'Is technology transforming the art of story telling?' | Sharon Reid | TEDxYork
## Speaker Context
* Speaker role: Presenter discussing storytelling evolution.
## Concepts & Definitions
* **Digital storytelling**: A narrative told through visuals and through audio that we passively accept (traditional definition) vs. a narrative that's told through visuals and through audio that we can interact with and enter/exit at any points (new definition).
* **Linear storytelling**: Starting at the beginning, proceeding to a middle point, and getting to an end.
* **Nonlinear stories**: Stories where viewers are invited to enter and exit at any points.
* **Branching narrative**: A scenario where the viewer is given several choice options.
* **Wow factors**: Aspects of entertainment that make things feel new, which have disappeared because audiences know too much now.
## Numbers & Data
* 87% of us use a second screen while watching TV (Data from a report last year).
* 10 choices and two options each choice: over a thousand branches (Calculation for branching narrative).
* Three choices have turns: turns a fairly simple 60 minute TV show into six hundred minutes of watchable footage (Calculation for branching narrative).
## Claims & Theses
* Storytelling has been around since the Dark Ages.
* Stories can be used to entertain as well as to communicate.
* None of the storytellers mentioned (Shakespeare, etc.) used Hollywood special effects to bring their stories to life.
* Technology in some form has always transformed the art of storytelling.
* Technology is transforming how we consume stories.
* Traditional storytelling has always been linear.
* Digital storytelling is what introduced the idea of nonlinear stories.
* The ability to interact in real time is changing the whole viewing experience.
* The shift in stories having is that "distracted viewing" now exists.
* We are the most powerful that today's entertainment brands have ever seen.
* Disney needs to consider how the apps, how they partner, how much cast time for tour, and how much behind-the-scenes footage when making a Star Wars film.
* If the viewer has agency, the director is no longer sharing their vision with us; we have a say in the direction of how the story unfolds.
* The amount of work for a filmmaker increases exponentially with the number of choices.
* The technology placing additional effort on filmmakers puts an additional financial burden on us as viewers.
* If Netflix or Disney can use their advantage, they could predict how every single episode of television that we ever watched should go.
* This technology could enable us to live in an echo chamber.
## Mechanisms & Processes
* Cavemen used fire and drawings to tell stories of hunting of animals of rituals.
* Shakespeare influenced modern storytelling through his work.
* Storytellers have always loved to experiment with new tools.
* The process of writing a story with 10 choices and two options each choice requires writing over a thousand branches.
* The process of increasing story complexity forces the writer and director to build every possible scenario and plan for all interactions.
* The process of a protagonist's character arc being changed by viewer choices.
## Timeline & Events
* Dark Ages: Storytelling began with fire and drawings used by cavemen.
* Hundreds and hundreds of years ago: William Shakespeare worked.
* Modern era: The comparison point to current technology is made.
* 10 years ago: Boris Johnson became the first mayor of London; *Hamilton* premiered; Barack Obama became president of the United States.
* 2008: When discussing being interactive, the references were to sitting in a live studio audience or calling in via landline.
* 1977: Year of the first Star Wars film mentioned.
## Examples & Cases
* Favorite story examples: Enid Blyton stories, *The Gruffalo*, *Charlotte's Web*, *Weathering Heights*, *Lord of the Flies*.
* Technology examples: Audible for listening to stories while running.
* Storyteller examples: William Shakespeare, Steve Jobs (keynote speeches), George Lucas, Steven Spielberg.
* Interactive/Immersive technology examples: Watching *Jaws* in a hot tub, watching *Griefs* at a pop-up cinema, Netflix's rumored choose your own adventure style episode.
* Historical viewing examples: Going to Kings Cross to get early editions of newspapers in the 90s (when working late).
* Specific film/show examples: *The Shining*, *Sarah Connor* vs. *Terminator*, *Noel's house party*, *The Price is Right*.
* Death room scenario: One death route relies on practical effects (requiring makeup team and stunt team); the other involves a spectacular car crash (requiring VFX and SFX teams).
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
* **Passive storytelling (Traditional):** Comfortable, structured, director controls every aspect, viewer has no choice (e.g., sitting down to watch).
* **Interactive storytelling (Digital):** Viewers can enter/exit at any points, viewer has a say in direction, risk of loss of narrative control.
* **Low-tech/Past (Caveman/Shakespeare):** Limited by available technology (fire/drawing/oral tradition).
* **High-tech/Future (AI/VR):** Promises new ways to experience stories but poses challenges (e.g., computational load for branching narratives).
## Counterarguments & Caveats
* The idea of advanced tech (VR, AR, AI) sounds very futuristic, but it is already creeping into everyday life.
* The current view of watching (passive) is "totally passive and we have no choice in the matter at all."
* The appeal of interactivity might be a gimmick to get attention.
* Some people would argue technological changes will make it *easier* for filmmakers to execute their visions.
* The challenge of creating branching narratives: It increases effort exponentially (e.g., 10 choices x 2 options = 1000 branches).
* The financial burden of technology is on the viewer ("puts an additional financial burden on us as viewers").
## Methodology
* The speaker analyzed the historical progression of storytelling mediums, from cave drawings to modern streaming services.
* The speaker used a comparative analysis between passive viewing experiences and interactive viewing experiences.
## References Cited
* Enid Blyton (Author).
* *The Gruffalo* (Book).
* *Charlotte's Web* (Book).
* *Weathering Heights* (Book).
* *Lord of the Flies* (Book).
* Audible (Service).
* William Shakespeare (Author).
* Steve Jobs (Keynote speaker).
* George Lucas (Filmmaker/Storyteller).
* Steven Spielberg (Filmmaker/Storyteller).
* Netflix (Platform/Company).
* *Black Mirror* (Show).
* *The Haunting of Hill House* (Show).
* *Jurassic Park* (Film).
* IMDb (Website).
* Sky, HBO, Disney (Streaming/Content companies).
* Amazon Prime (Service).
## Conclusions & Recommendations
* Filmmakers must now develop projects for *all* mediums, starting with the ability to reach people in China versus India.
* The speaker suggests that filmmakers must build projects considering apps, VR/AR experiences, tours, and distributed content release timing.
* The speaker advocates for encouraging independent filmmakers, short filmmakers, documentary filmmakers, and student filmmakers to break the monopoly of big studios.
## Implications & Consequences
* If viewers have agency, the story is no longer solely the director's vision.
* If the viewer has agency, the original artistic merits (like the fear in *The Shining*) could be diminished.
* A high number of choices leads to a massive increase in the amount of material, turning a 60-minute show into footage longer than three feature films.
* If data is allowed, viewing habits could be predicted, leading to algorithms that write scripts for viewers.
## Open Questions
* Would we have inadvertently made the ending of *The Shining* less scary if we'd been able to change it?
* Would we even have groundbreaking cinema if we'd not been able to influence the outcome?
* Do we need all these multiple second screens to view the additional content?
* Do we all need to turn up 15 minutes early before watching a film for the VR version?
## Verbatim Moments
* "We don't know how the story goes, and we all have a say."
* "It's no longer the director sharing their vision with the viewer now we'll have a say in the direction of how the story unfolds and we'll have a part in telling that story."
* "We need to make sure that the characters still have a compelling character arc in most narratives whatever you watch there's a gradual progression of the protagonist as they progress through the story which culminates in the ending."
* "If this technology really does empower filmmakers and viewers then maybe it's the only way that this industry will grow."
* "we're going to live in this kind of echo chamber."