The Rebel Daily - Julian Sher Story... · Story-Telling* Julian Sher CBC the fifth estate...
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The Art of Investigative Story-Telling - J. Sher June 2017 (c) www.juliansher.com 1 The Art of Investigative Story-Telling* Julian Sher CBC the fifth estate [email protected] *Scoops are reported, but stories are told (c)www.juliansher.com I have told stories on television, in newspapers and in books… We are born story-tellers • Until daily news reporting began killing the art of story-telling (c)www.juliansher.com The Rebel Daily Skywalker Shocker!!! In a shocking and disturbing revelation, Rebel alliance hero Luke Skywalker has discovered that Galactic Empire leader Darth Vader is his father, The Rebel Daily has learned. (c)www.juliansher.com
Transcript of The Rebel Daily - Julian Sher Story... · Story-Telling* Julian Sher CBC the fifth estate...
TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
(c)www.juliansher.com 1
The Art of Investigative Story-Telling*
JulianSherCBCthefifthestate
*Scoops arereported,butstories aretold
(c)www.juliansher.com
Ihavetoldstoriesontelevision,innewspapersandinbooks…
Wearebornstory-tellers
• Untildailynewsreportingbegankillingtheartofstory-telling(c)www.juliansher.com
The Rebel DailySkywalkerShocker!!!Inashockinganddisturbingrevelation,RebelallianceheroLukeSkywalkerhasdiscoveredthatGalacticEmpireleaderDarthVaderishisfather,TheRebelDailyhaslearned.
(c)www.juliansher.com
TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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The Biblical TimesGodCreatesUniverseAftersixdaysofgruelingworkcreatingtheuniverse,Godrestedontheseventhday,tellingtheBiblicalTimes“itwasverygood”andnowitwasuptoAdamandEve.
(c)www.juliansher.com (c)www.juliansher.com
ü#1:PLOTTINGTHEJOURNEYOFYOURCHARACTERS
ü#2:The “FOURCs”
ü#3:STARTWRITINGWHILEYOURESEARCH
The Art of Investigative Story-Telling::
Whatmakesagoodstory?
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ØGREATCHARACTERSØGREATPLOTØGREATWRITINGØGREATACCOUNTABILITY
THE FOUR BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A GOOD STORY:
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• Let’slookatthemost• important- InterestingCharactersüHeroes,ProtagonistsüPeopleIcareaboutüPeopleIgettoknowüRealpeoplewhochange(c)www.juliansher.com
Tip#1:Yourcharactershavetogo onajourneyüTheychange….üTheystruggleüTheywin…üTheylose (c)www.juliansher.com
TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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• Charactersneedtochange onthatjourney(evenifyouhaveto“recreate”thatchange)
üIftheyaredead,bringthembackaliveüIftheyareangry,gobacktowhentheywerehappy
üIftheyarebeaten,gobacktowhentheyhadhope
üIftheydidsomethingbad,gobacktowhentheywere good.
HOWWETOLDTHESTORYOFAYOUNGMANWHOWASMISSINGFORNINEYEARS…ANDHISMOTHER’SJOURNEYTOFINDHIM
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1.38Hislife/7.08search/11.48Kid/17.05reveal
Weonlyhadafewdaystofilmherstory,adecadeaftertheevent…
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[EXCERPTSFROMTVDOCUMENTARY…]
Tip#2:Toplotyourcharacter’sjourney,youneedTheFourCs
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The4C’s:»Character
Theprotagonist:heroorvillain
»ContextWhatyouneedtoknowWhyyoushouldcare
»ConflictThegutsofthestory
»ConclusionWhathappensnext
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TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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WeinterviewafirechiefwhohelpedsendaTexasmantodeathrow…
Wedoallourresearch…andpreparethequestions
Watchhowweunfoldthe4Csin4Clips:
CHARACTER:He’stheherofirefighterCONTEXT:His“arson”claimwillconvictamanCONFLICT:HisfindingschallengedbyscienceCONCLUSION:Anyregrets?
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[EXCERPTSFROMTVDOCUMENTARY…]
Tip#3:Startwritingrightaway
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Don’twaitforallyourresearchtobeover
The intrepid reporter
The interpretive story-teller
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TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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Being the intrepid reporter
TAKES90% OFOURTIME
WE SPEND ONLY 10% OF OUR TIMEBeing the interpretive story-teller (c)www.juliansher.com
Wedomonths ofresearch
Butonlydays ofwriting
TVinvestigations:
Hollywoodstories:
Hollywoodwraps60-70daysofshooting
Butspendsayearinediting
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RESEARCH WRITING
INSTEADOFREPORTING,THENWRITING…
LETYOURWRITINGHELPGUIDEYOURREPORTING
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The intrepid reporter
The interpretive story-teller
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Because then you will discover the story holes …
Not just the research holes
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Usethese3tipstothenhelpstructureyourinvestigativestory
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TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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OPENING
CONTEXT
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
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NUTGRAF
OPENING
CONTEXT
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
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NUTGRAF
Openingscenes…
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Openingscenes…
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OPENING
CONTEXT
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
(c)www.juliansher.com
NUTGRAF
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Not:
“Finders of the Lost Ark”
TIMINGYOURCLIMAX:It’scalled‘RAIDERSOFTHELOSTARK”FORAREASON*…
*HINT:TheyfindtheArkinthelastfewminutes…
TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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OPENING
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
Onceyougetgoing,sticktochronologyunlessyouareboldenoughtotrysomeflourishes(foreshadowing,flashbacks,reversetimeline)
(c)www.juliansher.com
TheChronologyofaJourney
• Remember– YourCharactersareonajourney
ü Iftheyaredead,bringthembackaliveü Iftheyangry,gobacktowhentheywerehappyü Iftheyarebeaten,gobacktowhentheyhadhope
(c)www.juliansher.com
OPENING
CONTEXT
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
(c)www.juliansher.com
Rememberhowweplottedthemother’sdifficultjourney… andtheshockingrevelation
Finaltrick:IuseStickyNotestoplotoutmyscenes
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TOSUMUP– THREEKEYTIPSTOTELLINGASTORY,NOTYOURRESEARCH:
(c)www.juliansher.com
ü#1:PLOTTHEJOURNEYOFYOURCHARACTERS
ü#2:The “FOURCs”
ü#3:STARTWRITINGWHILEYOURESEARCHTOFINDTHEHOLES
THEARTOFINVESTIGATIVESTORY-TELLING
Copiesofthispresentation:
>www.juliansher.com
>IRETipsheets (2017)ire.org/events-and-training/event/2703/3254/
>IRETipsheets (2016– Longerversion)ire.org/resource-center/tipsheets/4847
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KEEPINTOUCH…
www.juliansher.comtwitter:@[email protected]
647.633.6943
