Amazing. Just incredible. This channel is the only place where you can find this. You are soo much above *all* the other youtubers. I don't even know what to say... Ps. Please, make a Patreon page.
Perhaps you are looking in the wrong place. There are a ton of creative writing videos that explain this process in detail. Even formulas which at least make sure your story has a firm foundation, like for example the 4 Ws. In any story these 4 things need to be addressed in some way: -When/Where (usually combined) -Who -What -Why Especially the last three Ws are of importance. Who is it that we should care about, what is their background what is their motive and why should we care? If you really want to learn more about this study creative writing a bit and then stage writing! Stage is a very complex form of story telling because you have literally limited space, time and resources and you need to over emphasize everything of importance. It is easy to move from stage to screen because so many things are solved by just an insert or a cutaway that last 12-48 frames. You do need to beware for not keeping things going on a bit too long -- that is the only danger screenwriters/directors coming from a stage background have. But they really know how to sell a story
@Raymond Doetjes It's not a bout how, but rather what. In this channel, I got inspired and can look forward to what exactly what I need, but for many people they don't know what you need in first place, so saying it is wrong place is not correct at this point, because many people including me didn't know a bout importance of story, because when we do something we want to do this creative stuff fast, cool special effects or cool shots, and by doing that first we get into our comfort zone, and then getting disappointed about the critics and that our video is not so good for others, but we don't realize about the story first.
Great insight. I attended a QandA with Paul Schrader and he said something similar: invite a friend over for some beers or wine, tell him your story, in the middle of it get up go to the bathroom and return, if your friend doesn't ask for the rest of the story, you got a problem." He mentioned Homer and the tradition of oral story telling. Makes sense that if you can stimulate someone's imagination and hold their attention with an oral story, you can use that skill to tell a good story on film.
Simon, I've been following your channel since the very beginning, and I have to say this video once again proves to me what an incredible thing you've built here. Your content is easily some of the best and most thoughtful that's currently created on this platform.
I love how Simon's videos are an example of getting to the emotional heart of filmmaking. Yes, he talks about gear and technicalities, but in every video he relates the topic to his own personal experiences-- how he's grown as a filmmaker, and how he continues to strive to hone his craft-- all presented in a down-to-earth, reassuring tone encompassed by a warm frame and backed by a pleasant and homely guitar track, as if to say, "Let's improve ourselves and make better movies-- together."
I am watching this video at 5: 30am here in india. and your video brought a big smile on my face , since your were talking about the anecdotes my grandmother used to tell me some of her experiences and short stories when I was a kid and that have stayed with me uptill now that's the power of stories. and you said so right that its not always about great Camera shot or lighting or colour grading.. It's about the story if its stays with a person or vanishes out as soon as he/she leaves the theatre. Thanks buddy for making this video.. You've been a great Mentor. ☺
You are an inspiration Simon. I have not made a decent piece of work in a month and i credit it all to my unmotivated self. DSLRguide has helped me so much in forming the little creations I make turn into something bigger. Today you have made me realize my flaws in storytelling. Doing so, I am excited to take what I have learned, and make something I am proud of. Thank you. You are brilliant.
Not only do you provide information about film, but I seem to always take away something I can use in life. Also, your music does such a great job at setting the mood and really bringing me into the video. Another great video!
I've been telling stories for almost half a century by now, and God knows I wish I was half the storyteller you are. Simon, you are a gifted one. Thanks for sharing.
Spot on. After working on films for a three years, a lot of people could benefit from this. So many filmmakers get the top quality camera apparatus and focus too much on just the visuals. I remember working on a film where they spent half a day on getting a tough VFX/Practical fx shot just right. When they started editing, they cut the shot because they completely forgot about performance and making sure it fits the story.
As always man, well thought out video idea and worth the watch. Keep it up because there are lots of us out there who enjoy taking a break in our days to watch what you come up with!
I think what you're describing is pitching. Which is what writers have to do in meetings when peddling their wares to production companies and studios. But I think what you are implying is correct -- or at least the instinct behind it is correct. There are a lot of filmmakers out there with great visual instinct, but lack storytelling instinct. It always starts with a script and you need a good writer. And I think this is the BIGGEST slip-up made by unseasoned filmmakers. Many young filmmakers would write their own scripts, but they can't write a good script (or spot one in most cases). They conceptualize their own ideas, visualize it, then write it down, but they miss core storytelling elements. They overlook that screenwriting is in itself its own discipline where most seasoned writers didn't get their first break until at least over a decade of developing their craft. They see it as a means to an end to make a movie as opposed to it being its own craft. The best directors don't write their own stuff. And people like Tarantino wrote long before he was making films. He was selling scripts before he made Reservoir Dogs. He is constantly writing when he isn't filming and often talks about a separation in script and film where he ensures his scripts are good enough to be a standalone product even if it doesn't get filmed.
"The best directors don't write their own stuff." Xavier Dolan Quentin Tarantino Nicolas Winding Refn Lars von Trier Michael Haneke Christopher Nolan The list could go on and on.
Simon I could see in your eyes at the end of this video that you are excited about using antidotes as a tool to gauge audience feedback and engagement. Seems to me a great practical idea that many film makers can implement. Well done.
I feel like you made this video after watching Neon Demon by Nicolas Winding Refn. Style was through the roof, but story was below the floor. Great advice, man. Way to bring it back to the essentials of storytelling.
This reminds me of the Talk Like Ted book. It goes into why the best TED presentations are most captivating, and it all comes down to telling a story in such a way with a bit of humour sprinkled in. You mention about the irrelevant details people add to their anecdotes, and the same is true for TED. You want to only include the relevant details that add value. What comes across as a bad practice is those who edit while they talk, for example, "It happened on a Monday night, well actually, it was after midnight, so really was a Tuesday", rather than, "It happened in the early hours of a Tuesday"
Thank you for this video! I really appreciate your take on storytelling. Who are some of the writers/directors/filmmakers who you think tell a story well. Also, what are your thoughts on Stephen Spielberg's directing style? Aside: Do you play the violin which is to your left in the video?
Usually I like one specific film that a director has made, rather than loving all of their work, but I would say that Scorsese, Spielberg and Fincher have the most consistent well-told stories in my opinion. Spielberg takes you on a ride of heartfelt joy/sadness (ET, Saving Private Ryan) with tension (Jurassic Park, Jaws). Some people say his films are too 'obvious' or 'mainstream' but to be honest I'm very happy to go along for the ride even if they are 'classic' filmmaking rather than the most edgy, artistic films. Scorsese is a great entertainer, I love a plot twist & most of his films are absolutely gripping. And then Fincher is kind of the opposite of Spielberg, letting the audience make their own mind up a bit more rather than bringing out the violins. Really like the political ideology in the first half of Fight Club (most credit goes to the book there) and Se7en is a masterpiece of suspense, that film hits hard! I wouldn't call myself a cinephile, most of the time I just watch a movie for the experience, it's difficult to put it into words and choose favourites :) Aside: I'm trying to teach myself violin, and it's proving quite difficult!
Thank you for replying with your thoughts and advice Simon! I will analyze the films and directors you mentioned. I hope your violin practice becomes easier! :)
Great video, and thanks for bringing this up. I agree, that story telling abilities are what really makes a spudding film maker stand out. Personally, I was a writer first, and I was trying to write novels before I decided to start making films. I've noticed that my focus is totally different from most directors and DPs who are starting out. I don't care about fancy cameras and lenses and angles etc.. I have the same T3i/600D you do.. And I've noticed that even though the technically minded film makers loathe the stuff I've made, I have a lot of actors and other crew who are very eager to work with me, whereas the techies have very hard time finding anything other than scenery to film.
This video really opened up my mind. It’s always so easy to get very caught up on the technical side of film making. And this brought me back to the creative and passionate side. Thank you Simon.
Superb stuff Simon. I love all of your videos, but this one was particularly inspiring for me. This is something that's been on my mind for the past few weeks, and your video helped freshen my perspective on the idea of storytelling and engaging audiences, the hardest part of filmmaking for me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with the world.
Thank you for this. Honestly at the moment I am at a point where I am trying to focus on story telling, everything you said was spot on. Also first thing that came to my mind when watching this was how grainy looked, and you then said how the picture of a video doesn't matter (which you were right) after that I just ignored it. The information you had was far more crucial a and I appreciate you pushing these videos out because you have a life and still creating for us.
Ohh this explains kinda why im into filmmaking. A lot of my friends told me, when i tell them some storys i always try to do it interesting and funny(Most of the time, i kinda replicate the whole situation, that happened, by my emotions, words and so on). Thank you! Next time when i tell something my friends and family i will give my best at being a good storyteller. Have a nice evening!
this has quickly become my favourite channel on youtube
8 лет назад+1
Great thinking! Thinking about this you can clearly see why comedians (A.K.A. professional anecdote tellers) that moved into filmmaking like Woody Allen and Louis CK are so great. Definitely going to be telling more anecdotes to my friends from now on
your videos make me feel. they are calm, inspiring.. kind maybe? i adore your style and looking forward to you. you are one of that kind of youtubers (which there are not a lot of) who think more about creativity and art more than about any other stuff. thank you
Thanks Simon! Great topic..well done! I think we would all love if you could do more videos like this one. It IS the story not the equipment that is most important!!
Well said Simon! As a Broadcast Cameraman of coming up to thirty years, I have spent most of my days visually telling other peoples stories! The reason why I have not ventured into becoming a film maker is because I have not found a story that I have been compelled to tell for myself! Pretty pictures are nice but content is King! Keep up the good work! :-)
Thanks a lot. I'm starting out in film-making and watching your videos has helped and inspired me so much and also pushed me to try and explore different things without hassling over things that don't matter, Hope to see you continue doing great things :)
that is a really interesting way to look at story telling; getting the audience to care and practicing. I think I will go over a new script I'm working on and try the tip out. Thanks Simon. Another great video!
Awesome video. One thing that I think differently about myself is the tooth paste story. For me, the first one had more impact since it made me visualise it and feel the embarrassment in my head. The other version told me how to feel basically, felt a bit spoon fed if you know what I mean. I think telling or showing the viewer to much and telling them how to feel might in some cases be counter productive. In this instance I get a stronger feeling when putting myself in the tooth paste position in my head, than someone else telling me how they felt and thus viewing the embarrassment from the side rather than getting that "Oooh, if that happened to me..!" feeling.
you make a very good point - firstly, that everyone has their own style of storytelling, and each story calls for a different approach. Even so, I totally see what your saying about the spoon-fed thing. There's always a balance between how much you give to the audience, and how much you let them figure out. Same kind of idea that Jaws is scary because we don't see the shark, so we imagine it :) thanks for the feedback & discussion, it'll help us all improve!
Ugh your videos are so relaxing and well put together. I love them. I started a new channel a while back, starting fresh, set off on a journey and had to take care of some life things. Had totally forgotten about a lot of channels that I used to follow more closely...this one included. I'M SORRY! I'm back and subscribed. Thank you for providing this Simon. It's been much too long for me :)
Long time subscriber! You're great at what you do but the one thing i always enjoy about your videos is you have such a soothing voice along with great music choices. It really feels comforting when i have a filmmaking hurdle and i pop on one of your vids. It feels like comfort and advice. I love your style :)
I can't believe you are same age as me... too much wisdom in a young body!! Great job with all of your videos, I hope you flourish as that's what your content deserves.
this was honestly so helpful and inspiring because ive never really thought of telling a story through film could be the same way you could verbally tell a story. personally this helps me out a lot more now because i am better at telling stories to my friends and groups of people about funny things ive done and my humour is a lot of me expressing my reaction so i definitely think this will help me try to encourage myself to use my humour and way of storytelling in film stand out.
I'm impressed with your approach. I've done screen writing and continuity is critical. Typically you don't put anything into the story that's not coming back into the story somewhere. So much of this has to do with understanding the format of a good film. For instance knowing how to set up the inciting incident, you first and second refusals, character arc, story arch, first second and third acts, climax, the tension in the 2nd act, where the hero realizes he is the hero... All that is established in dialogue. Also when writing descriptions in film scripts you can start with "smoke is rising from a pair of shoes, beside the shoes is a gun where the smoke is emanating from. FOOTSTEPS from running feet taper off in the distance" OR "we see the faces of two men as they run past. Behind them a body where a gun is laying by the feet" In screenwriting we can give some "directing" in the way we create the syntax of our descriptions. And just like the dialogue and storytelling you have to tell a story that carries the plot without deviating with details that never enter into factors of the story. People watch films wanting to play detective or hopeless romantic hoping all things work for the hero of the story. This is also why details must be confined to the storyline. The viewers watch and remember tidbits and try to find where that fits in. So a good story, while it sounds cliche hollywood cookie cutter screenwriting actually has the formula for the exact reason of being somewhat interactive with the audience. A happy audience who got a small percentage of the guesses right gives good reviews.
Valuable insight here. I feel like I should add that the ability to tell a good story verbally is a huge part of being charming, and is worth practicing in any case.
JJ Abrams once mentioned that one of the strongest element of storytelling is the ability to withhold information from your audience. I find this piece of advice super relatable to your anecdote analogy.
Solid advice... hope you expand with more videos on the creative aspect of film making. Seems like everyone has a channel regarding the technical aspect nowadays.
It's really interesting that you started filmmaking focusing on the looks, whereas I'm kind of the opposite. I didn't care what it looked like, I was just into telling the story.
Hey there Simon! I've been watching you for a year now and just want to say your videos have been extremely helpful. Thanks for all the good ideas and tips! -Sean
Thank you for being my biggest inspiration as a filmmaker. You've really taught me how you don't need amazing stuff to make amazing stuff thank you. I've recently made a video in your style that I'm really proud of. Thanks.
interesting. I think the key is improvement through iteration. A remake. It does not even have to be a remake of a complete old film of yourself, it can be a scene remake in a different project :^)
Good message. I have to say this is an excellent topic you've picked. Not just because I've been trying to tackle storytelling for some time now and still feel I'm very lacking and weak in this area, but because storytelling is the essence of filmmaking, as your tree illustration affirms. I have some good story ideas but having a very difficult time with telling these stories. It was a tease too. I was just waiting with a bit of baited breath to hear what is involved in good storytelling. Your refrain to point that out was an Oh No moment. If you can expand on this subject I bet you will have a very successful theme. I know I will charged to watch.
With the toothpaste example, I actually felt the first story, with the facts, was more effective as my mind in the blank you left at the end, as "a stain on a shirt during an interview doesn't look good, so I can assume how you feel". But those were just my thoughts. Great video Simon! Always valuable knowledge for a filmmaker.
This was an awesome video. I feel like you don't even need to actually tell stories to purple if you don't want to, as long as you keep that mindset when you're filming. If you think someone won't find a certain part interesting, then get rid of it or remove unnecessary parts. Short and good is better than long and bad
This is a great opinion on story telling. I think your absolutely right. I also think if the story is strong, you should be able to tell what's happening with the volume turn down. Nice one mate.
Love this video, just like all of your others. It would be awesome to see you get involved in a bigger story to tell, because I'm certain you'd do a great job. Keep up the really great work.
Simon, I return to your channel because your videos have heart. They are honest. I don't come for practical advice on how to use stabilizers or fly drones. Those things are useful to know, but they pass away. This stuff, right here, doesn't. I remember in the fall of 2015 when you began releasing videos like "What Does Success in Filmmaking Cost?" and "The Toughest Part of Filmmaking." I return to those videos periodically because you touch upon something universal about the life of the artist. Artists for millennia have been asking "What Does Success in Art Cost?" and I like hearing your thoughts on that question. I know you have to pay the bills, but my opinion is that you should explore the more universal questions rather than the practical ones. But again, I understand. And keep up the good work.
This is so encouraging to hear, honestly you have no idea :) I'm always trying to balance the practical vs philosophical side of things, and I'm definitely setting my sights on the latter, so it's great to hear that you're on board for that. thanks for understanding :)
Excellent video Simon! I totally agree with you on the story thing! I realised it quite a while back when I actually got bored with my own videos because they were always the same: my friends and I doing freerunning, edited with a soundtrack. There wasn't any story behind it. I really want to move into making videos surrounding parkour and freerunning, it's just I've been stuck on coming up with ideas, but after seeing this video I think I'm going to take your advice and practice some anecdotes on my friends and family. Thanks man!
YASSSS!! I wanted to tell you that although your tech videos are amazing, we wanted the raw "how to tell a good story" video! THANK YOU! more of these please??? maybe mix the two?
Definitely some good stuff here. One of the best I've seen on storytelling actually comes from South Park's Matt Stone and Trey Parker. (And you touched on it a bit with the example) - Essentially, a story that can be told, "and then ... and then ... and then ..." gets really boring really fast. The essence of a good story is "This happened ... which caused this to happen. BUT ... that happened ... so ... this had to happen ... which caused this to happen ... etc" Cause and effect with each action leading to the next in a logical way with it all connecting.
Dude is really coming into his own lately. These are getting super strong.
I agree, really great content.
You almost NEVER give "the typical advice people usually give filmmakers." That's why I love your channel so.
Amazing. Just incredible. This channel is the only place where you can find this. You are soo much above *all* the other youtubers. I don't even know what to say...
Ps. Please, make a Patreon page.
ikr
he's great and I think he's doing fine without Patreon.
Perhaps you are looking in the wrong place. There are a ton of creative writing videos that explain this process in detail. Even formulas which at least make sure your story has a firm foundation, like for example the 4 Ws.
In any story these 4 things need to be addressed in some way:
-When/Where (usually combined)
-Who
-What
-Why
Especially the last three Ws are of importance.
Who is it that we should care about, what is their background what is their motive and why should we care?
If you really want to learn more about this study creative writing a bit and then stage writing! Stage is a very complex form of story telling because you have literally limited space, time and resources and you need to over emphasize everything of importance. It is easy to move from stage to screen because so many things are solved by just an insert or a cutaway that last 12-48 frames. You do need to beware for not keeping things going on a bit too long -- that is the only danger screenwriters/directors coming from a stage background have. But they really know how to sell a story
@Raymond Doetjes It's not a bout how, but rather what. In this channel, I got inspired and can look forward to what exactly what I need, but for many people they don't know what you need in first place, so saying it is wrong place is not correct at this point, because many people including me didn't know a bout importance of story, because when we do something we want to do this creative stuff fast, cool special effects or cool shots, and by doing that first we get into our comfort zone, and then getting disappointed about the critics and that our video is not so good for others, but we don't realize about the story first.
I'm sorry, but I can't get over how much I love your accent.
Great insight. I attended a QandA with Paul Schrader and he said something similar:
invite a friend over for some beers or wine, tell him your story, in the middle of it get up go to the bathroom and return, if your friend doesn't ask for the rest of the story, you got a problem." He mentioned Homer and the tradition of oral story telling. Makes sense that if you can stimulate someone's imagination and hold their attention with an oral story, you can use that skill to tell a good story on film.
daym that's an amazing little test to try! love it.
I don't even make films, but this is one of my favorite channels to watch regardless of that!
Simon, I've been following your channel since the very beginning, and I have to say this video once again proves to me what an incredible thing you've built here. Your content is easily some of the best and most thoughtful that's currently created on this platform.
I honesltry get so much tips from this channel! THANK you!
I love how Simon's videos are an example of getting to the emotional heart of filmmaking.
Yes, he talks about gear and technicalities, but in every video he relates the topic to his own personal experiences-- how he's grown as a filmmaker, and how he continues to strive to hone his craft-- all presented in a down-to-earth, reassuring tone encompassed by a warm frame and backed by a pleasant and homely guitar track, as if to say, "Let's improve ourselves and make better movies-- together."
I am watching this video at 5: 30am here in india. and your video brought a big smile on my face , since your were talking about the anecdotes my grandmother used to tell me some of her experiences and short stories when I was a kid and that have stayed with me uptill now that's the power of stories. and you said so right that its not always about great Camera shot or lighting or colour grading.. It's about the story if its stays with a person or vanishes out as soon as he/she leaves the theatre.
Thanks buddy for making this video.. You've been a great Mentor. ☺
You are an inspiration Simon. I have not made a decent piece of work in a month and i credit it all to my unmotivated self. DSLRguide has helped me so much in forming the little creations I make turn into something bigger. Today you have made me realize my flaws in storytelling. Doing so, I am excited to take what I have learned, and make something I am proud of. Thank you. You are brilliant.
Not only do you provide information about film, but I seem to always take away something I can use in life. Also, your music does such a great job at setting the mood and really bringing me into the video. Another great video!
I've been telling stories for almost half a century by now, and God knows I wish I was half the storyteller you are. Simon, you are a gifted one. Thanks for sharing.
Very interesting advice. Now I ask... where is the apple?
Great channel! Loving this.
Yet again you have blessed our brains, thanks Simon!
+DSLRguide Your way of staring into the camera and gentle, modest voice speaks volumes about your experience.
Keep rockin! Thanks for all the help.
Spot on. After working on films for a three years, a lot of people could benefit from this. So many filmmakers get the top quality camera apparatus and focus too much on just the visuals. I remember working on a film where they spent half a day on getting a tough VFX/Practical fx shot just right. When they started editing, they cut the shot because they completely forgot about performance and making sure it fits the story.
As always man, well thought out video idea and worth the watch. Keep it up because there are lots of us out there who enjoy taking a break in our days to watch what you come up with!
I think what you're describing is pitching. Which is what writers have to do in meetings when peddling their wares to production companies and studios. But I think what you are implying is correct -- or at least the instinct behind it is correct. There are a lot of filmmakers out there with great visual instinct, but lack storytelling instinct.
It always starts with a script and you need a good writer. And I think this is the BIGGEST slip-up made by unseasoned filmmakers. Many young filmmakers would write their own scripts, but they can't write a good script (or spot one in most cases). They conceptualize their own ideas, visualize it, then write it down, but they miss core storytelling elements.
They overlook that screenwriting is in itself its own discipline where most seasoned writers didn't get their first break until at least over a decade of developing their craft. They see it as a means to an end to make a movie as opposed to it being its own craft.
The best directors don't write their own stuff. And people like Tarantino wrote long before he was making films. He was selling scripts before he made Reservoir Dogs. He is constantly writing when he isn't filming and often talks about a separation in script and film where he ensures his scripts are good enough to be a standalone product even if it doesn't get filmed.
"The best directors don't write their own stuff."
Xavier Dolan
Quentin Tarantino
Nicolas Winding Refn
Lars von Trier
Michael Haneke
Christopher Nolan
The list could go on and on.
Think I should've said, a lot of the best directors...
The original point still stands.
You are a genius for thinking of this idea THANK YOU . It's now like 10 times easier to make a story using this technique.
I'm a scout, we ALWAYS tell funny anecdotes about us around the fire. I agree with you Simon.
Simon I could see in your eyes at the end of this video that you are excited about using antidotes as a tool to gauge audience feedback and engagement. Seems to me a great practical idea that many film makers can implement. Well done.
I really appreciate how you've tried to offer advice that's different. I'll try this.
You're such a beautiful speaker, seriously bro. You have great content and your voice is so soothing it almost lulls me to sleep haha.
I feel like you made this video after watching Neon Demon by Nicolas Winding Refn. Style was through the roof, but story was below the floor.
Great advice, man. Way to bring it back to the essentials of storytelling.
This reminds me of the Talk Like Ted book. It goes into why the best TED presentations are most captivating, and it all comes down to telling a story in such a way with a bit of humour sprinkled in. You mention about the irrelevant details people add to their anecdotes, and the same is true for TED. You want to only include the relevant details that add value. What comes across as a bad practice is those who edit while they talk, for example, "It happened on a Monday night, well actually, it was after midnight, so really was a Tuesday", rather than, "It happened in the early hours of a Tuesday"
you just stop and take the moment to breathe, and to think about the meaning and quality of things, it's wonderful to witness and be reminded of!
Thank you for this video! I really appreciate your take on storytelling. Who are some of the writers/directors/filmmakers who you think tell a story well. Also, what are your thoughts on Stephen Spielberg's directing style? Aside: Do you play the violin which is to your left in the video?
Usually I like one specific film that a director has made, rather than loving all of their work, but I would say that Scorsese, Spielberg and Fincher have the most consistent well-told stories in my opinion. Spielberg takes you on a ride of heartfelt joy/sadness (ET, Saving Private Ryan) with tension (Jurassic Park, Jaws). Some people say his films are too 'obvious' or 'mainstream' but to be honest I'm very happy to go along for the ride even if they are 'classic' filmmaking rather than the most edgy, artistic films.
Scorsese is a great entertainer, I love a plot twist & most of his films are absolutely gripping. And then Fincher is kind of the opposite of Spielberg, letting the audience make their own mind up a bit more rather than bringing out the violins. Really like the political ideology in the first half of Fight Club (most credit goes to the book there) and Se7en is a masterpiece of suspense, that film hits hard!
I wouldn't call myself a cinephile, most of the time I just watch a movie for the experience, it's difficult to put it into words and choose favourites :) Aside: I'm trying to teach myself violin, and it's proving quite difficult!
Thank you for replying with your thoughts and advice Simon! I will analyze the films and directors you mentioned. I hope your violin practice becomes easier! :)
+DSLRguide You're far too old to start learning to play musical instruments, Simon!
You are never too old to do anything :)
It's never too late
Great video, and thanks for bringing this up. I agree, that story telling abilities are what really makes a spudding film maker stand out. Personally, I was a writer first, and I was trying to write novels before I decided to start making films. I've noticed that my focus is totally different from most directors and DPs who are starting out. I don't care about fancy cameras and lenses and angles etc.. I have the same T3i/600D you do.. And I've noticed that even though the technically minded film makers loathe the stuff I've made, I have a lot of actors and other crew who are very eager to work with me, whereas the techies have very hard time finding anything other than scenery to film.
This video really opened up my mind. It’s always so easy to get very caught up on the technical side of film making. And this brought me back to the creative and passionate side. Thank you Simon.
Superb stuff Simon. I love all of your videos, but this one was particularly inspiring for me. This is something that's been on my mind for the past few weeks, and your video helped freshen my perspective on the idea of storytelling and engaging audiences, the hardest part of filmmaking for me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with the world.
Thank you for this. Honestly at the moment I am at a point where I am trying to focus on story telling, everything you said was spot on.
Also first thing that came to my mind when watching this was how grainy looked, and you then said how the picture of a video doesn't matter (which you were right) after that I just ignored it. The information you had was far more crucial a and I appreciate you pushing these videos out because you have a life and still creating for us.
we are the first ones to notice those details like grainy footage, but you're absolutely right - that shouldn't be our primary focus :)
Ohh this explains kinda why im into filmmaking. A lot of my friends told me, when i tell them some storys i always try to do it interesting and funny(Most of the time, i kinda replicate the whole situation, that happened, by my emotions, words and so on). Thank you! Next time when i tell something my friends and family i will give my best at being a good storyteller. Have a nice evening!
this has quickly become my favourite channel on youtube
Great thinking!
Thinking about this you can clearly see why comedians (A.K.A. professional anecdote tellers) that moved into filmmaking like Woody Allen and Louis CK are so great.
Definitely going to be telling more anecdotes to my friends from now on
your videos make me feel. they are calm, inspiring.. kind maybe? i adore your style and looking forward to you. you are one of that kind of youtubers (which there are not a lot of) who think more about creativity and art more than about any other stuff. thank you
I see what you did there, Simon. You didn't just tell me how to become a better filmmaker, you showed me through the video-brilliant!
Thank you.
Thanks Simon! Great topic..well done! I think we would all love if you could do more videos like this one. It IS the story not the equipment that is most important!!
Well said Simon! As a Broadcast Cameraman of coming up to thirty years, I have spent most of my days visually telling other peoples stories! The reason why I have not ventured into becoming a film maker is because I have not found a story that I have been compelled to tell for myself!
Pretty pictures are nice but content is King! Keep up the good work! :-)
Thanks a lot. I'm starting out in film-making and watching your videos has helped and inspired me so much and also pushed me to try and explore different things without hassling over things that don't matter, Hope to see you continue doing great things :)
Your work is fantastic Simon. You really know what you are talking about. Keep it up
and we see our hero Simon back on track with great videos again.
Never gave it a deeper thought but this sounds so obvious and logical when you think about it.
that is a really interesting way to look at story telling; getting the audience to care and practicing. I think I will go over a new script I'm working on and try the tip out. Thanks Simon. Another great video!
love this video, such a new way of looking at the whole thought process behind creating a story/film
Awesome video. One thing that I think differently about myself is the tooth paste story. For me, the first one had more impact since it made me visualise it and feel the embarrassment in my head. The other version told me how to feel basically, felt a bit spoon fed if you know what I mean. I think telling or showing the viewer to much and telling them how to feel might in some cases be counter productive. In this instance I get a stronger feeling when putting myself in the tooth paste position in my head, than someone else telling me how they felt and thus viewing the embarrassment from the side rather than getting that "Oooh, if that happened to me..!" feeling.
you make a very good point - firstly, that everyone has their own style of storytelling, and each story calls for a different approach. Even so, I totally see what your saying about the spoon-fed thing. There's always a balance between how much you give to the audience, and how much you let them figure out. Same kind of idea that Jaws is scary because we don't see the shark, so we imagine it :) thanks for the feedback & discussion, it'll help us all improve!
Ugh your videos are so relaxing and well put together. I love them. I started a new channel a while back, starting fresh, set off on a journey and had to take care of some life things. Had totally forgotten about a lot of channels that I used to follow more closely...this one included. I'M SORRY! I'm back and subscribed. Thank you for providing this Simon. It's been much too long for me :)
Long time subscriber! You're great at what you do but the one thing i always enjoy about your videos is you have such a soothing voice along with great music choices. It really feels comforting when i have a filmmaking hurdle and i pop on one of your vids. It feels like comfort and advice. I love your style :)
I can't believe you are same age as me... too much wisdom in a young body!! Great job with all of your videos, I hope you flourish as that's what your content deserves.
I could sit next to you all day long listening to you talking about filmmaking.
Made with Heart and this is probably the most important.
Bravo ! And thank you Simon !
this was honestly so helpful and inspiring because ive never really thought of telling a story through film could be the same way you could verbally tell a story. personally this helps me out a lot more now because i am better at telling stories to my friends and groups of people about funny things ive done and my humour is a lot of me expressing my reaction so i definitely think this will help me try to encourage myself to use my humour and way of storytelling in film stand out.
AHHH! IT'S JUST SO GOOD! But, really, you make amazing content that's original, and I can't stop watching. Don't stop.
this means a lot, thank you :)
DSLRguide Thank YOU! :)
You voice is Amazing. Peaceful and calm, your videos literally put me to sleep!..how cool is that?..good work Simon
Got to say a massive thanks for these thought provoking lessons, really practical and helpful, great job.
I like how you change the audio a little bit earlier than the video when you switch between two shots
Deeply insightful, Simon... This video needs to be watched by all the storytellers out there, especially film directors.
Very good/useful. And your story-telling of story-telling was quite engaging!
Really great advice! Very helpful regarding what to tell, what to leave out, how to tell it and especially: in which order. Thanks for sharing!
This is the best video you've ever made.
I'm impressed with your approach. I've done screen writing and continuity is critical. Typically you don't put anything into the story that's not coming back into the story somewhere. So much of this has to do with understanding the format of a good film. For instance knowing how to set up the inciting incident, you first and second refusals, character arc, story arch, first second and third acts, climax, the tension in the 2nd act, where the hero realizes he is the hero... All that is established in dialogue.
Also when writing descriptions in film scripts you can start with "smoke is rising from a pair of shoes, beside the shoes is a gun where the smoke is emanating from. FOOTSTEPS from running feet taper off in the distance" OR "we see the faces of two men as they run past. Behind them a body where a gun is laying by the feet" In screenwriting we can give some "directing" in the way we create the syntax of our descriptions. And just like the dialogue and storytelling you have to tell a story that carries the plot without deviating with details that never enter into factors of the story.
People watch films wanting to play detective or hopeless romantic hoping all things work for the hero of the story. This is also why details must be confined to the storyline. The viewers watch and remember tidbits and try to find where that fits in. So a good story, while it sounds cliche hollywood cookie cutter screenwriting actually has the formula for the exact reason of being somewhat interactive with the audience. A happy audience who got a small percentage of the guesses right gives good reviews.
Valuable insight here. I feel like I should add that the ability to tell a good story verbally is a huge part of being charming, and is worth practicing in any case.
absolutely!
JJ Abrams once mentioned that one of the strongest element of storytelling is the ability to withhold information from your audience. I find this piece of advice super relatable to your anecdote analogy.
absolutely - the toothpaste story would be very different if it was from the interviewer's perspective...
Thought-provoking and clear. Thanks for the smile at the end Mr Cade!
Solid advice... hope you expand with more videos on the creative aspect of film making. Seems like everyone has a channel regarding the technical aspect nowadays.
It's really interesting that you started filmmaking focusing on the looks, whereas I'm kind of the opposite. I didn't care what it looked like, I was just into telling the story.
Hey there Simon! I've been watching you for a year now and just want to say your videos have been extremely helpful. Thanks for all the good ideas and tips! -Sean
Thank you for being my biggest inspiration as a filmmaker. You've really taught me how you don't need amazing stuff to make amazing stuff thank you. I've recently made a video in your style that I'm really proud of. Thanks.
The simplest way to make better films is to make another film, and another one, and another one, and another one...
What about after that?
hyspero shit son... I don't even want to ask what comes next!
Bumper210 Yep, but if don't learn anything from one and apply it to another it's insanity.
Not every next film will be a revolution in your filmmaking style, but every one will learn you a thing :)
interesting. I think the key is improvement through iteration. A remake. It does not even have to be a remake of a complete old film of yourself, it can be a scene remake in a different project :^)
This is probably the best 'small' (Actually isn't so small, and is giant knowing there is just 1 person making it) about film making tips.
Good message. I have to say this is an excellent topic you've picked. Not just because I've been trying to tackle storytelling for some time now and still feel I'm very lacking and weak in this area, but because storytelling is the essence of filmmaking, as your tree illustration affirms. I have some good story ideas but having a very difficult time with telling these stories. It was a tease too. I was just waiting with a bit of baited breath to hear what is involved in good storytelling. Your refrain to point that out was an Oh No moment. If you can expand on this subject I bet you will have a very successful theme. I know I will charged to watch.
With the toothpaste example, I actually felt the first story, with the facts, was more effective as my mind in the blank you left at the end, as "a stain on a shirt during an interview doesn't look good, so I can assume how you feel". But those were just my thoughts. Great video Simon! Always valuable knowledge for a filmmaker.
you make a good point - it is often better to let the audience figure out rather than telling them what to feel.
I've seen this guy grow from 6k subs - He's come a long way. Well done, that is some very useful information you are sharing.
This was an awesome video. I feel like you don't even need to actually tell stories to purple if you don't want to, as long as you keep that mindset when you're filming. If you think someone won't find a certain part interesting, then get rid of it or remove unnecessary parts. Short and good is better than long and bad
Please make a video with you telling a long, engaging story with soft music! That's some nighttime shit right there
I just can say thank you. You are not only a great teacher but a great inspiration.
Amazing. Never would have thought of that. Way to go Simon.
There's so much truth in what you said here Simon. Thank you for your insight.
This is a great opinion on story telling. I think your absolutely right. I also think if the story is strong, you should be able to tell what's happening with the volume turn down. Nice one mate.
Great video Simon. Enjoying having your videos back
I love it! It's just beginning of my blog. I made a briiliant introduction and its the right time to continue with stories. Thank you!
Love this video, just like all of your others. It would be awesome to see you get involved in a bigger story to tell, because I'm certain you'd do a great job. Keep up the really great work.
Simon, I return to your channel because your videos have heart. They are honest. I don't come for practical advice on how to use stabilizers or fly drones. Those things are useful to know, but they pass away. This stuff, right here, doesn't. I remember in the fall of 2015 when you began releasing videos like "What Does Success in Filmmaking Cost?" and "The Toughest Part of Filmmaking." I return to those videos periodically because you touch upon something universal about the life of the artist. Artists for millennia have been asking "What Does Success in Art Cost?" and I like hearing your thoughts on that question. I know you have to pay the bills, but my opinion is that you should explore the more universal questions rather than the practical ones. But again, I understand. And keep up the good work.
This is so encouraging to hear, honestly you have no idea :) I'm always trying to balance the practical vs philosophical side of things, and I'm definitely setting my sights on the latter, so it's great to hear that you're on board for that. thanks for understanding :)
I'm glad I can be encouraging! We need that as artists.
You never fail to blow my mind man! keep up the amazing job
This video really made something click in my head in regard to my own storytelling. Easily my favorite video from DSLRguide. Keep it up!
so glad to hear this, thanks Michael :)
Very nice! Never thought about storytelling in this way. Let's see if I can put that into my videos. 😄👍
STORY IS ALWAYS KING!!!
I really love how your videos not only teach a lot but alway look amazing as well
Keep up the good work !
One of my favorites from you simon, great work man
You're going places young man. I hope to see you at the Oscars one day.
Excellent video Simon! I totally agree with you on the story thing! I realised it quite a while back when I actually got bored with my own videos because they were always the same: my friends and I doing freerunning, edited with a soundtrack. There wasn't any story behind it. I really want to move into making videos surrounding parkour and freerunning, it's just I've been stuck on coming up with ideas, but after seeing this video I think I'm going to take your advice and practice some anecdotes on my friends and family.
Thanks man!
this is brilliant. go for it!
love your videos! thank you for all the filming help
I think that was actually very good advice, great way to look at story.
Love this video! Thank you!
Thank you Simon once again for sharing your brilliant thoughts!
Where is the apple and the apple bite? The DSLRguide fans are enraged!! :) All 5,000,000 fans want to know!
I have nothing but respect for you brother. Hope to meet you in the field few years from now.
YASSSS!! I wanted to tell you that although your tech videos are amazing, we wanted the raw "how to tell a good story" video! THANK YOU! more of these please??? maybe mix the two?
so glad to hear that you're interested in storytelling :) This is only the beginning!
Definitely some good stuff here. One of the best I've seen on storytelling actually comes from South Park's Matt Stone and Trey Parker. (And you touched on it a bit with the example) - Essentially, a story that can be told, "and then ... and then ... and then ..." gets really boring really fast. The essence of a good story is "This happened ... which caused this to happen. BUT ... that happened ... so ... this had to happen ... which caused this to happen ... etc" Cause and effect with each action leading to the next in a logical way with it all connecting.