2.1.1 turns photo albums into narratives, tagging people and locations to preserve the stories of your life. While its interface needs refinement, the program largely fulfills its big ambitions.”
“Dramatic storytelling comes from choices, not circumstances.
Why?
Ask yourself, which is more satisfying to watch or read: a movie with lots of cool action and events and special effects, or a movie where a character faces internal struggles while dealing with lots of cool action and events and special effects?
The best stories are about an interesting, relatable character learning about themselves and becoming a better person in the midst of, and sometimes because of, extraordinary circumstances. Or, sometimes, in inverse: choosing NOT to become a better person in spite of learning about themselves in the midst of extraordinary circumstances — which isn’t as satisfying, but still strikes an emotional resonance.”
StorySelling as an Effective Sales Closing Technique (Part 2)
“Through StoryTelling techniques companies can effectively distinguish themselves from competitors, and provide reasons to the prospect as to why their product or service is superior and why they should try it. The problem with most StoryTelling is that it does not nudge the recipient to a call-to-action. It should. Then, it becomes StorySelling.”
Narration, Formulation, Inception
“A narrative formula facilitates the storytelling, allowing audiences to fit the pieces of the story together more quickly, leading to a faster understanding of the story’s meaning. Many people don’t want or expect to be challenged too much by a Hollywood movie, the idea of effort being antithetical to entertainment and escape, and Hollywood is nothing if not an industry of diversion.”
Will You Take the 12-Week Story-Blogging Challenge?
“For me story is more than just performance/telling/anecdotes. Story is about relationship; who am I; where do I belong; what is mine to do?
Story blogging is about bringing people into one’s world through conversation and dialogue. It begins by seeking to map, explore, and understand convergence and context. I stand at the unique intersection of many worlds. I’ll be sharing many of these musings and reflections in real time.”
This, from the NY Times, is some very nice storytelling.
“One in 8 Million tells the stories of New York characters in sound and images.”
“What is storytelling?
The National Council of Teachers of English defines storytelling as “relating a tale to one or more listeners through voice and gestures.”
Most storytellers say it is an interactive process involving the teller, who shares the tale, and members of the audience who listen and let their imaginations take over.
“When I think of the definition of storytelling, I think of it as an event,” said author and educator Shirley Raines. “There’s the story, the listener, and the teller. And the teller is the person who makes it an event, but only if the listener is very engaged.”
Irish Entrepreneur Combines Storytelling with GPS
More location based storytelling.
“Even more interesting is Racontour, an audio upgrade which also includes interesting local histories, anecdotes and tales, narrated by locals – “some hilarious, some bizarre but all very interesting”. The audio files are triggered as the driver passes key locations, making it a bit like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Storytelling In Business: How Can It Benefit You?
This is good.
“Take a moment and think back to the last time you read a book that you simply couldn’t put down? How did you feel? Do you remember the story? The characters? Now think about a time you were inspired to work hard or keep going after reading an autobiography or success story? That feeling of exhilaration and energy you felt is the result of a powerful story. In a business context, leaders can use these types of stories to educate, engage, inspire and encourage employees. You know your story hit the mark when it helps your audience connect the dots between the rational and emotional in situations where they might not otherwise be engaged or interested.”
Good story. I think Seth Godin would appreciate her definition of artist.
“I’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember. I believe the word “artist” is a holistic term that encompasses an entire personality and lifestyle that the people who fit in it are born with. Like many a pastor will tell of his call to preach, we artists may run from our call to create. To think out of the box in a culture that–if it’s completely honest with itself–values conformity is frightening and lonely at times. And possibly worse, as a career choice, it leaves you without clear paths and without guarantees.”
Good Connection Really Does Lead to Mind Meld
“When two people experience a deep connection, they’re informally described as being on the same wavelength. There may be neurological truth to that.
Brain scans of a speaker and listener showed their neural activity synchronizing during storytelling. The stronger their reported connection, the closer the coupling.”
