Stories are such an essential part of our lives that we spend trillions of dollars & hours consuming them. Why? Here’s my intuitive take on it: I had a great conversation with a friend who’s studying Psychology, and we discussed Carl Jung and James Hillman’s brilliant axiom that humans ‘Continually write the Story of their Lives, while they Live them’ – a harrowing endeavor that I compare to ‘Building a Car, while you’re careening down the Highway!’ We deconstructed it piece by piece, until we arrived at this fact: Since we’re making it all up as we go along, we need to seek out and incorporate the ‘Essential Story Parts’ that will empower us to shape and build a good life. That’s why we devour Stories – we need the 360 degree Mirror’s that they provide, to reveal our ‘True Selves.’
My favorite Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus, said “Man’s character is his fate.” Which means every Story revolves & evolves around it’s main Character: You. It’s your inherent character that writes the plot, drives the action, and resolves the theme as you ‘play through’ to the final curtain.
Every Scribbler (Writer) knows that they are engaging in the sacred task of revelation. It’s their way of building the car. But you don’t have to use a pen, because the same concept applies to any blissful activity, passion or pastime that resonates with your desire to know yourself, or be known. That’s the essence of our StoryBox, your nitty gritty sandbox for Creative Play!
The first ‘Jump’ in our on-going Series:
StoryBox – Project 1 – Californios – Were going to start Spring 2020 with the “Californios” Documentary Project, an episodic journey into the past, present, and future of California, as seen through the eyes of the people who built it. We will travel through Northern, Central, and Southern California, tracking the fabulous histories, mythologies, and personalities that shaped the golden state, and weave all these elements into exciting new storylines, arcs, and cinematic structures to build the project from the ground up. We’ll also use podcasts, creative bull sessions, and instructional zoom collaborator meetings with our UCLA Word Commandos.
And Check out the posts below if your Story Engine needs to get revved up!
Your ‘Creative Gravity’ – and how to hack it! – is the first post in our Creativity Series; with a fresh take on Gravatronic Concepts to expand your Imagination, and Seven amazing mind ‘Tweaks’ to turbocharge your Creative Engine and get your Story Geek on.
The Ultimate Writer’s* Toolkit – Chapter One – is the second post in our Creativity Series; it focuses on Writing (Scribbling), and gives you Seven Essential Tools designed to help Scribblers, Artists, and Creators of every stripe to refine their ‘Voices,’ and discover Story Nirvana .
Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ – Chapter One – is the Third Post in our Creativity Series; it follows the opening chapter of my origin story as a Film & Television maker, and outlines Imaginative ‘Anatomical’ tools to increase your connection to the World of ‘Resonant Bliss.’ It also includes a mind-bending compass to help you establish solid bearings on your unique Creative Journey.
The Ultimate Writer’s* Toolkit – Chapter Two – Expands your Scribbler’s Toolkit by exploring how Ego and Presence impact Creativity, Character and Story Development; and lays out a set of Dynamic Tools that use ‘Presence and Awareness’ to Transform the Volatile Power of Ego into ‘Deep Storytelling.’ Like Chapter One, this Post is designed to help Scribblers, Artists, and Creators sharpen their Imagineering Skills to create Amazing Work, and find more Joy in their lives.
Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ – Chapter Two – In Chapter One we established that Everybody is a ‘Creative,’ and that Creativity works through us to Power Everything we Are and Do. In Chapter Two: Your ‘Creative’ Legs: What you ‘Stand on’; ‘Stand for,’ we explore the strength of your ‘Standing’ and show you how ‘Choosing to Stand,’ sets the wheels of Creativity in motion to make Everyday Magic happen.
Photo Credit: Eric Didier