Free preview The art of storytelling

We are all storytellers | 1

What makes a story great? What makes someone a good storyteller? Storytelling is something we all do naturally, starting at a young age, but there’s a difference between good storytelling and great storytelling. In this lesson you’ll hear from Pixar directors and story artists about how they got their start and what stories inspire them, and you’ll begin to think about what kinds of stories you might want to tell.

▶ Introduction to storytelling

Pete Docter, a director of Pixar films including Up, Inside Out, and Soul, explains the importance of storytelling and how it connects with people emotionally. He emphasizes writing what you know, using personal experiences to make stories come alive. He also shares that stories often require multiple revisions to truly sparkle.

⏱ 2:58 💾 65.1 MB License: yt-standard Streaming via CDN

▶ Your unique perspective

Your superpower is your unique perspective! Pixar storytellers share how personal experiences shape their stories and how anyone can be a storyteller. How you might be able to express your own memories in a creative way?

⏱ 4:12 💾 87.7 MB License: cc-by-nc-sa Streaming via CDN

📄 Activity 1: Expressing memories

Part A: Think of a memory that you remember vividly. It should be a memory that comes easily to you.

Part B: Why do you think you remember this so well? Try connecting one or more emotions to this memory.

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Part C: Now try and express your memory and emotion in some way. The goal is to get it out of your head. Here are some ideas for what you could do.

Verbally: Tell your memory to someone that you know. Can you make them feel the emotion?
Written: Write your memory in less than a page. Do the emotions come out in your words?
Visually: Express your memory using only lines and shapes. Do the emotions come out in your drawings?

▶ Your favorite stories

Why do some stories pull you in? Storytelling is a sequence of events that unfolds through time. The stories that pull us in emotionally engage us, capture our imagination, and resonate with our experiences or feelings. Artists share stories that deeply affected them, emphasizing the power of storytelling.

⏱ 3:06 💾 45.5 MB License: yt-standard Streaming via CDN

📄 Activity 2: Your three favorite films

**Part A**: Identify the three films that you would take to a deserted island....

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**Part B**: Why do you think you connected with these stories? Come up with at least one reason for each.

**Part C**: What, if anything, do these three films have in common? How are they different?

▶ What if...

All our films begin with an idea that inspires us. Pixar creators discuss the importance of "what if" questions in storytelling and challenge us to reframe our favorite films as "what if" statements. These questions spark imagination, open doors to creativity, and kick off the creative process.

⏱ 2:00 💾 37.9 MB License: yt-standard Streaming via CDN

📄 Activity 3: What if...

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**Part A**: Return to your 3 favorite films and try reframing each of them in terms of a "what if" statement. Share these with someone (written or verbally) and see if they can guess what movie it is from!

**Part B**: Now it's your turn. Come up with 3-5 of your own “what if” ideas.

▶ World & character

A story is born when world and character meet. A world refers to the environment or set of rules, while character refers to the individuals in the story. Both world and character can inspire stories, and their interaction is crucial for a compelling narrative.

⏱ 3:01 💾 51.4 MB License: yt-standard Streaming via CDN

📄 Activity 4: Characters & worlds

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Part A: Return to your 3 films. Identify the worlds and characters in each. Write these down.

Who are the main characters?
Is there a character you identify with most?
Where does the movie take place? Is it one world or multiple worlds?

Part B: Try mixing a character and world from different movies. Try this a few times and see what happens.

Part C: Return to your three "what if" statements from the previous exercises. Pick your favorite one. Can you imagine a possible character and world?

Part D: (optional) Draw or write about what life would be like in this world.

▶ Advice from storytellers

Storytelling involves trial and error and comes with practice. Ideas often start as notions and develop over time. Emotions play a key role in connecting with an audience; remember the initial feeling that drew you to an idea!

⏱ 3:06 💾 44.8 MB License: yt-standard Streaming via CDN

📄 Glossary: Storytelling

Here's a list of definitions introduced during this lesson.

Story: a sequence of events which unfold through time.
Perspective: a point of view or way of seeing the world.
World: the environment or set of rules where a story takes place.
Character: the subjects or individuals we follow on the journey of the story.
Protagonist: the main character(s), whose journey the story is about.

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