- Peer-learning mini-lesson
- Lecture: The principles of storytelling
- Workshop: Develop your story!
GOING WAY BACK NOW...
- The roots of story telling
- The roots of narrative
- The roots of interaction
| Who | What |
|---|---|
| Peyman Callum |
Gilgamesh |
| Richardo Jacob |
Aristotle |
| Muhammad Emma Kaleshe |
The Dogon Dancers versus The Mystery Plays |
| Domenic Kevin Mayur |
Beowulf |
Analyse the allocated story above with the help from the questions bellow to present next week.
Artistotle
- Who was he?
- When and where?
- What did he have to say about story? n What is left of his ideas?
The Dogon Dancers vs The Mystery Plays
- What where and when?
- How did they tell story?
- Why are we talking about them?
Gilgamesh
- What was it?
- What was the story?
- Break it into three act structure
Beowulf
- What was it?
- What was the story?
- Break it into three act structure
To convey information
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To give instructions
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To create an impression
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In drama
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In documentary
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In verse
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In advertising
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In game design
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To organise our lives
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A story is a sequence of events.
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These events are known as the plot
The foundations of modern storytelling
Balance, harmony, happiness... something comes to throw the character and the balance in their life.
Problem worse than they thought, and character now faces a series of developments that raise the stakes..
Character learns that he or she must pit everything in his or her power to resolve this issue and to achieve their goal.
- Protagonist is shown in his/her ordinary world
- There is an event: A Call to Adventure n He/she must decide whether to answer “the call”
- They encounter the first turning point
- The body of the story.
- What it is “about”
- Encounter challenges
- Meet allies
- Take advice from Mentors
- Undergo an ordeal (the dark days)
- Survive and return renewed
- The protagonist returns, only stronger
- Begins with the Second Turning Point
- Resolution
- Resurrection (re-born/change)
- Return with the Elixir/Glory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhk4N9A0oCA
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/is-joseph-campbells-the-h_b_8861998.html
- Plot describes what characters do.
- The essence of character is revealed by the actions they take.
- Plot brings pressure on the hero. n Forcing him to change/reveal his inner self.
PREMISE
- The purpose of a story.
- The truth learnt by the protagonist.
- The more simple and direct – the stronger it is.
- It is the test against which every element is weighed.
CONFLICT
- There has to be conflict.
- There have to be obstacles.
For example...
- Man vs Man.
- Man vs Nature.
- Man vs Woman.
- Man vs Himself.
- Man vs Machine.
- Man vs Ghost...
| Hero | Villain |
|---|---|
| Focus of story | Most important thing is what he / she wants |
| Attempting to restore balance to his / her world | Obstructs hero’s progress |
| The hero grows and in so doing becomes a better person | Starts off stronger and more resourceful |
| Makes gradual changes through the story | Conflict can be more powerful when the characters of Hero and Villain are matched |
| N/A | Believes they are justified in their actions |
- The most important decision the hero takes
- Ultimate point of tension
- Most difficult decision n High point of action
- ‘If’ the character does something
- ‘Then’ something else happens
- Allows only two possible outcomes
- Much more complex
- Much more multi-layered
- Involves a great deal of planning
- Can begin to create the impression of free-will
- Player has to be subtly guided along the correct paths
- Two ways of playing the game
- The good guy or the bad guy
- Two different perspectives on the same events
- Limits options but can make game manageable
- As used in Bioshock – ie kill or don’t kill little sisters
- Used in ARGs, MMORPGs and “sandbox” games
- Many discrete storylines
- Multiple connections between events
- User – Explorer may not even experience them all
- Allows personalisation of the experience
- Create impression of interactivity when it is very structured.
Which are you going to use?
- What tools??
- Who does what?
- What does the user/explorer/audience do? n Can you do this in the next few weeks?
- What is your story anyway?
- What event can happen to our characters?
- What event could we create that they could respond to?
- How shall we make this event happen?
- How would your character respond?
- Create Tumblr / LinkedIn etc for your character
- Status updates
- Written pieces
- Photos
- Videos
- Build websites for fake companies / portfolios of work / blogs
- Tell the story through the content posted by the character
- Go to your character on Twitter etc
- Start chatting
- Make communications
- Make links
- Steal pictures...
- Steal videos...
- Steal text...
- Borrow the real to make the imaginary...
- What happened to you last week?
- Was it a good week or bad week?
- Are you angry with anyone?
- Has someone let you down?
- Did you make any new friends?
- Meet someone wonderful?
- Have you got a picture of them?
- Have you got a picture of where you went?
- What do you think of events in RL?
Pick your favourite film, analyse it with the three act theory and the hero's journey theory. Next week you will present your analysis in an interactive way.
Keeping a journal to record your creative process is extremely important. Don't let your ideas and thoughts fade away! Think of your blog as your digital sketchbook (more on that here). We ask you to blog regularly and we'll check that you do it every week.
Research, evidence and explain case studies of how storytelling has been instrumental in the creation of communities and cultures in modern times