I tell stories. This was a beautiful moment captured for my most recent story, Stages. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/qxc8-FSJWcI

Taming the Muse

Thoughts of a _Professional Storyteller_-In-Training.


There’s a quote by former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata (God rest his soul) that’s been circling the interwebs in the wake of his passing, and it really speaks to how I classify my work as an artist:

“On my business card, I’m a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I’m a gamer.”

“…in my heart, I’m a gamer.” Thanks for all the stories, Iwata-san. Rest easy.

I tend to make the same divisions as Iwata-san once did. Depending on the profession I’m working in, my business card or e-mail signature will list me as a filmmaker or vocalist. In my mind, I believe myself to be an artist, regardless of the two mediums I’m working in. But in my heart and my soul, I know that I am a lover of stories and intuitively a _storyteller_.

It’s the reason I have listed on nearly ALL of my social media accounts “Professional Storyteller, Amateur [Insert Social Media Site Here]-er.” I believe in this title more than anything; that at the core of what I do, regardless of the medium, I am supposed to tell a story.

There’s a bond between storytellers and their audience; together they share in the experience of a story. This night of performing was a moment in time where that bond was the most palpable to me. #B3

Think about your favorite movie. Or favorite band, or song, or work of visual art, or work of literature, or architectural design. Hell, even think about your favorite scientific theory, or mathematic equation, or even your favorite meal. All of those things in some way or another are informed by a story that _needed_ to be told by the person from which that work originated.

The artist, author, mathematician, scientist, or chef had this innate desire to explain _this_ or describe _that_. They were compelled by something deep down in their souls to tell a story and _communicate_ with others in some way. Those people were able to tame their muses; they pulled something from the dreams that lived in the imaginarium of their minds and shaped it into existence in order to bring a greater understanding of this world to all of humanity. To tell a story is to truly know ourselves, others and our world better, and I think that’s one of the most beautiful facets of our life that I’ve come to learn. It took me a long time to understand what I think we all know intuitively, but through years of education from family, mentors and friends, I’ve been finally able to articulate these thoughts and come to a greater conclusion as to _why_ I make the things that I make.

Inception, the film that taught me that impossible stories are possible, and the film that I credit with the inspiration for me to become a filmmaker.

Storytelling is present in everything that we can observe. Listening to a song, we can say that this beat or that guitar riff was created out of a motivation to tell the story of the song in a specific, desired way. In a movie, a shot is framed in such a manner to reveal a facet of the story on an entirely new level. In completing a math problem or testing a scientific theory, we’re brought to a greater understanding of how someone’s interpretation, or _story_, helps us measure and observe our world. Even in eating a meal, we physically taste the the _story_ a chef wants us to experience when ordering the food or replicating the recipe in our kitchens.

Storytelling is also always on my mind every single time I focus on my own works. It’s there when I’m working up a solo or musical arrangement, or attempting to craft a new work in the filmic or visual arts. It’s even there as I’m writing this blog post (meta, I know). I’m taming my muse, using my God-given gifts of artistic interpretation to try and pull _something_ from the mystical aether of my soul and will into existence a work that will connect with others. I find an incredible amount of emotional and spiritual strength in this process, as I feel it affirms my discovered purpose of storytelling that God has tasked me with in this life. (that’s just how I personally interpret it, but the same process definitely works regardless of your religious views).

I always ask myself as I create, “What’s the best way to tell the story my heart wants me to tell?” and, more importantly, “Can I use this story to inspire someone else to tell a story of their own?”

“…you’ll see me waiting for you, on the corner of the street, ‘cus I’m not moving.” A story of heartache and hope that started me on the path of how to truly tell a story as a vocalist.

Lastly, and I think most importantly, as a direct result of being able to tell these stories, we are able to connect with others. We form the bonds of friendships and kinships, all linked by that same desire to tell stories together. It’s then those shared stories, those moments that we create when united, that defines our love and devotion for each other.

These are such fascinating things to ponder as a human, and I encourage you all to think about how _you_ tell your stories. Whether you’re listening to a song, looking at a sculpture in a museum, or even possibly cracking open that old journal to write something about your life. Listen to the muse that stirs within your soul. Ask yourself these questions: “Why does this story affect me and others?”, “What’s the story that I want to tell?”, and “How will I connect and communicate with someone else through this story?”

Then, when those questions are answered, go forth and tame your muse.

The song, emotion and story that the above image is capturing.