This document discusses techniques for crafting stories that engage audiences. It provides examples of compelling story openings, the importance of character and action, and using anticipation and fulfillment to keep viewers interested. Effective storytelling involves showing rather than telling, building layers of understanding, and getting audiences to willingly suspend their disbelief in the narrative. Stories should have meaning and interpretation beyond just informing.

1. MAKING / TELLING
STORIES THAT
MATTER
ALAN LEVINE
go.cogdog.it/skidmore-storytelling

2. cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo by pasukaru76: http://flickr.com/photos/pasukaru76/3694736727/

4. * THE MYSTERY BOX *

5. JJ ABRAMS THE MYSTERY BOX
http://youtu.be/vpjVgF5JDq8

6. ONCE UPON A TIME...

8. The last man
alive on Earth
sat alone in a
room.

9. The Last man
alive on Earth
sat alone in a
room. There
was a knock at
the door.
"KNOCK" BY FREDERICK BROWN http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knock_(short_story)

10. cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo by pasukaru76: http://flickr.com/photos/pasukaru76/3694736727/

11. IF WE DON'T REMEMBER ME http://iwdrm.tumblr.com/post/12284715341

14. TELL ME A STORY

15. (1) FIND SOMEONE

16. (2) ONE MINUTE:
THE PROMPT

18. (2) ONE MINUTE:
THE PROMPT

19. (3) TWO MINUTES:
TELL AND LISTEN

20. (3) TWO MINUTES:
SWITCH

21. (4) DOUBLE THE
GROUP

22. * THE "SO WHAT?" *

23. (5) THE RE-TELL

24. WHAT WORKS?
cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo by i am brad: http://flickr.com/photos/iambrad/220687809/

25. GRABS ATTENTION
(ONLY)

26. MONSTER'S UNIVERSITY TRAILER
http://youtu.be/ODePHkWSg-U

27. GRABS ATTENTION
AND
COMMUNICATES

28. A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT
http://youtu.be/9_LLj4_3ZRA

29. CHARACTER
cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo by Alan Levine: http://flickr.com/photos/cogdog/6145701425/

31. ACTION
cc licensed ( BY NC ) flickr photo by Barry Yanowitz: http://flickr.com/photos/tomvu/5371659662/

32. * THE HOOK *

33. LOST FLASH DRIVE - REMIXED THEN RETURNED
http://youtu.be/IG1ZkW_u_Bw

34. THIS AMERICAN LIFE: EPISODE 206 SOMEWHERE IN THE ARABIAN SEA
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/206/somewhere-in-the-arabian-sea

35. THE PYRAMID

36. THE LUMPY HILL

37. THE CYCLE

38. THE OBVIOUS

39. The Story Spine by Kenn Adams http://aerogrammestudio.com/2013/06/05/back-to-the-story-spine/

40. KURTVONNEGUT "THE SHAPE OF STORIES"
http://youtu.be/oP3c1h8v2ZQ

41. PAUL ZAK: EMPATHY, NEUROCHEMISTRY,AND THE DRAMATIC ARC
http://youtu.be/DHeqQAKHh3M

42. RANDY OLSON: DON'T BE SUCH A SCIENTIST
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Be-Such-Scientist-Substance/dp/1597265632

43. "IT'S A SIMPLE AS TWO
THINGS: AROUSE AND
FULFILL.
YOU NEED TO FIRST AROUSE
YOUR AUDIENCE AND THEN
GET THEM INTERESTED IN
WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY;
THEN YOU NEED TO FULFILL
THEIR EXPECTATIONS."

44. * STUDY CINEMA *

45. CINEMATIC STORYTELLING
http://www.cinematicstorytelling.com/

46. * EXPECTATIONS *

47. "...A SEMBLANCE OF TRUTH
SUFFICIENT TO PROCURE FOR
THESE SHADOWS OF
IMAGINATION THAT WILLING
SUSPENSION OF
DISBELIEF FOR THE MOMENT,
WHICH CONSTITUTES POETIC
FAITH."
SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_disbelief

48. TROY LIBRARY: BOOK BURNING PARTY
http://youtu.be/AoT13m8-Kxo

49. * ANTICIPATION *

50. MONKEYS AND SQUIRTING
APPLE JUICE

51. MONKEYS AND SQUIRTING
APPLE JUICE

53. * SHOW, DON'T TELL *

54. JAWS DINNER TABLE SCENE
http://youtu.be/04mIMg4PTO8

55. SHERRY TURKLE (TED RADIO HOUR)
http://www.npr.org/2013/08/16/172988165/are-we-plugged-in-connected-but-alone

56. SHERRY TURKLE (TED RADIO HOUR)
http://www.npr.org/2013/08/16/172988165/are-we-plugged-in-connected-but-alone

57. * LAYERS *

58. RADIOLAB BEHIND THE SCENES
https://vimeo.com/66583939

59. * ABSORB GLASS *

60. THIS AMERICAN LIFE
http://thisamericanlife.com

61. DOCUMENTARY
DOCUMENT-WARILY

62. THE CREATIVE
INTERPRETATION
OF ACTUALITY

63. THE MAJESTIC ___________
http://youtu.be/GLgh9h2ePYw

64. via Filmaker IQ http://filmmakeriq.com/2013/10/what-do-you-want-to-do-on-set/

65. THE ULTIMATE
CREATIVE
ACHIEVEMENT IS
WHEN APPLE CREATES
A SOFTWARE
COMMAND NAMED
AFTER YOU

66. ST PETERS SQUARE
nmcnews instagram image http://instagram.com/p/W2FCksR9-e/

67. ST PETERS SQUARE
nmcnews instagram image http://instagram.com/p/W2FCksR9-e/

68. WE ARE LIVING IN
THE MIDDLE OF
THE LARGEST
INCREASE IN
EXPRESSIVE
CAPABILITY IN
THE HISTORY OF
THE HUMAN RACE.

69. A GROSSLY
SIMPLISTIC, NAÏVE,
AND LIKELY WRONG
HISTORY OF MEDIA

72. http://www.insidethestory.org/

73. http://storify.com/martincouzins/story50-50-things-to-know-about-factual-storytell

75. MY STORYTELLING STORY
http://nextexit.com/

76. MY STORYTELLING STORY
http://50ways.wikispaces.com/

77. MY STORYTELLING STORY
http://bit.ly/1UTdt3

78. MY STORYTELLING STORY
http://5card.cogdogblog.com

79. MY STORYTELLING STORY
http://pechaflickr.cogdogblog.com

80. MY STORYTELLING STORY
http://ds106.us/

81. ds106.us

82. ds106.us/tag/gmuspr14

83. assignments.ds106.us

84. bank.ds106.us

85. tdc.ds106.us

86. MAKING / TELLING
STORIES THAT
MATTER
ALAN LEVINE
go.cogdog.it/skidmore-storytelling