TASK 1
Embedded Files
STORY AND YOU
CREATIVE ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT
For millennia, we've been wired to share information through stories.
Tldr: There are an expansive number of ways to communicate a story. A practice we have been perfecting since the dawn of human existence. Through different mediums and methods we can explore narratives together in new and exciting ways. Whether it is reading, spoken word, music, gestures or movement.
Examples of Storytelling
Examples of Storytelling
Books
Read by us or read to us. As babies and children, our parents read to us to help us fall asleep.
Tales from grandparents
Hearing about days of old, their life and experiences. My nans experience during evacuation during the war. This can also include fictional tales.
Television
One of the greats, beaming entire worlds into our homes. Fact or fiction, television can show us stories from anywhere and anyone.
What We Read
What We Read
(as babies)
Parents faces
Looking for reactions and how to react (i.e reading the room).
To understand the world around us.
How things feel
Both using our sense of touch and how things feel emotionally.
We learn from our surroundings. This period of our life often shapes who we become as we grow up.
What We Need
What We Need
(as humans)
Connection
a friendship or romance
Love
Pure, true, platonic, romantic or familiar
Kindness
To ourselves and to others
Truth
However hard it may be to hear
Balance
A voice that provides insight, feeds back to us and reminds us to see the bigger picture
STANSFIELD's tone
STANSFIELD's tone
Unhinged. Unnerving. Unpredictable. Stansfield quickly switches from a calm and collected tone to screaming at the other man. It creates the idea that he is unstable. We do not know how he will act or react.
If I was a bystander, my heart would start to race and I would feel on edge. The film wants us to feel similarly. We realise now that even if Stansfield appears calm, he isn't necessarily so.. You must tip-toe around him. Read beyond what he says. Gauge how he feels from his eyes. Be prepared for quick change of atmosphere.
Stepping Closer (A Clip from Normal People)
Stepping Closer (A Clip from Normal People)
To put it simply, both characters want each other. They’re ready to take their friendship further, but first need to test the water to see if the other is ready. To do so, the characters use the following:
Questioning
Eye contact
Proximity
Reassurance
Humour
So much of this is communicated non-verbally. As Viv said, the dialogue in the scene could be removed entirely, and the ask for permission could be shown just through their body language.
The purpose of the book shows vulnerability, a need to be grounded. He holds it close to his chest, to protect himself. Once his confidence has peaked and his goal achieved, he places the book down.
Stansfield's approach
Stansfield's approach
The scene starts with one character trying to reassure another. He rests his arms on the other's shoulder to appear friendly. It feels genuine in a way that says "I am able to help, but only this one time".
In contrast to the previous example, next there is a lack of consent and a pure invasion of personal space. Stansfield's hands are all over him. His face is close enough to be able to smell him. This disregard It’s used to make both the character and the audience uncomfortable. Then he tries to hug him, painting a false sense of security.
The young girl is keeping her distance and observing the other three from a while away. Observing out of interest and knowing not to interfere. I wonder how many times she has seen a similar scenario play out and whether this will influence her in later life.
Scent
Scent
Scents can bring back memories. Humans have a powerful sense of smell. Our brain can store this alongside memories and emotions, hence how intertwined they can be.
Citrus represents cleanliness
sweet fruit represents comfort
floral represents maternal love and care
We learn these representations through our experiences. Manipulative Marketing?
Reading Faces
Reading Faces
Our faces depict a wide range of emotions and reactions. As an audience, we subconsciously scrunch and wince our faces in reaction to scenes. An actor will do the same.
Forehead
Smooth = happy, calm
Lined = discomfort.
Eyebrows
For exclamation,
They can be very expressive.
A great example would be Peter Capaldi - known throughout Doctor Who for "Basically it's the eyebrows"
Different movements such as squinting
Nose
A good scrunch might represents dislike.
Mouth
There are many different variations of smiling. Real or fake, kind or sarcastic.
Eyes
Pupil dilation. A deep physiological reaction to love.
Our brains assess these in others to understand their thoughts, wants and desires.
In media they can be exaggerated to convey intensity and humour.
The Secret Life of Four Year Olds
The Secret Life of Four Year Olds
These children are playing out situations learned from their parents. Their behaviour, mannerisms and speech is similar to that of what their mother or father may say to them.
They are creating an environment of play which their peers can join as they identify similar situations. The children assume their friends have seen and heard similar things.
It’s fascinating for us as adults to see how much children pick up from their parents.
Movement and permission
Movement and permission
There are four clear moments in the animated GIF that represent permission to share a hug between character A and B.
Walk in (A)
Pause (A)
Bow (B)
Embrace (A+B)
A’s walk over is simply an let's B know they are here. They pause in front of them to ask for permission (a call). Person B bows their head to say “yes” (a reply). They then embrace each other to communicate love and compassion.
It is a powerful moment without a single word spoken.
Proof that we can communicate a lot in our work without the need for dialogue.
Street Photography
Street Photography
Finding stories amongst the public.
See the photos from this on-going collection as part of my Trove in Street Stories.
Some of the photos were candid and some I asked permission to take (for example, the florist)
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