Lesson 8: Visuals and Storytelling
Storytelling
Ever since we were young, we have listened to stories and have told stories ourselves. Intuitively, most of us know what a good and a bad story is. Lidwell, Holden, and Butler (2010, p. 230) identified six fundamental elements of a good story. These elements are:
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Setting:The setting is both the location and time period of the story. The setting provides a sense of time and place for the story and orients the audience. When you choose a setting for your story, think of how the setting can contribute to the story you would like to convey. |
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Characters:Your characters are the people or other creatures that your story is about. Your audience gets involved with your characters by being able to identify with them. This makes the story become relevant to your audience. In a good story, your audience is able to relate to your characters. |
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Plot:The plot is the storyline of your story. It usually has a clear beginning, middle, and end and ties events together. There is usually a conflict that needs to be resolved by the characters. When creating your plot, think of how you will sequence your events to tell your story. As Andrew Stanton stated, a strong theme is always running through a well told story. This could be something that your characters are learning throughout your story. When creating your infographic, you thought about the main message you liked to get across to your target audience. This is important for any story you tell. When you have a clear and strong message to tell, try to tell it to your audience in a thought-provoking or unpredictable way. Predictable stories are usually not interesting to your audience. |
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Invisibility:A good storyteller shows rather than tells the story. As Andrew Stanton said in his Ted Talk: 2 + 2, is different from 4. Let your audience work to understand the meaning of your story. Rather than telling them what happens, show them. As Lambert (2010, p.14) states, “the events of the story lead us to conclusions, but don't constrict our own discovery.” Your audience has to jump into your story which makes them become participants of the story. As they become engaged in a good story, the awareness of the storyteller fades away and the existence of the medium is forgotten. |
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Mood:Emotion is an important component in stories. In visual stories, you can use lighting, color, style, shot sizes, and angles to convey emotions you would want to communicate. Take advantage of the principles you have learned in the previous lessons of this course. |
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Movement:The sequence and flow of events should be clear and interesting in a good story. The storyline should not stall. As Andrew Stanton said in his TED talk, change is fundamental in stories. Good stories always embrace change. If things go static, stories die. |
Reflection activity:
Think about your favorite story. Based on the TED talked you watched of Andrew Stanton and the six elements defined by Lidwell, Holden, and Butler (2010), do you recognize elements of good storytelling? For your favorite story, to what extent did the setting, characters, plot, invisibility, mood, and movement contribute to good storytelling?