Please watch this TED Talk by Andrew Stanton – https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_stanton_the_clues_to_a_great_story/transcript?language=en – and discuss what you took away from the talk. Your response should be at least three sentences long.
21 thoughts on “Classwork: TED Talk by Andrew Stanton”
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The takeaway that I got from this video is that the invisible application holds the audience’s attention to the story. When we watch or read something, we have the intention in filling in the blank or interpret what we think into the story. There is a quote that was said by Shakespeare that “there are a thousand hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes” meaning that everyone has different interpretation of a character. Another takeaway that there can a be a positive or even a negative spine that strives the character, but that should not restrict the story into becoming rules.
My take away from Andrew Stanton’s ted talk was that people want to see change in a story. Naturally people want to be entertained and invested in others, in order to achieve that a good story teller needs to make them care. By developing a fake character into someone the audience likes and can empathize for, you draw in attention. Also by using your own experiences you can give a more realistic and emotional tone to your work. I also wanted to say that I thought his joke in the beginning was pretty funny, mostly because I did not expect it at all.
My takeaways from this talk all included what makes me love books, stories, and tv shows. Stanton gave me a blueprint of some sort to craft a story to fully capture the readers’ attention. I wish I watched this before I started writing because it was very helpful.
My favorite points were that: a good storyteller makes the audience care and makes them a promise to lead them somewhere; and that you have to string your readers along and make them work for it. A story is a well-organized absence of information that draws you in, making you want to complete and fill in the blanks.
He made a point to tell us that wonder and anticipation are mandatory feelings to invoke in your audience to keep them engaged.
Change is a big point of this talk because, as he said, life isn’t static and is full of evolution and development of knowledge.
Lastly and most importantly, his comment that all characters have this inner motor or unconscious goal they strive for and make decisions based on was significant to me. I don’t know if I gave my main character one unknowingly or didn’t give her one at all, but I will incorporate it into my story since it is essential to your understanding of a character. Who they are and why they are the way they are should be revealed and is a significant component of storytelling. It makes you feel for the character and is very revealing. Unbeknownst to me, this is my favorite part and what I most anticipate in storytelling. It brings you full circle with a character, and I will make this a huge part of my story when I revise. All in all, this was a very insightful talk.
From Andrew Santon’s Ted Talk, what resonated with me the most was the ending, that some of the best stories and creativity are fueled as a result of your own experiences and values. This stood out to me because I felt like in my short story it was easier to go off of my own experiences and adjust certain things than to simply start from scratch. By knowing what it feels like to be in a certain position you are able to create a lot of scenarios and go above and beyond.
One of my takeaways is that people want to be challenged sometimes. Writers have to find the balance between giving just enough information for the reader to figure out what’s going on, but not too much, and also not letting them realize that they’re figuring it out on their own. That balance was something I had trouble with in my first draft, and I will continue to work on it.
Andrew Stanton’s Ted Talk shows the importance of balance in a narrative. He expresses the need for writers to grab the audience’s attention while giving them just enough information that lets them figure out the progression of the story. He goes over the 2+2 which is a theory that gets the audience to process the information given rather than giving all the information at face value. In a way, it gives the audience something to chew on and process. I think this balance is what I need in my own writing. I find it difficult to not just tell the reader what is happening rather than letting the actions of the character show the situation they are in.
A takeaway I got from Andrew Stanton’s TED talk was how to effectively use the 2+2 method. He said the audience wants to figure out what will happen as the story progresses and too much information shouldn’t be given away. The goal is to keep them hooked, and the audience will feel a sense of satisfaction and thrill piecing the puzzle together. This leaves them glued. Another takeaway was that not all the best stories include love, happiness, and other cliches. The character’s actions and the excitement of watching the plot unfold, if executed correctly, would make a great story on its own.
Within Andrew Stantons’s TED talk, I found the 2 plus 2 method quite fascinating. I took it into my own consideration how different movies/films/stories have been made in today’s generation to always peak the curiosity of their audience. A story would usually have it’s typical protagonist and antagonist and the audience would always know that no matter what happens, the ending will always be good. Within Stanton’s discussion, I felt as if a story is developed to force the audience to truly think about what they are watching and connect the puzzles themselves rather than having the plot connect it for them, that would equal a great meeting
An unrelated topic, but I felt immediately thought of the Netflix series “Black Mirror” in which the episodes never explicitly show what route it will be taken, but it always has such a twist. By incorporating that into for example, our writing pieces, it would show great observational skills that we as students have learned over living in the generation that we do.
My takeaways from this Ted Talk are things that I had intuitively seen and felt before, when analyzing films, shows, books, and even music that I love. Being that everything tells a story, it is how it is told and what are some helpful tools and “guidelines”, as Stanton described them, that can help achieve the overall goal of the story.
The first point is giving your reader all the parts needed to “solve” a problem or get the point of the piece on their own. Stanton describes it as giving the audience 2+2 so they can come up with four on their own. This tool can give the audience a level of interest as well as, in some cases not all, structure to the story without giving too much away.
The next point that then stuck out to me was the idea of a having an overall theme or overarching idea. Stanton mentions the film “Lawrence of Arabia” and how in tiny little details such as timing, lines, and location, the theme of the main character questioning who they are and what their place is in the world, is seen throughout the entire film. This is very important because it shows the piece has a purpose and it inadvertently keeps you interested by having you, the audience, also questioning what place the character serves in his world. This is a very effective tool in many forms of media and can be a key component to developing a great story.
The last idea, that I find inspires most of my writing, is the idea of writing what you know. Stanton describes this as writing about feelings or in some cases even situations that resonate deeply with you. It adds a level of authenticity to a piece, when done effectively and with a purpose. I’ve recognized that in my own writing I tend to write about what I know and resonates deeply with me, even if I am left feeling vulnerable.
My initial takeaway from Andrew Stanton’s lecture was that I completely agree with the fundamental concept behind his 2+2 theory. However, I would like to push back when he says that the audience does not like knowing that they are being pushed to solve the puzzle of the story. I personally enjoy knowing that a particular movie or show will push me to figure out the story before I begin watching. I almost take it as a challenge, and I find myself actively trying to read between the lines of the story more so than if the movie or show is subtle about it. That being said, I can see why other watchers may not like this and would prefer a movie or show being subtle about it.
I learned that storytelling is like joke-telling. It is all leading to a goal that should make it worth someone’s time. You should make someone care. You should leave an absence of information to leave the problem solving to the reader. It should be subtle. Characters should have a drive and be wired a certain way. You should like your main character and incite wonder about them. There should be a strong theme. It is helpful to use your own experience or values to make the story feel real.
The takeaway I received from this is that story-telling involves making the audience work for solving the story on their own. In essence, not giving away everything to the audience. It is curiosity and wonder that makes the audience engaged in the story. Stanton also points out that the best story telling comes from experiences and letting out vulnerabilities through characters. As a result, emotions can be depicted and can seem realistic to further engage the audience.
My takeaway from the talk is that storytelling is an important part of our lives. Throughout our life, we tell stories and we listen to them. There are different things about the story that can make it the good one. However, the most important one is to give a puzzle for the audience to solve. To show different parts of the story that can be connected together to find the solution. To show the change of the character or to show what exactly drives the character to make the decisions they make.
My takeaway from Stanton’s TED Talk was the 2+2 theory. Allowing the audience to create a solution of their own adds a mysterious aspect to the story. It lets the audience use their creativity as well as grasps their attention. Most people may agree on one conclusion, but others may form completely different ideas and that’s the power of one’s imagination. Stanton also made another point regarding their secret list of everything they didn’t want in animated films such as no songs, no love story, etc., although, their ideas were different they proved not all animated movies need the same blueprint. Their mission seemed really interesting.
My takeaway from the ted talk is, the audience doesn’t like solving things on their own. Personally, I love when books or movies push me to find out what’s going on in the story. It keeps me thinking of all the possible outcomes that can happen. I would feel really unamused if movies and books gave all the information. Another takeaway that I got is, you can add your own personal experiences to add to the tone of the story. Also, it’s easier to start from your own experiences, than starting from scratch because you’ll know what to talk about.
A takeaway from the TedTalk by Andrew Stanton is that an important part of storytelling is keeping the audience interested and giving them a reason to stay for the ending even if they miss parts at the beginning of the story. Another takeaway is that people are attracted to what they cannot fully comprehend or predict such as a cute animal, so it is effective to leave out parts of the story for the audience to find. I found this to be very helpful because when I write stories, I tend to work hard on creating an interesting introduction and ending but I forget the fact that the whole story needs interesting and unpredictable events to keep drawing the reader in.
One takeaway I had from the Andrew Stanton TED Talk was when he mentioned that story telling includes knowing that every moment from the beginning to the end of the story is leading to a singular goal. I think it is important to keep in mind the purpose of your story. Another takeaway I had was trying to get the reader or audience to care either emotionally, intellectually, or aesthetically about the story. What I got from this idea is the importance of keeping the reader interested. Another takeaway which can help keep the reader interested was the idea of the 2+2 method which makes the reader put things together and get their own solution.
One of the takeaways I took from it was the 2+2 theory. Instead of just getting to four, and telling the audience what happened, we should let the audience figure it out. Instead of saying 4 you say 2+2. Make the audience figure out the meaning. Another takeaway was that like joke telling, each line has the common goal to make someone laugh, so too in writing each line needs to have the common goal to keep itself in check. Lastly, that writing from your own experiences will sometimes lead to better work. With my short story I had actually started off on a different path but chose one, that resonated more with me because of it.
Andrew Stanton indicates that stories can develop connections between a vast amount of people. A story that resonates emotionally or intellectually has a stronger impact on the audience. If things go static in the plot of the story then the story will die out and the audience will lose interest. Life is never static so a story’s plot should change throughout. You must always construct a plot that will have the audience continuously asking questions in the short-run and long-run of the story. Invoking wonder is the greatest effect your story can have on another person.
One of my takeaway of this TED talk is that story telling is more like telling a joke that has a punchline and an ending. In the beginning of a story, it should give you a promise and make the audience use their problem solving throughout the story; A story should not be predictable. Drama is anticipation mingled with uncertainty, meaning that a story should make you want to know what will happen next.
One takeaway I had from the TED talk was to let your life experiences lead you in your writing. Your life experiences come from the heart and are real which improves your writing. The other takeaway I had was to try to always keep your audience guessing and interested in where the story is leading. He made a point about invoking wonder in the audience and that is his goal with all of his stories.