The Power of Story

IESE, October 7th 2014The Power Of Story

The Incredibles, Brad Bird, 2004

The Dark Knight, Chris Nolan, 2008

Up, Pete Docter, 2009

Gladiator, Ridley Scott, 2000

Casablanca, Michael Curtiz, 1942

“Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it.”

Hannah Arendt

Willing submission

Vicarious experience

to a

Suspension of disbelief

which requires

Emotional demand

in order to satisfy an

“Drama is life minus the boring parts.” Alfred Hitchcock

Conflict

Man Society Nature

Collateral, Michael Mann, 2004Minority Report, Steven Spielberg, 2002War Of The Worlds, Steven Spielberg, 2005

Reality Fiction

The Princess Bride, Rob Reiner, 1987

V For Vendetta, James McTeigue, 2005Star Trek: Into Darkness, J.J. Abrams, 2013

A story should have a beginning, a middle and an end, but not necessarily in that order.

Jean-Luc Godard

TRANSFORMATION

Status Quo Rising Action Resolution

CHARACTER GOAL

HOPE FEARTENSION

WHATHAPPENSNEXT?

1

2

3

CONFLICT

CHARACTER

TENSION

CAN’TWALKAWAY

Fiction

Reality

THEME

MESSAGE

CHARACTER GOALCONFLICT

EMOTION

“Fairy tales are more than true — not because they tell us dragons exist, but

because they tell us dragons can be beaten.”Neil Gaiman / G.K. Chesterton