Film making is story telling. Right?
So what’s more important – the film making or the story telling?
NPRs Scott Simon knows a thing or two about this subject and shares a few tips in this short video.
Learning to use the language of film to tell stories is one thing. But the basics of good story telling are about the story itself, not the media used to tell the story.
Scott Simon walks the talk in this video. It’s as important to watch what he does as much as listening to what he says. He’s using his own tips to tell the story… brilliant!
Even though we’re all grown up adults, we still respond to a good story. And, if the story teller is a good one, we’ll find ourselves lost in imagination. This is an art that can only be learned in the doing.
That’s the main reason I focus on the script more than anything else. Shooting with the best crew and equipment will not save a poor script with no story. But if you have a good script that tells a compelling story you can create a wonderful film with basic equipment and skills.
There are lots of resources for learning the art of story telling in film. Here are some of my favorites:
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need
I also recommend finding friends that you can watch classic movies with and analyze the movie from various perspectives – plot, character development, movement between acts, and all the other elements of good scriptwriting.
Casablanca has been called “the perfect script” and I’ve watched the movie many times, learning more each time – if I can keep myself from getting caught up in the story!
So put down your camera and start learning how to tell stories. It’s the key to your success as a film maker.
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