I am a storyteller.
I know, it’s like being in an AA meeting. A confession.
The reality is that people need stories. We love them. They give us insight into who we are, and what makes us tick. Probably the most popular story ever is the bible. It’s chock full of parables and fables that boil down to giving the reader (or listener) the fundamentals on being human. Storytelling is very important!
The Bible isn’t the only story that does this. Think of any children’s tale. They always have a ‘moral’ to the story. Heck, even G.I. Joe has one (‘The lesson here is BLAH BLAH…And knowing is half the battle!’).
To make a story great you need a number of essential factors:
- A hero, or protagonist
- A clear goal, or want, for that protagonist
- Conflict! (what is stopping the hero from achieving their goals?)
- A setting (where does the story take place? Location and time period are important!)
- A beginning, middle and end
- A theme, punchline, or cliffhanger (end it with style!)
If you have all of those factors in place, then your next step is to capture the audience’s attention. This has to happen up front. If they aren’t interested immediately you’re going to lose them!
If you want to learn all about storytelling, I suggest picking up Robert McKee’s amazing book ‘STORY’. Also check out ‘SAVE THE CAT’ by Blake Snyder.
Click here to read my posts about the art of storytelling!
Check out my new blog!I just started a new blog about all the plans I have for 2012! CLICK HERE to check it out. I’m gonna tear it up this year like Chuck Norris, so follow along and hopefully I’ll inspire you to kick ass too! -M
Great video on storytelling that makes fun of the new Star WarsThis is a great video that teaches a lot about storytelling. It’s highly entertaining! Check out their website. Talented guys. Red Letter Media
JJ Abrams – Mystery BoxI rarely have time to go to the movies. So it was a treat to grab a small group of amigos and head off the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood. I thought Super 8 was really cool. If you follow J.J. Abrams storytelling you’ll notice he once again followed his ‘Mystery Box’ theory. He did a ...
Structure of ComedyI’ve rolled my sleeves up for the last 6 months and analyzed the f#ck out of comedy structure. Even went so far as to take a stand up comedy class. My findings: COMEDY IS HARD 1. Set the joke up CLEARLY. If the audience isn’t 100% clear on what the concept behind the joke is, ...
Making A Commercial – PreproductionCoke spot, concept The writers are striking, and that means Hollywood may shut down for a long, long time. BUT there’s always money in advertising. I had shot 2 specs back in 2000 but 9/11 hit and the advert money dried up. Unfortunately the ad agencies and commercial production houses (the guys that sign young ...
How To Be Funny in a Comedy FilmA lot of you might be wondering ‘how to be funny in a comedy film?’. This can apply to filmmakers, actors, writers, or even bloggers. Making people laugh gives them value. And if you give value they’ll love you for it. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on how to successfully shoot comedy! ...
Funny Movie CharacterQuestion: What makes a funny movie character? Let me illuminate… I love comedy. LOVE IT! But it’s also the hardest damn thing in the world. If you’ve ever told a joke you know that it’s tricky. You have to deliver it just right otherwise your friends will look at you funny. Imagine doing that over ...
How To Make An Action Movie – part 1If you’re wondering how to design a great action sequence as part of your action movie, then this blog entry is for you. I’ve worked as a Previs (previsualization) designer for over a dozen of Hollywood’s biggest hits. So here is what I’ve learned: Great action is not shooting random footage and piecing it together. ...
Animation Lecture – Student TestimonialsHere are what some students had to say about the animation and filmmaking lectures I gave to Art Institute Atlanta students. For more info on my animation lectures, visit: http://www.animationlecture.com
Animation Lecture – Mike L MurphyHere is a clip of me speaking to a packed house at Atlanta College in Puerto Rico. For more info on my animation lectures, visit: http://www.animationlecture.com
