Remembering with stories

Storytelling is a very strong tool to remember our history.
Yesterday it was 70 years ago the Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. To start the liberation of Europe.

When you see the age of the veterans, and the few there are left. Storytelling becomes very important. Because the people who were there, who lived through that hell, they soon won't be around anymore to share their story. Capturing their story now is very important, so it can be preserved for generations to come, to retell and remember what happened.

Because

From Huffingtonpost

it is hard to remember when you are there now a days, what happened there 70 years ago. Although it is such an important part of our history.

Listen to the stories of the heroes of those days, and retell their story. Those stories must never be lost.

Your story

Austin Kleon is a writer, blogger, artist from the United States. I got familiar with his work at SXSW 2014, where he was one of the key-notes. I bought his books "Steal like an Artist" and "Show your work". 

In "Steal like an Artist" Austin tells you how he looks at the world of an aspiring artist, how to get your work out into the world. 
And how to handle whenever you get stuck.

And his main advice is: Steal! Steal the ideas from the greatest minds in the world, but than transform them into your own ideas. So not simply copying, but adding to them, making them into your own story, your own idea. 

I came across one comment from him in the book that I particularly loved, especially in regards to storytelling:
"The best advice is not to write what you know, it's to write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best - write the story you want to read. The same principle applies to your life and your carreer: Whenever you're at a loss for what move to make next, just ask yourself, "What would make a better story?" "

So let's start working on that. What you don't like, don't blame somebody else, but start writing your own version of it, and try to live that way, so you can make that story come true.

Picture from: http://relique-memoirs.tumblr.com/

What movie did you see?? - Framing

I already spoke about framing a while back (here).

I now came across a wonderful example how the way you talk about a story will put in a completely different frame.

This is it:

A very different idea of the movie I watch with my four year old nephew.

Eurovision Song Contest 2014

This is the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, Conchita Wurst from Austria. And yes, you are seeing it correctly, that is a bearded lady. Well, actually it is a man, in an awesome gown, with a beard. And he just won the Eurovision Song Contest.

It wasn't a bad song he had. It is a very strong song and a pretty tough song to sing, and he managed it very well (a lot better than other contestants with their songs). 
The song that came second was the better song (a wee bit chauvinism here, but The Calm after the Storm is a great song).

Conchita won, because (s)he had a great story to tell. He is a boy, bullied in his youth because he was more girlish than other boys and later because he is gay and a transvestite. The song, Rise like a Phoenix, is about overcoming your troubles and coming out stronger. Something he did with dressing like a woman, but leaving a beard as well. 

A story of being who you are and equality for all made him win the Eurovision Song Contest.

Immersive Storytelling - HobbitCon

Being part of the story, one of the characters or one of the essential components in a story. That is what immersive storytelling is.

You have campaigns that try to get people so invested in them, they become part of the story. You also have people who want to be part of a story and seek all opportunities to become part of it.

I'm one of those people.
I love everything Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit / J.R.R. Tolkien. So when an opportunity occurs where I can meet fellow fans, cast-members, people from behind the scenes of the movies or otherwise connected to my passion, I try to be there.

That is why I love to go to conventions. Actors who can tell you the fun stories about what happened on set, the interesting stories of how they got into character, what they had to do to find that character inside themselves. The experts who know so much on topics related to Tolkien. Other fans who are likely invested in the entire happening. Who dress up as their favourite character, in amazing costumes. And who become friends, through this shared story.

During the past Easter weekend it was Hobbit-Con in Bonn, Germany. A true gem when it comes to conventions. Where true fans of the books/movies are, dressed in wonderful costumes, where the actors feel free to move around, mingle with the fans, sit in the audience when their fellow actors are on stage.

And at the convention, we had the pleasure of welcoming Ken Stott, who portrays Balin in The Hobbit Trilogy, to his very first convention. At the end, of his last panel, he was asked, why didn't you want to come to conventions first, when you seem to like it now.
He gave this wonderful reply:
"Why would you need conventions? It is a book? It is a movie? What else should there be. But here, it becomes hope, joy, it becomes reality."
A very good description of immersive storytelling, and the reason why I love going to conventions.

The actors and experts on stage during the opening ceremony of HobbitCon 2014

Koriente

Businesses that tell a true story, I love them. 
I came across one in Austin (TX), Koriente.

They have this painted next to their door:

(Sorry, the picture is taken at night and a bit wobbly)

It reads:

My mom started this restaurant because she hates to cook.

She loved going out to eat (make someone else do the work) but found it tough to find healthy, msg free, lowkal, balanced meals with prices within daily reach. She felt guilty for feeding us crap & felt sick of being a housewife, so she said:

“why not open a restaurant for people like me.”

What a fun story to tell around your business!

And, if you are in Austin and looking for a great place to eat, go there. Amazing food, absolutely fresh and delicious, and very affordable.

Storytelling by Omega

I came across this wonderful example of storytelling in the following commercial by Omega.
It is visually stunning and it tells a story. A story of a world revolving, going on, using mechanics. And this world, you can hold, in your watch.