Showing posts with label storytelling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label storytelling. Show all posts
A Very Short Post About Personal Life and Storytelling in a Schizophrenic World
Ok, Ok, I'm a sucker for Bob Dylan. It's no that I'm an "emotional fan" : I don't want to collect his panties or whatsoever, really. I don't even think he's a particularly great singer.
But that's the thing about Bob Dylan's fans : we're just attracted, we've watched "No Direction Home" by Scorsese dozens of times and afterward we try to justify our fascination with rhetorical bullshit. Just like a sect.
Maybe Dylan was just the right man in the right place. I think Dylan is a kind of empirical "Ideal Type" (=Pure Type) of Modern Life. As a wannabe, he had fantasies about his own future. As a beginner, he was into Politics. As Establishment, he was a trendsetter. As a human, he thought he could be interested in religion. It's not that simple but, for sure, he's experienced most of the possible psychological states in the contemporary world. He knows about experience.
Anyway, this post is about storytelling. How would you tell the life of such a guy ? Todd Haynes is clearly a genius. His movie "I'm not there" is a breakthrough. His idea is simple : to REALLY tell the story of Bob Dylan, you will need several characters.
But that's the thing about Bob Dylan's fans : we're just attracted, we've watched "No Direction Home" by Scorsese dozens of times and afterward we try to justify our fascination with rhetorical bullshit. Just like a sect.
Maybe Dylan was just the right man in the right place. I think Dylan is a kind of empirical "Ideal Type" (=Pure Type) of Modern Life. As a wannabe, he had fantasies about his own future. As a beginner, he was into Politics. As Establishment, he was a trendsetter. As a human, he thought he could be interested in religion. It's not that simple but, for sure, he's experienced most of the possible psychological states in the contemporary world. He knows about experience.
Anyway, this post is about storytelling. How would you tell the life of such a guy ? Todd Haynes is clearly a genius. His movie "I'm not there" is a breakthrough. His idea is simple : to REALLY tell the story of Bob Dylan, you will need several characters.
And that's it. A cult movie. So, Todd Haynes's target was a easy one : Dylan's fans are.. you know... Like addicts.
But how far this principe of storytelling could be valid ? Let's take a basic customer, and your database... What if you consider each of them as Bob Dylan-like ? What would be the consequences on your statistics ?
But how far this principe of storytelling could be valid ? Let's take a basic customer, and your database... What if you consider each of them as Bob Dylan-like ? What would be the consequences on your statistics ?
Would you call a "ShowTime planner" the guy(s) who knew Dexter and Hank Moody from Californication would catch your Mother ?
Creating imaginary characters to catch attraction is a thing I find really exciting.
I watched all the episodes of both Californication and Dexter. I think Hank Moody and Dexter, the two main characters of these TV Shows, were brilliantly designed to rock.
So, what about them ? There should be a guy who is a "planner" in a way at Showtime. Look at Dexter. It's well-known that people are fascinated by serial killers (just check the audience of movies and books dedicated to those guys).
Why ? It's not our problem but obviously, for law-abiding and "regular people", it doesn't feel comfortable to be fascinated by serial killers. It's not correct, it's disturbing. There's a barrier. So how would you create a successful TV show about a serial killer without causing embarrassment ?
I watched all the episodes of both Californication and Dexter. I think Hank Moody and Dexter, the two main characters of these TV Shows, were brilliantly designed to rock.
So, what about them ? There should be a guy who is a "planner" in a way at Showtime. Look at Dexter. It's well-known that people are fascinated by serial killers (just check the audience of movies and books dedicated to those guys).
Why ? It's not our problem but obviously, for law-abiding and "regular people", it doesn't feel comfortable to be fascinated by serial killers. It's not correct, it's disturbing. There's a barrier. So how would you create a successful TV show about a serial killer without causing embarrassment ?
The first insight they use is that people have an innate sense of justice. So Dexter will only kill criminals.
Second insight: clever people will soon think we promote death penalty. So Dexter will be funny, chaotic and sometimes clumsy. Dexter will experience lose of control and depression. There you go. Blockbuster TV Show.
Second insight: clever people will soon think we promote death penalty. So Dexter will be funny, chaotic and sometimes clumsy. Dexter will experience lose of control and depression. There you go. Blockbuster TV Show.
And Hank Moody ? The same pattern.
First insight : cynical people who don't give a fuck and spend their lives having fun seem to be charismatic to "regular" people who lead a "normal" life. They're spicy and medias make them look as if they had no constraints at all. That's the way rock stars get their audience. But the fascination could cause embarrassment here too. "It's not correct".
Second insight : clever people will think we promote operational nihilism and the "not giving a fuck" way of life. So Hank will be like that because he's in love. He will know he destroys himself. It won't be his fault. There you go. Blockbuster TV Show.
First insight : cynical people who don't give a fuck and spend their lives having fun seem to be charismatic to "regular" people who lead a "normal" life. They're spicy and medias make them look as if they had no constraints at all. That's the way rock stars get their audience. But the fascination could cause embarrassment here too. "It's not correct".
Second insight : clever people will think we promote operational nihilism and the "not giving a fuck" way of life. So Hank will be like that because he's in love. He will know he destroys himself. It won't be his fault. There you go. Blockbuster TV Show.
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