Filmmaking / Directing : The Art of the Story by William Colby

The Art of the Story The big blockbuster we watched this weekend at our local theater or the television series we follow every week are the modern-day interpretation of the story. Storytelling is as old as civilization itself. Inarguably, they evolved together. The earliest examples of storytelling can be seen in cave drawings from the earliest cultures throughout the world. The Bible is a more structured and well known story that is as old as the ages. Stories disseminate culture, from generation to generation, and from people to people. They are a reflection of ourselves, and often, of what we want to be. A great character evolves and takes us on an incredible journey through time and space, to places we have only dreamed of, and through circumstances that are both unbelievable and exhilarating. We put our faith and trust in our driver, the characters that are the ambassadors of the story. The story has evolved from cave pictographs, to texts carved in stone, to words scrolled on papyrus and paper. Today, they are still being told, but across multiple mediums. We still have words printed on paper and bound together, sold at our favorite bookstores. Electronic devices now stream similar content across computer laptops or electronic notebook devices. But, the most common source of the modern-day story is the motion picture screen or the television set. Generations from now, the story will still be told. And, the story is a story unto itself. The methods of delivery will be limited only by our imagination. “I have to get the story out” will ring true from both legendary and future storytellers for ages to come. The story is enduring and endearing. It is a reflection of where we have been and where we are going. It is timeless. As long as there is a civilization, there will be a story that needs to be told.