Creative Story Telling For Filmmakers:
Telling the stories of very young entrepreneurs.
Humans have been telling stories for what seems like an eternity now. We have used music, written word, spoken word, paintings, photographs and video to tell these stories. We’ve told stories not only to entertain, but to inspire. What is creative storytelling though? And how does it tie into very young entrepreneurs?
Creative storytelling is a collaboration. It is like building a four-walled house. Every brick has a purpose. Let us start by laying the foundation and cementing the floor. As a filmmaker, my default state was good lighting, good audio, about five generic questions for the interviewee, good b-roll, a nice soundtrack and slick transitions. But where is the impact in that? Where is the contribution to behaviour change? I have been fortunate enough to work for an organization that has invested heavily in answering these two questions. Research papers have been produced and this Theory of Change has been the foundation we have used to tell the stories of very young entrepreneurs (VYEs). This approach has given us the creative freedom to tell stories that raise awareness and work towards attitude change. This is our purpose. This is our foundation.
Now that we have laid the foundation and cemented the floor, let us start building the walls of this four-walled house. Many factors are at play in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Using the Anzisha Prize Theory of Change, let us limit these factors to parents, educators, investors and policymakers. Why place limits you may ask? Well, it is very important to know who your audience is. Know your target audience and cater to them. A one size fits all approach may have its merits. It allows us to cram a lot of information in a single video. I have, however, found that stories told this way lack the depth that a target-specific story has.
Our foundation is solid, our walls are up and now we need to build our roof structure. I know a lot of filmmakers that don’t like sending interview questions beforehand. Their reasoning is that it takes away from the authenticity of the story. I, on the other hand, truly appreciate a well-prepared interviewee and by extension so does a viewer. Coherent and well put together responses can make a story. Preparation contributes to a person’s confidence and a lack of preparation takes away from it. I have made the mistake of not sending interview questions beforehand because the interviewee was confident and well-spoken. That experience taught me that some confident people blabber without guidance which in turn weakens your story. I have also experienced the extreme opposite and seen how sending questions to a camera-shy person bolstered their confidence and they gave amazing responses to questions. As a storyteller, do not give up control of your narrative. Guide it every step of the way.
It is time to put up the roof. Nothing fancy, just a simple roof that will keep the elements out and not poke holes in our story. As a teenager, I enjoyed watching detective series and movies. I’m a huge Batman fan. I enjoy how detail oriented he is. Storytelling is at its best when stringing together all the little details in a sequence. Miss one small detail and the impact is big. An overlooked detail is nonverbal communication. That leg that is moving up and down like a jackhammer or the inability to sit still during an interview, usually are signs of anxiousness or nervousness. As storytellers, we must be aware of all these elements and adapt accordingly. This is something I can’t compromise on. I have gone as far as clearing sets to make my interviewee comfortable. Strive to always capture the best representation of your interviewee. The story isn’t just what people hear, it is also the things they see that aren’t being said.
Our four-walled house is looking decent. All that is missing is the door, window and furniture. First up, is the door and window. Pre-shoot, always pre-shoot. I cannot stress this enough. Pre-shoots allow you to identify and solve technical and non-technical problems before filming commences. It allows you to protect the integrity of the story you’re telling.
Your shot list, how you light your interviews, your b-roll, the grading, the sound design, this is the furniture. This is what makes your four-walled house feel like a home. This is the home where the stories of VYEs will reside.
Like I stated in the beginning, creative storytelling is a collaboration. Different disciplines need to come together in harmony to produce a compelling and creative story. You can find a detailed example of this collaboration on the Anzisha Prize: It Starts With You page.
