Why we need to tell better stories.

Check this out: Almost 8 million views in less than a month. Shot with a phone. I assume it is also an example of the highly debatable “Citizen Journalism”

We can discuss all day which of these is more interesting or relevant. What I care about is how the storytelling aspect of this specific video. Did you do something else while watching it? No. Did you stop in the middle of it because it was getting boring? No.
We were glued to the chair because those 2 and a half minutes were telling an amazing story.

Second example: a clearly scripted and super elaborated project, with impeccable lighting, camera movement, great acting and a very stylized grading. Since it was done by Google we can also assume it had a pretty nice budget.

Three and a half minutes long, that go by quick because the story is engaging and you want to know more. What’s gonna happen next?

About this project, Google India wrote “We’ve brought this idea to life in a short video to show how human passion and hope can overcome time and borders. In this story, a woman in India reunites her grandfather with his childhood friend (who is now in Pakistan) following six decades of separation with a little help from Google.”

If you have some time, read “What storytelling does to our brains.” Some of the comments below the article (unlike YouTube’s comments) are good as well.

Do you have a good story? Please share it with us.

Related previous posts:
The Future of Storytelling is Transmedia.
Dexter and Transmedia – Part I and Part II.