Those that know me well, know that I’m not just an author. I’m a designer in my day job. I’m also a photographer, amateur actor and amateur filmmaker. These disciplines might seem diverse on the surface, but in reality, for me, each sprouts from the same part of me: storytelling.
Telling Stories through Photography
Photography, when done well, tells a story. It’s no accident that people will say that a photo is worth a thousand words. So much can be conveyed in a single photograph. The bonus? Photos let the viewer insert themselves into the story in creative ways. Take a look at the photo above, what story does that tell to you?
Telling Stories through Design
Design is not art. Design is creating things for the purpose of appealing to, and being used by human beings. Design is about communicating intent and eliciting desire. Good design tells a story. Stories are fundamental to humanity and design is no different.
Telling Stories through Acting
I love theater. I love acting. In high school, I played the lead in two of the major productions. The skills I learned then are invaluable to me today. I’m a very deep, strong, introvert, but I can act like an extravert (that’s the correct spelling, by the way, as coined by Carl Jung); it’s a survival skill that I learned as an actor. It’s makes me a better speaker and allows me to tell my stories in dramatic, comedic and engaging ways. It also makes recording good audio books possible.
Telling Stories through Film-making
We all love movies (right?) and we love being pulled in by the story the movies give us. This is one of my favorite ways of telling stories and I’m practicing all the time. I’m an amateur, for sure, but I love the process. I love taking video (photography with motion) and combining it with music, acting, and editing (a form of design) to put together a compelling story.
Plus More
Of course, there are more than these four ways to tell a story. There’s writing (duh!) and I’ve mentioned music as a way to tell stories. What’s your story? How are you telling that story?
You are a very talented man Michael and I love how you wove each of these ways together in to how to tell a story!
Wow, Ann, thank you so much for the praise.
So many people forget this storytelling aspect, or they lump storytelling into one thing they do. About three years ago storytelling became a part of who I am rather than something I did. Since then I have had a much greater impact in my world.
James, I like how you put that storytelling has become a part of your identity. That’s good insight.