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Pixar Storytelling – It Starts With An Idea
/in Audience, Emotions, Humanity, Narrative, Storytelling, Video/by Mark LovettIf you haven’t seen a Pixar animated movie, I’ll assume you have been living on a (nearly) deserted island. Their first feature film was Toy Story, released some 25 years ago. After 22 films, $14 billion in box office revenue, and an acquisition by Disney, they’re still creating films that touch our heart and change […]
The Challenges of Story Compression
/in History, Narrative, Nonfiction, Podcast, Slavery, Writing/by Mark LovettOne of the most difficult challenges every storyteller faces is how to compress days / months / years / centuries when crafting a narrative. For example, the Roman Empire lasted some 500 years, yet books on the topic are typically under 500 pages, which illustrates how many facts the authors had to cut. Even when […]
A Social Innovation Story, Impactathon 2020
/in Brand Storytelling, Entrepreneurs, Interview, Storytelling/by Mark LovettI’m not the biggest fan of social media, but I do appreciate the benefit of making connections on digital platforms, as I never know when someone will reach out with an interesting offer. Such was the case when Neetal Parekh sent me a note on LinkedIn. Having seen some of my answers on Quora in […]
The Three Dimensions of Public Speaking
/in Audience, Emotions, Passion, Public Speaking, Truth/by Mark LovettHumans have been making public speeches for thousands of years, but until recently, the number of folks doing so has remained rather small, in single digits percentage wise. Unless you were a politician, business leader or social activist, you were in the audience listening, but much has changed in recent decades. With the advent of […]
The Creative Penn Podcast Episode 500
/in Entrepreneurs, Fiction, Nonfiction, Podcast, Writing/by Mark LovettStorytelling takes many forms, and while my focus, for the most part, supports individuals telling their story verbally, writing your story is another avenue for generating impact based on your ideas, lessons learned, and life experiences. In fact, a number of my clients have turned their attention to the spoken version of their story after […]
Crimson Letters: Voices from Death Row
/in Emotions, Humanity, Justice, Prison, Writing/by Mark LovettI’ve spent a lot of time in prison. Not as an inmate, but instead coaching inmates, helping them craft their personal stories. Stories destined to land on a stage at TEDxDonovanCorrectional in 2017 and 2018. Donovan Correctional Facility is a California State prison, located at the very southern edge of San Diego County, overlooking the […]
Three Reasons We Don’t Tell Our Story
/in Audience, Narrative, Public Speaking, Storytelling/by Mark LovettSome folks are eager to tell us their story. They know their message is one that others could benefit from hearing, and they’re always looking for an opportunity to share their ideas, their wisdom, or the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whenever I meet one of these people and mention that I used to […]
The Challenge of Finding Historical Truth
/in History, Narrative, Nonfiction, Storytelling, Truth/by Mark LovettMy last post touched on the art of Interviewing From a Historical Perspective as a way to enrich your story by including the experiences of others. But finding the truth in history can be a problematic topic unto itself, as so much of what we think of as history deviates from the truth in sometimes […]
Interviewing From a Historical Perspective
/in Discrimination, History, Humanity, Interview, Narrative, Podcast/by Mark LovettThe process of crafting an impactful story often begins with identifying events and insights from your life’s journey, but such stories become more compelling and diverse when they include the experiences of others, as additional voices will broaden and deepen the narrative landscape, allowing audience’s to better understand the point you’re proposing, or the lessons […]
95,000 Names – 95,000 Stories
/in Discrimination, History, Humanity, LGBTQ/by Mark LovettTraditions are an essential element of every culture. Merriam-Webster defines the term as “the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction.” Stories, in other words. But not just spoken, as humans are prone to create celebrations based on these stories. […]