Power of Art and Music
John Truby’s 7 Essential Structure Steps in The Anatomy of Story
- Weakness and Need
- Desire
- Opponent
- Plan
- Battle
- Self-Revelation
- New Equilibrium
I’ve been studying stories from a variety of mediums from short stories to film:
What makes a good story?
Or what does a good story contain?
How the hell do we get others to feel them feels?
But, a medium I particularly like is animation because it answers the above questions and hits key structure steps that weaves art and music in a most fantastical way.
It makes me sad that I can’t draw. I see worlds that I can only describe. Sometimes, reading isn’t enough to experience, though this is probably more due to my lack of imagination or skill.
Add to the fact that I’m not much of a composer (though I’d like to learn how to do that as well), there are certain feelings that I’m not sure how to convey by words alone — at least not as intensely through art and music.
Sad Face.
Anyway, something I learned recently is that I’ve been watching animation practically my whole life.
My mom would often go to the video store and rent out animated movies on VHS tapes. And she’d say that I’d watch them over and over again. As soon as it ended, I would watch it again from the start. I was simply too enamored and absorbed everything like all kids do.
This was before I could speak English — before I entered Kindergarten with a Sesame Street knowledge of basic words.
Of course, these included all of the Miyazaki films up till that time, which is why these movies hold a special place in my heart. They were literally my toddler-hood.
I can’t draw. At least, not yet. Maybe, I can practice. But damn, I feel so limited without the ability to produce art in a visual sense.
Every emotion that one can think of, especially those of grandeur, can be pushed and tested so far with art. It almost forces the viewer to have an existential pause because they are just so overflowed with…information.
And music.
My God.
What else can reveal the rubato of life better?
But if I’m going to say rubato, Barenboim or Arrau would probably be better…
Whatever.
Anyway, I made a chart a few days ago.
Love — One
Loyalty — Friend
Honor — Nation
Love — Humanity
There are certain things I want to convey, and I want them to be conveyed powerfully. So powerfully that it punches you in the face.
But, I’m still learning.
But, one day!
One day.
