Storytelling and Business last updated 5/14/2004 We all have been told stories in our lifetimes since we were quite young. There is a common notion that the role of storytelling is primarily constrained to bedtime or play time for children. Recently it has become more popular to extend role of storytelling and the lable of storyteller to include the work of Hollywood filmmakers. "Really, I'm just a storyteller," we might hear Spielberg say in an interview on E!. "Me too!" The true role of story and storytelling is much greater, older, and elemental than Hollywood. Story and storytelling are tools like any other - a pencil, a computer. The links below represent a sampling of professionals, writers, researchers, and organizations that are furthering the investigation and application of story in business and other organizational contexts. -Kevin Brooks, Ph.D.kevin.brooks@motorola.com General Links Doug Lipman Storyteller, professional story coach and workshop leader. Vandania Story Studio
Installation Art : Who Cares? Dutch Film Premiere | NIMk 20 May 2011 NIMk, Amsterdam 5 - 7 pm The maintenance and conservation of installation art presents a big challenge. This documentary, produced under the commission of the SBMK, will be presented for the first time and aims to provide a glimpse from behind the scenes regarding contemporary art preservation practices and to shed light on the conservation of media art and performance based art. The film offers a glimpse behind the scence of the European museum. How to preserve and reinstall the work Notion Motion by Olafur Eliasson: 1.500 m2 of water, light and movement? The film is 30 minutes, English spoken, subtitled in Spanish, Dutch and German. This documentary has been created in collaboration with a group of experts from 35 organizations; working together in the INCCA affiliated projects Inside Installations (2004-2007) and PRACTICs (2009-2011). The film aims to inform and to increase the public's understanding and appreciation of installation art and its conservation. Program
Center for Future Storytelling | Research The overall mission of the Center is to explore the convergence between art and technology—particularly as related to creative expression through story forms—in ways that elevate the human experience. To achieve this overall goal, storytelling-related activities of the CFS will address a set of macro themes: The Evolution of Transmedia Storytelling What’s transmedia storytelling? In transmedia storytelling, content becomes invasive and fully permeates the audience's lifestyle. A transmedia project develops storytelling across multiple forms of media in order to have different "entry points" in the story; entry-points with a unique and independent lifespan but with a definite role in the big narrative scheme. Tips for Connected Documentarians » The Connected Documentary This is an emerging field. But for filmmakers hacking on web-based stories, it basically boils down to this: You have to commit to the fact the “thing” you are making is not a linear, unchanging video with a discrete runtime (even if your users will experience it as such). For all intents and purposes, you’re making a web app. And you wouldn’t go about making a web app the same way that you make a traditional film. You have to start in pre-production with the “thing” in mind; conduct and store your research the right way; and have the right mental model. You can’t tack on “connectedness” after you’ve produced something completely disconnected. #1: Always stay in service of story. Your number one job is to tell a story. Technology can serve as inspiration, but never substitute for story. Technical possibilities can certainly serve as inspiration. Your creative process should start with a strong, compelling story, with characters who have real motivations (or motivating circumstances).
The Power of User Generated Content At SXSW I watched Christopher Poole (founder of the infamous 4chan) introduce his new project Canvas. This isn’t as edgy as his previous meme factory. Canvas provides basic tools for users to post and alter pictures. Think of it like a message board where users have conversations through constantly evolving images. The success of Canvas hinges on growing a community of people excited to create remixes. Now more than ever, everyone from artists to storytellers should learn how to hone the power of UGC to build their internet presence. Here are some different ways to get people to create user generated content: What is your experience with user generated content?
The Storytelling Mandala: Purpose-Inspired Transmedia Storytelling | Gauravonomics Marketers have always used stories to share information, change opinions and influence decisions. Now, as people create, consume and share brand stories in new ways, marketers need to go beyond the 30-sec product ad or the 300-word press release, and tell purpose-inspired transmedia stories that inspire, organize and energize people. Six Trends in Storytelling Let’s start by recapturing the six important trends that are reshaping how people create, consume and share brand stories: These six trends play an important role in the narrative arc we will draw next: from Hero’s Journey to Heroes to Everyday Heroes. From Hero’s Journey to Heroes to Everyday Heroes Heroʼs Journey: Storytelling The Heroʼs Journey is a good example of a monomyth, or a universal story, that cuts across all types of stories, including myths, movies, novels, and ads. According to Joseph Campbell, all stories follow the same three-part narrative structure of the Hero’s Journey. Heroes: Transmedia Storytelling
What New Audiences Really Want Transmedia Producers – Conducting Symphonies of Narratives We hosted the second in a series of exclusive Transmedia workshops last week in Washington D.C. with Starlight Runner’s Jeff Gomez. This time I had the opportunity to sit in on the workshop and wanted to share some key take-aways with DMW readers. For those of you not familiar with Jeff Gomez, he has worked on blockbuster franchises such as Avatar, Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean. His visionary take on the role of the Transmedia Producer (TP) in the media production eco-system, has now been accepted as the industry standard: The Producer’s Guild of America added TP as an official credit last year. Specialist versus Generalist In one sense, I was under the impression that the TP represents the rebirth of the Renaissance Man in media – a person who can create compelling content across platforms and mediums. At Least Three Storylines Jeff Gomez defines a Transmedia narrative or project as one having three (or more) narrative storylines existing within the same fictional universe.
12 Trends from Cannes 2011 REPORT on unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries - A7-0143/2011 on unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries The European Parliament, – having regard to Article 167 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, – having regard to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Convention of 20 October 2005 on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions(1), – having regard to the Council Decision No 2006/515/EC of 18 May 2006 on the conclusion of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions(2), – having regard to Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2010 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services (Audiovisual Media Services Directive)(3), – having regard to its resolution of 5 May 2010 on ‘Europeana - the next steps’(6), 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.