Though a cartoon is two-dimensional, to make an emotional connection with the audience characters need action and re-action. Walt Disney had his artists focus on learning that.Too often presenters are so caught up in what they are going to say they never take time to add the “element” of great delivery which is expressing the emotion and reaction of our characters.

Better Your Storytelling With Emotion And Reaction

Communication

Walt Disney realized that to tell the best stories he had to invest in teaching his artists how to be the best if he wanted his movies to be the best. They then invested more and created their own schools.We need to be less concerned about how we look at our stories and instead focus on the images we draw in the minds of our audience. We use words to do that and they need just enough detail to let the minds of the audience to paint an image but not so much that we confuse the image in their mind.

Keep The Audience’s Perception In Mind

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Ever wonder what makes masters, masters? What do they do differently than average people at the same craft? Often we dismiss people as "gifted" rather than strive for figuring it out and pushing ourselves into the "uncomfortable zone." The funny part is with a little investment in focus often there are simple techniques that can move you forward quickly. It is just a matter of deciding to become a master.
Often I quote Bill Gove, "Tell a story and make a point." Storytelling is not only the heart of speaking, it's the heart of communication and has been for ages. If you are like me and believe that doesn't it make sense to learn about master storytellers and what they do and how they do it?
Many days when I'm working at home I have the TV on in the background. I enjoy the History Channel, Biography and Mythbusters. Last week I was watching a CNBC Special: Walt: The Man Behind the Myth. While watching I'm always asking myself, how can this apply to what I do and teach. A few facts about the master storyteller, Walt Disney surprised me with one and reinforced another much deeper.
When we think of "Disney" we think of this huge icon, almost an industry on its own. Like anything that is a success, it doesn't start that way. Walt Disney chose to create Snow White as his first feature length cartoon. It was actually the first feature length cartoon. He said that he chose that story because it was the best story and it had "everything."
All of Hollywood came out to see it. Disney's Snow White was a hit in 1937. Its success allowed him to pay off the studio debt in six months. If you know anything about business you know that is huge! What impressed me was what he said next:
"The first thing I did when I had a little money was sent my artists to school." ~Walt Disney Wow. He realized that to tell the best stories he had to invest in teaching his artists how to be the best. His artists were his paint brushes as he "painted" these stories. Walt Disney then went on to say that they then invested more and created their own schools.
I remember meeting a young man years ago who went to one of the Disney's schools and his specific study was how to draw wood. Yes, that specific. He told me he studied how to draw different textures and the movements of trees.
You may be thinking, "That's makes sense, but I give presentations." Though we may not be drawing cartoons, but we are using our words and voice to paint pictures in the mind of our audience. We need to be less concerned about how we look at our stories and instead focus on the images we draw in the minds of our audience. We need just enough detail to let the mind of each audience member paint and yet not too much detail that we confuse the image in their mind.
The second "ah-ha" from learning more about Walt Disney was what he had his artists focus on learning. If you were Walt Disney and you were a master storyteller, what would you have your artists focus on? Interesting question. Though a cartoon is only two-dimensional he needs to bring it to life to "take us away" as viewers. So, what is most important? The same thing that most speakers are lacking in their storytelling: action and re-action.
In order to "willingly suspend disbelief" and help us engage with a two-dimensional drawing, we must have action and reaction to believe the characters are real. This is essential to an emotional connection with our audience. Often presenters are so caught up in what they are going to say they never take time to add the "element" of great delivery which is expressing the emotion and reaction of our characters.
If master storyteller, Walt Disney believed this was important enough to get his artists to focus on it, then maybe we should add this element to our storytelling. I believe it is the difference between good and great.
One of the key stories in my winning speech, "Ouch!" was when I went home to tell my parents I wanted to be a comedian. When watching early versions of the speech I did not show the reaction of my parents when I told them. The story was ok, but a bit flat. Thanks to coaching from Mark Brown, 1995 World Champion, how showed me the importance of expressing the reaction that I had to my parents silence. Though I showed my reaction without speaking a word it made brought the story to life. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROfxx4QUNWQ">CLICK to see short video clip of the difference</a>.
They said Walt knew more about storytelling than anyone in Hollywood. Some thought he was too cute, but that is just some people's opinion. No one will argue with his ability to tell a great story. I loved discovering the first thing he did when he earned a little money was he invested in education. That was great reminder to me I must continue to do just that. I also enjoyed reinforcing the fact that reactions tell the story as much as the dialogue.
Here are the questions for you. Will you be a sponge to learn more from master storytellers? Where in your stories can you add "reactions" to take them from good to great?
Stage time, stage time, stage time, <img src="https://darrenlacroix.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/signature1.gif"> </div>

Ever wonder what makes masters, masters? What do they do differently than average people at the same craft? Often we dismiss people as "gifted" rather than strive for figuring it out and pushing ourselves into the "uncomfortable zone." The funny part is with a little investment in focus often there are simple techniques that can ...

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Stage Time: "Two Storytelling Secrets from Walt Disney" | Darren LaCroix

Better Your Storytelling With Emotion And Reaction

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Stage Time: "Two Storytelling Secrets from Walt Disney" | Darren LaCroix

Better Your Storytelling With Emotion And Reaction

Keep The Audience’s Perception In Mind

IDEAS ABOUT

MORE LIKE THIS

Walt Disney - IMDb

4 Lessons in Storytelling From Walt Disney - Museum Hack

Is Disneyland the great American artwork?

It's time to

READ

LIKE

A PRO!

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career