The Clues to a Great Story

I recently watched a Ted talk by Andrew Stanton, a well known filmmaker of Pixar. He directed many of my favorite childhood films like Toy Story, WALL-E, Finding Nemo and many more. In his Ted Talk, Andrew gives the listeners his key ingredients to creating a great story. It was a 20 minute talk with many great points. I learned that storytelling is just like you sitting down by the fire or is simply like telling a joke, making the listeners anticipate the ‘punchline’ or the goal of the story. Although what surprised me midway was his mention of the secret ingredient to making a great story, and that the secret ingredient is in fact, that there is NO SECRET INGREDIENT!

I’ve come to learn, that is what makes storytelling beautiful, knowing that there is no exact route. Andrew shared that there are just guidelines that storytellers follow. The two that captured my attention were these simple words, care and wonder. Make people care about what you are telling them, and especially in film, simply capture the audience with wonder. I rewatched Finding Nemo and I can tell you that rewatching it again with a much older eye, I saw the film in a whole new way than when I did as a child.

As a child, I had loved anything and everything that had to do with the ocean, so when my parents bought the film and we watched it as a family, I recall the wonder in my eyes. Seeing the ocean in a whole new light! I was attracted to the colors, the animation of the fishes and much more. Rewatching the film and seeing it with mature eyes, I was able to grasp the story more, and honestly I teared up in different moments of the film. This experience made me realize the art and the beauty of storytelling, and how a great story can not only put wonder in the eyes of a child, but also touch the heart of an adult. Once you’ve gotten the feel to write like that, you’ve got yourself a great story to tell!