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The Power of Great Storytelling

Dave — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:48:20 +0000

I just took my daughter to the premier of Justin Smith’s documentary, Relentless, about a team of student engineers who build and race formula cars. I’ve never been a car guy. To emphasize that point, I drive a moss-covered Pontiac Vibe mini wagon, which is noted for two things: it has a standard electric outlet in the dashboard and it’s the least stolen car in the US. My daughter isn’t really a gearhead either. She arrived at the premier in multicolored tights, a pink skirt and red glitter shoes. She’s something of a girly-girl.

But a solid documentary is one that pulls in an audience and makes them passionate about a subject in which they had little interest or knowledge before the lights go down. Justin pulled that off in Relentless, carrying the audience through an emotional arc of a championship bid in a very intense competition. It’s a moving and inspirational experience.

I have to admit that I have stakes in the project since it was produced in part to promote Oregon State University and celebrate the accomplishments of some amazing students. But I know that the film was a success, because I watched those students squirm in the row in front of me as they relived the highs and lows of the year that the film depicted.

On the drive home, my eight year old daughter, who had previously pretty much decided that her career ambition is to work at PetCo, said to me, “I think I want to build and drive race cars.” I consider that clear evidence of the film’s success.

Wine in Arizona

Dave — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:06:37 +0000

While down in Phoenix for the in-laws 50th wedding anniversary, I took a side trip down to Arizona wine country in and around Sonoita, gathering footage for our wine documentary project. What I found surprised me. The challenges and risks are there, as they are in any emerging wine region, but not like you’d expect. The problem is too much water at the wrong time, not too little. It’s winter freezes and spring frosts, not the baking desert heat. Here’s a summary clip of the trip.

Multimedia Storytelling

Dave — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 05:10:13 +0000

I’ve stumbled across a new favorite blog by “multimedia journalist” Richard Hernandez who teaches media at Berkeley. He’s one of those storytellers who’s gifted in multiple mediums, from prose to video and motion graphics, and he’s got the energy of one of those rare and really good teachers who can convey an energy and enthusiasm for the craft of narrative. Check out this video. It’s 30 minutes long, but he covers nine ways of improving your story. This is geared toward video, but it can apply to any form of storytelling.

The Art of The Opening from Richard Koci Hernandez on Vimeo.

Or if you just want the nine tips without watching the video, check out his blog post.