Hello there!
Something I’ve been thinking about for a while feels relevant to share this month. Does a story need words to land with its audience?
A 2018 edition of NYT’s Modern Love features an essay from author and activist Jamison Hill. In it, he shares the painful but illuminating experience of trying to say “I love you” to his partner, Shannon – while also coping with ME/CFS, a disease that had taken away his ability to speak. For a beautiful rendition of Hill’s words, I recommend listening to Modern Love’s 2019 podcast episode where it is read by actor Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian). The lovely conclusion to Hill’s piece: while he wanted so badly to find and use the words, she ultimately already knew – regardless of his ability to speak them.
While Campfire storytellers use their voices and words to share their stories, there are also powerful stories with no words at all. Consider the “Married Life” sequence from Pixar’s Up, where a wordless but beautifully scored montage shows us the love story that Carl and Ellie built. Or one of my personal favorites, the final ballet from 1951’s An American in Paris that illustrates the main couple’s courtship through dance.
The tools of these wordless love stories have lessons that we can use in the stories we tell. Think about what phrases could evoke a vivid image in listeners’ minds. Use body language to emphasize certain points. Even where you speed up or slow down can add to the impact your words have. So even if you do choose to use words to tell your story, don’t forget: you can add impact beyond just the words alone.
Warmest regards,
Amma
stand out stories
Our operations and strategy lead Mariah starting reading A Suitable Boy this month. She put it on hold at the library after receiving a recommendation and audibly gasped when she went to pick it up. As one of fiction’s longest novels (1,400+ pages), she was pretty sure she was going to give up pretty quickly. One-third of the way in, she’s enjoying how the book features each of the main characters just enough to leave her curious for more and the way the characters weave in and out of each other’s lives, offering differing perspectives on the same relationships and situations. Expect a full review when she finishes… in three months.
Our Executive Director Steven rewatched Episode 3 of The Last Of Us after Nick Offerman won a Golden Globe for his turn as “Bill” in the series. He only appears in one episode but makes a massive impact on the humanity of the show and that moment in the show’s timeline. That episode is also a masterclass on how to “Zoom in” and “Zoom out” on small moments that better explain the big moments. It also deftly uses flashbacks and timeline jumps to place Bill (and Frank’s) story in context. It’s a beautifully moving story and Steven got just as weepy watching it this time as he did the first handful of times he rewatched the episode.
Our content strategist Amma is still processing the stunning beauty and intricate storytelling of the new film All of Us Strangers. Apologies for the short recommendation – she’s really worried she’ll spoil something, and you deserve to be as fully surprised as she was!
Our designer Natalie watched Banshees of Inisherin recently and still can’t get over the surreal, dead-pan absurdism of the film. How can a film be so dull and ordinary at times, yet be simultaneously unreal and confusing? She knows there’s another viewing or two in the future – because this is one of those films you could watch again and again while noticing something new every time! Also, subtitles are advised, unless you’re someone who is familiar with Irish dialects!
Our program manager Jessica recently rewatched Les Miserables, and had this to say: “The theme of grace and the redemption arc is so beautiful and well-told, and the music with and even without the lyrics tells a heart-capturing story. It is a wonderful balance of hope and despair.”
