I personally feel we dont appreciate stories as much as we think we do – the power and the potential impact story telling can have on us. Radio story telling is an interesting concept, its preferably not what most of us enjoy than a good book or a good film – but it is that much important that any of these aspects.
I watched two different people explain the art of radio story telling and how it works – I listened carefully for the ‘nuggets’ – nuggets being important words or phrases that capture the understanding of radio story telling. Ira Glass, through a 20 minute video explains how story telling is so compelling and so unique – its about ‘raising questions’ and having those questions ‘answered’ – these are what keeps us interested and keen to follow story telling – this is what makes a good story. By making a good story he outlined that stories need ‘building blocks’ – the shape of stories are the most important. Having the right structure, the right tools and the right anecdotes keeps the power of stories alive.
Alongside Glass was Jad Abumrad furthermore explaining story telling. With his theory, he spoke about ‘sharing empathy’ – story telling brings ‘connectivity’, and ‘immediacy’ between the speaker and the listener – you can share experience through imagination by connecting through story telling.
When i was thinking about what the two guys say in both the videos, it may not be AS relevant to radio story telling, but i remember my parents telling me there was once a broadcast in 1938 called War of the Worlds – the broadcast was set out like a bulletin – which gave the story a sense of realism – and actual listeners believed the broadcast to be real news thus sending a whole nation into panic believing they were about to be invaded by aliens.
DS106 learning experience 