Why Short Films Still Matter for Building a Writing Career

The useful part

Storytelling and meaning-making are one of the human animal's evolved, innate abilities. How to tell and understand stories is hardwired in our brains, like language and walking! Its frameworks are always resident in novels, newscasts, TV shows, movies, songs—and that scaffolding is constantly being reinforced in our media-drenched culture.

How it works

• Okay, so how does one awaken and gain access to such seemingly indiscernible structures?
• I mean it in the sense of the old bromide, "Monkey see, monkey do." Y'see, every good movie, TV show, series, novel, or joke is instructing you.
• Every time you read a book or watch a moving image, you're learning exactl...
• Clearly, we've evolved to learn our world and understand our place in it through stories.
• That's why I used to tell my writing students, "If you can tell a joke, you already know the essential elements of any story, including screenplays." Simple, right?

What to take from it

Oh, that's the easy part because they're not indiscernible. So just pay attention and become a friggin' monkey! Well, I sense the primary reason is that most newer writers haven't yet awakened to a story's hidden structures, methods, and conventions.

Details worth keeping

Bob Pondillo, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus—Media/Culture/Screenwriting. We are meaning-making, pattern-seeking, storytelling creatures. THAT is the key that unlocks a writer's world.