Storytelling clues...

Here are some gems from Andrew Stanton's TED talk..

• knowing your punchline
• everything you're saying from the beginning of the story to the end leads to one single goal
• Make me care
• All good stories should start with a promise that this is going to lead somewhere good.
• it's going to be worth your time
• A well told promise is like a pebble being pulled back by a slingshot
• storytelling without dialogue - audience actually wants to work for their meal. purest form of storytelling.
• We deduct. Absence of information draws us in.
• We can't stop ourselves from wanting to complete the sentence and filling in.
• Unifying theory of of 2+2 ... don't give the audience 4, give the audience of 2+2
• Stories are not a widget, they are not a science
• Character = all well drawn characters have a spine. Every character has an inner urge.. to do something. Wal-E was to find beauty. Woody - to do best for the child. Every great character has this one main mission - inner urge. Wired a certain way.
• Change is fundamental in stories. Life is never static.
• Drama is anticipation mingled with anxiety.
• Liking your main character.
• Can you invoke wonder?
• Use what you know. Capture the truth from your experience. Personal appeal deep down from your core.