Creator's Corner: Best Visual Content = Storytelling Solutions via A&E Professionals

NOTE: Creator's Corner is now being published on Wordpress, so you can access and read all of the columns (past and future) easily at one location. Click Here.

STAGE 32 (ONE OF MY FAVORITE WEBSITES) INVITES IT'S MEMBERS TO SELECT 10 FILMS THAT WE WOULD TAKE WITH US IF WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND. I don't know what criteria you would use to select the stories to watch over and over and over again, but the ones I chose impacted me on an emotional, mental or spiritual basis; introduced me to a new world or perspective; or simply fueled my imagination into high gear.

THE DESERT ISLAND MOVIES. The movies I picked are: The Red Balloon (My Top Pick is the original 1956 version), and the rest in no particular order: Harvey, Being There, Jesus Christ Superstar, Ingmar Bergman's Trilogy (Through A Glass Darkly, Winter Light & The Silence), Topper, Life is Beautiful, West Side Story, Chocolat & A Christmas Carol.

                     

A red balloon with a life of it's own follows a little boy
around the streets of Paris.

WHO HASN'T BEEN SEDUCED BY A FILM OR TV PROGRAM? Consider one that completely engaged you--and with binge watching original programming content today, how can anyone one of us deny the fact that arts and entertainment professionals (screenwriters, directors, actors, cinematographers, producers, showrunners, etc.) are often masters of storytelling. Therefore, it makes perfect, logical sense for us to listen to what they have to say to help us become much better at it.

Column Inspiration:

Shonda Rhimes' Rules of Work:
"Come Into My Office with a Solution, Not a Problem"

THE BUSINESS OF STORYTELLING. Now that those of us who provide strategy for and produce content are being challenged to inform, educate, persuade, inspire and entertain our audience (potential clients/customers and current ones) through storytelling, there is pressure to get up to speed FAST!

"Storytelling must be respected and evaluated as a valued component of growth hacking and ROI."

STORYTELLING MUST BE RESPECTED AND EVALUATED AS A VALUED COMPONENT OF GROWTH HACKING AND ROI. This is similar to filmmakers and original programming writers, studios, and streaming services who carefully craft what they create to recompense their investors and producers (they are first to get paid from the revenues).

Column Inspiration:

5 Storytelling Techniques for Business
From Former Actress Turned Entrepreneur

THE AUDIENCE OR USER AS THE STORYTELLER. What if you're just not feeling secure as a storyteller, or simply don't have the time, budget or interest to do-it-yourself? If you've been paying close attention, you know that practically every person on this planet is telling stories in a variety of formats and sharing them on the Internet via social media, or there are professional membership online groups like Stage32.  

Column Inspiration:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt On How to Unleash
the Creative Potential of the Internet

ARE YOU A CURATOR OR DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE? People are often extremely eager to share their existing content (in which case you act as a curator of nonprofessional content from the general public), or you can collaborate with professionals who will want to  contribute original content (for which you act more as a development executive) to expand their industry resume and portfolio. Either way, the storytelling solutions are available--and some of the best resources come from those in the storytelling industry itself.

MAY YOU DISCOVER MORE CREATIVE ideas and storytelling support now (and in the future) by exploring the Creativity & Storytelling 'Zine, and previous Creator's Corner columns: How To Work (And Play) Well With "The Others" To Succeed; Best Visual Content = Storytelling Solutions via A&E Professionals, Lies & Storytelling: Strange Bedfellows in Shades of Gray; Best Storytelling Has Sensory Empathy (or It's Important to Engage the Senses), Get Up To Speed On Quality Do-It-Yourself Storytelling: On a Low Budget, Best Storytelling is Copied, Stolen Content? (or The Lighter Shade of Led Zeppellin), The Joy is in the Story Journey (or Mission Impossible), Best Story Content Grounded In Our Past & Current Life; Conflict Has Creative Value, Learn How To Use It; Card Decks & the Mystic or Visionary Persona, Here Comes Play-Doh, and Sacred Geometry–Visual Storytelling Content: One Of Top Four Creative Trends 2016.

Dare to shine, be generous, and love this life.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Winter Solstice (belated), and New Year!

Valerie







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CREATOR'S CORNER is dedicated to sharing ideas that come to mind after reading and selecting articles for The Creativity & Storytelling 'Zine (as the editor/curator) that may be useful in a professional or personal capacity. Interest in creativity and storytelling as content for usage in arts & entertainment, media communications, marketing and advertising, and as lifestyle choices for businesses, projects and services (groups that have a way of life that may or may not be included in their brand identity), can be relevant to anyone anywhere in the world covering a variety of professions.