Visual Stories Are (not) Only Visuals…?
40 thousand years ago, Neanderthals painted stories on cave walls. We can refer to those narratives as visual storytelling, which served to inform humans about finding food and surviving in the harsh conditions of nature during that time.
Ten thousand years later, the epic poet Homer told verbal stories that were more established. Homer introduced elements of violence and sensuality into his narratives, depicting Hero Odysseus battling a one-eyed monster, the Cyclops, and encountering the magical goddess Circe.
In the 15th century, books began to play a significant role in human culture, marking the advent of written stories. However, a challenge arose as a limited number of people could read. Shakespeare bridged this gap by crafting stories that appealed to both intellectuals and those who couldn't read, using clever writing and incorporating vivid scenes that were accessible to everyone through drama and play.
Moving into the modern era, we now have television and the internet, where stories are conveyed through films, advertisements, and user-generated content.
So looking back to history, stories are the epitome of past human experience. Stories teach us in an entertaining way for what is to come or how to act in one situation and another. We can’t simply accept being preached of opinion or lessons, we want to hear them from stories. During storytelling our hearts open, and we want to connect, so the ideas, lessons and experience that stories bring flows freely into us.
VISUAL STORYTELLING CREATE FEELINGS
That’s what it's all about today. Visual storytelling is more appealing than ever. The faces we show, the image, the color, even the typefaces we use can tell a story. When you show characters laughing in vibrant colors, your chemicals go up, or when you see your characters sad in dark environments, your chemicals will go down. Good stories are when chemicals are going up and down. You can see that happening in good movies and in good commercials.
Pixar messes with our chemicals right from the beginning in UP
You don’t want to bluntly state your film theme or mission statement. You want people to feel what you want to say or sell. Big brands are great examples for this. If you look at Television Commercials of Coke, Apple or Mercedes you can definitely see that they sell feeling at first and product later. You want to feel and share happiness and be energized so you drink coke. You want to feel cool with smoothless designs and be living in simplicity. You choose Apple. You want to be just better and belong to a luxurious class you choose Mercedes and so on… It's like they're saying, "Hey, feel this awesome thing, and oh, by the way, here's our product that goes with it." It's a smart way to make a lasting impact.
Mercedes will make you truly feel far from being humble…
https://youtu.be/siO1ZpNYNN4?si=sFbZ4PvJUBjUTT0C
These feelings come from many small and bigger details that tell the whole story. Casting, locations, production design, colors, music creates the whole picture. Imagine if Neo in The Matrix was Sandra Bullock and not Keanu Reeves. Or Forrest Gump being played by John Travolta and not by Tom Hanks. Both Bullock and Travolta were considered for iconic star roles. Are those actors less talented? I doubt it, but how would they fit into the story? It’s nearly impossible to imagine now.
With the rise of AI, people are even creating memes and playing around with how stories could be told differently. There's this fun exploration of what Star Wars might look like if Wes Anderson, known for his distinct style, told the story. It's a cool way to see how changing those small details could totally alter the vibe of a story we know so well.
Star Wars Directed by Wes Anderson
https://youtu.be/d-8DT5Q8kzI?si=rEcgww8ZyrVJNsF-
Whether small or large, visual details contribute to the spectacle, while visuals paired with music evoke emotions. It is the directors' and producers' responsibility to blend these elements in a manner that generates the most impactful chemical reactions in our minds and hearts.
Directors and producers, as the primary visual storytellers of our time, have the ability to tell the same story in completely different ways. While the story itself may be great, the manner in which it is conveyed either enhances its greatness or, conversely, diminishes it.
There are two versions of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho: the original made in 1960 and the remake produced in 1998. Some shots appear identical, but are they truly the same? Only the compositions, locations, and dialogues are recreated. However, the 1998 version lacks the suspenseful feeling present in the original. While it introduces color, one might question the necessity of this addition. Despite featuring more modern actors, shots, and music, it remains unclear whether these elements truly contribute to the film.
Both films are the same. Or are they?
The 1960 film stands as a masterpiece from the golden Hollywood era, while the 1998 version turned out to be a flop. It seems as though there was an opportunity to utilize ample resources and create something entirely different by merging elements from various horror movies, but this potential was not realized.
STORYTELLING
There was a guy, Aristotle was his name. He wrote a short book called “Poetics” in 335 BC. Aristotle was a student of another ancient Greek Philosopher Plato.
Aristotle states that human nature is drawn to imitation, that’s why we are so drawn to storytelling. Epic poetry, so storytelling, should feel real even if it’s fictional. Aristotle identifies six elements of tragedy, or as we could say - good storytelling.
Plot, Character, Thought, Diction, Song and Spectacle.
PLOT
Plot is a series of events that are all connected. It’s the most important element. It’s usually our classic three act structure: beginning, middle and the end. We’re not just selling ideas or products, we want to take our audience on a journey. Not necessarily it has to be told in chronological order, but it has to be told in a way that creates dramatic effect. Aristotle explains that beauty comes from right organization, as we see in nature, everything is organized in harmonic nature. Additionally, inherent in our DNA are story structures, as evidenced by the fact that all great stories follow a similar framework.
We have Rising Action (complication) and Falling Action (denouement). Aristotle points out three main Tragic Beats:
Peripeteia - Sudden change of fortune
Anagnorisis - When character makes a discovery that creates a change
Catharsis - The “break” for the audience. When the audience can take a breath from all the action.
All these concepts work together to create tragic storytelling. We can find that in Films and in some Advertisements that are based on Plot.
Nike’s great advertising mix all the beats together. This time our character is women in general who participate and succeed in football.
https://vimeo.com/731185961
Bad plotting is being episodic, where episodes or acts succeed one another but without connecting necessary sequences. Plots should be simple, they can be complex, but not at the expense of plot itself and character. All good plots have to have logical sequences.
Rise and Fall of Jordan Belfort. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
CHARACTER
This is the second most important element after the plot. Characters relate to the actions that are followed in the plot. Characters represent moral values through their communication verbal or non verbal. So what elements character holds according to Aristotle? Aristotle argues that there can’t be any hero character as a woman. But as we can see that is not true, taking examples from many films.
Character has to be good, his purpose has to be good then the character becomes good. Doesn’t mean that the character is right all the time.
Character has to be true to life. That means characters' dialogues, actions and his being in the plot should feel natural and true.
Character has to be consistent: consistently inconsistent. That means the character is consistent in his goal, actions, but at the same time the character is unpredictable. Still, character has to be true to his given rules and probabilities in which he acts.
Ryan Gosling portrays character Driver with good intentions, but with not very “right” actions. Drive (2011)
THOUGHT
What purpose thought serves in films? It should make the audience think about the ideas that the film is trying to say. Whether it is a commercial or a movie, it has to speak up about the bigger picture for the audiences. Still, every character conveys thought. Characters speak up about their feelings: pity, sadness, fear, joy, anger etc.. Or characters make general, or very subjective statements that are true to their thought. That serves as a lesson for an audience.
Because every character has a worldview, their experiences and their ways of thinking. This gives us depth and accountability for what character has to offer.
From being broke to eating at the mansion. Parasite (2019)
Simply saying, thought can be translated into today’s term as THEMES. Basically ideas that are wider and bigger why the story is being told.
DICTION
Everything verbal in the story is diction. It is word choice, grammatical decisions and sentence structure.
Diction should be understandable, used by words that the audience gets. Of course it can be jargon, riddles, strange or rare words. Although the audience should get what the characters are saying, or what the world is trying to say.
Of course, words shouldn't be overused, or to say, become an addiction to a writer as it can damage the bigger picture.
Fight Club (1999)
SPECTACLE AND SONG
Spectacle and song are elements that heightens the emotional impact the story has.
Spectacle can serve in films and commercials as visual communication: what actors are, costume choice, production design, cinematography etc.
Song serves accompanying the story and spectacle at the same time. We can see various uses of music in films that really elevates the story and without that we couldn’t have films and commercials as they are.
Was it necessary to play a guitar solo when you’re late to your time machine? Answer is Yes. Back To The Future (1985)
Of course, Aristotle speaks up about overusing spectacle and song. As using too much of these elements without a story will hurt the whole storytelling experience. First elements are first, they are the most important: Plot, Character and Thought. If we lose those and only leave spectacle we have formless art that really has no bigger value than the spectacle itself…
Marvel’s approach became more about the spectacle rather than a grounded story…
In Conclusion
the journey of storytelling has traversed millennia, from Neanderthals' visual narratives on cave walls to the modern era of television and the internet. Stories, as the epitome of human experience, have evolved to not only inform but also deeply connect with audiences, teaching valuable lessons in an entertaining manner. And no matter is it your idea, brand or product.
Today, visual storytelling takes center stage, employing elements such as facial expressions, images, colors, and even typefaces to create a narrative that resonates on an emotional level. This shift is evident in the strategies of major brands like Coke, Apple, and Mercedes, who prioritize evoking feelings before showcasing their products.
The role of directors and producers as primary visual storytellers is pivotal, demonstrated by the transformative impact of their choices on storytelling. Analyzing examples like Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho," it becomes apparent that even seemingly identical compositions can evoke vastly different emotions, emphasizing the delicate balance required in conveying a story.
Drawing from Aristotle's insights, the six elements of good storytelling—Plot, Character, Thought, Diction, Song, and Spectacle—underscore the importance of a well-constructed narrative. Through examples and explanations, the text emphasizes the need for logical plot sequences, well-developed characters, meaningful themes, clear diction, and judicious use of spectacle and song.
In essence, the art of storytelling remains a dynamic and essential aspect of human communication, evolving with time and technology. As we continue to explore new ways of storytelling, the core elements identified by Aristotle—Plot, Character, and Thought—remain fundamental, ensuring that the narrative experience transcends mere spectacle to leave a lasting impact on our hearts and minds.
