On visual storytelling

+ how to train your mind to see

Dear wonderers,

It’s been an intense month for me as I’ve changed jobs and jumped head first into a weirdly fascinating industry — cinema operations.

But I need more time for introspection and (un)learning before I start explaining that bit ;)

This edition, though, was sparked by the change as it reminded me of the joys and challenges of visual storytelling.

So buckle up and let’s explore some oldies and goldies in the thriving art of moving images. (Yes, anime will be included)

1.

Pixar’s storytelling framework in a nutshell.

Two important ideas to keep in mind:

The audience actually wants to work for their meal. They just don't want to know that they're doing that.

and

Change is fundamental in a story.

Yes and yes! At its core, every story is a documented change. In the context, in the environment, in the inner world of a character, in a relationship — most of the times in a mix of all of the above.

And the value it brings to its audience is its ability to make that audience think, ponder, learn something, and draw their own conclusions. I can’t stress this enough.

A good story is not fast-food, it is a recognition of ingredients that you get to season with your inner world(s).

2.

Video essay authors #mustwatch if you, like me, enjoy understanding the movie-making process. From the world building, to the writing, all the way to the technical bits in between:

• Every frame a painting. Start with this deep-dive on the importance of sound storytelling. You’ll never listen to a film the same way again.

• StudioBinder. Start with a big one in the art of storytelling - how to shape the message you want to transmit about the world without explicitly saying it. P.S. for my (content) marketers in here, Studio Binder is a great example of how to create educational and entertaining branded content around your software product.

• The Cinema Cartography. Start with a celebration of the art of Japanese animation, as they say.

• CineFix. Start with how a scene’s composition unravels the meaning of a story.

There’s more where that came from, but if you just watch these first, you’ll discover more on your own :)

3.

A fun introduction to film studies or How to analyze movies.

Yes, I know I’m cheating a bit. Yet, this one is not quite a video essay but a creative way to understand the what, how, and why of film storytelling.

Where the camera is placed, how it moves, how a shot uses light and colour, how the actors are positioned, these all have a psychological and emotional effect on the audience. Changing any one of those elements can radically affect how we interpret something.

And that is why the auteurs are called so. Curious already?

Shorts

• Amsterdam was my home for almost 1 year and I miss it from time to time. Especially when I see urbanism done right.

• This one deserves its own essay (and I’ll get to it, eventually) — on control, anxiety, and focusing on fixing things. My take on it: more of enjoying the process, less of fixating on outcomes.

• Tim Urban’s book is finally here!

Tiny Thought

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.

Edgar Degas

(if you want to let your mind wonder, follow Artist for a week.)