Storytelling, spines, and making the audience work

[shelver506.livejournal.com]

This is a TED Talk, so it's rather long, but really worth it (despite the f-bomb in the beginning). It's a good talk on storytelling in general, but I especially liked how Mr. Stanton talks about making the audience work for the story, and how the storyteller has to hide that that's what he/she is doing.

He talks about deception and uncertainty and anticipation. Sound like any story we know?

He also talks about each story having a "spine." The Godfather and pleasing the father. Toy Story and making Andy happy. My personal opinion is that each Thief book has sort of mini-motivations, mini-spines (saving Eddis, conquering the Queen, etc.), but THE spine for Gen is that he has to be the best. He has to win.

Thoughts, either on the video or on spines or both?

Comments

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I like how he said, give them 2+2, not 4. Give them the information they need and respect that they can actually put 2 and 2 together, and that they would enjoy that more.

Thanks for sharing!

[freenarnian.livejournal.com]

That's the part I got the most out of, too! Definitely writing "Give them 2+2, not 4" on a sticky note and keeping it by the desk where I write. I had this argument several times over with my (otherwise very insightful and respected) writing instructor... he always wanted me to spell things out for the reader just in case they didn't get it, whereas I learned from MWT to assume my reader is on to me from page 1, so I'd better be sly if I want to surprise/intrigue them at all! :)

One part I don't really follow is when he says they stuck to "no villain". Um, every Pixar movie I can think of has a villain of one kind or another? Usually obvious ones, too. There has to a negative to the positive in every story, else there's no plot, no drama, no suspense, no trigger... even if the "villain" isn't humanoid, it can be a force of nature, a secret in the hero's past, the Mede empire... So I'm wondering: Did I miss his point somehow?

[shelver506.livejournal.com]

Maybe he meant no cackling, Jafar-like baddie? In most Disney movies, the villain is clearly identifiable and usually has his own wicked cool song. But in Toy Story the villain is... well, we're not really sure for most of it. Buzz? Sid (who doesn't really make a difference until the last third)? Woody himself?

I don't know. Just a guess.

[live-momma.livejournal.com]

I think *the* spine of the series is "saving the island from the continent." Everything else is just pieces to that puzzle.

[freenarnian.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing this! I love all things related to storytelling. :)