The Art of Telling Stories: Brendan Cahoon

The Art of Telling Stories is a series of posts designed to take a deeper look at what it means to tell a story. Writers tell stories constantly, but many other people in many other vocations tell their stories as well, in other, often more subtle, ways. Today's guest is Brendan Cahoon, a Production Assistant at the television station WMUR in Manchester, NH. He is also an Emmy-nominated editor for the news-magazine style show New Hampshire Chronicle.

Thanks for taking the time to interview, Brendan! Tell me a little bit about who you are and what you do.

Allow me to go back a bit and briefly explain my background. I've been involved in the technical side of entertainment for 30 years, I was just 15 when I worked my first professional job at an outdoor summer theater. I got a 2 year degree in Broadcasting, but ended up working for a laser show company right out of school. In 1989, I headed south and worked at Epcot at Walt Disney World, working on the nighttime effects show, IllumiNations. I was there for 8 years, then moved up the street to work at Sea World as their only laser technician. By 2003, I had finally grown tired of Florida and headed back home to NH where I was eventually hired at WMUR, the ABC affiliate television station in Manchester. 

Editing system similar to the one Brendan uses.

My official job title is Production Assistant, but I am considered a "utility tech." This means I can do numerous jobs around the station including audio, camera, set design and construction, lighting, etc. One of the things I've found I seem to have a talent for is editing for the news-magazine style show New Hampshire Chronicle. I have been doing this for about 6 years now and am somewhat proud to say I was nominated for a regional Emmy for my work a few years ago.

Would you consider yourself to be a storyteller? Why or why not?

In his book How to Tell a Story, Mark Twain writes "I do not claim that I can tell a story as it ought to be told. I only claim to know how a story ought to be told." As an editor I sometimes think of myself as a storyteller by proxy. The process by which a story segment, or package as we call it, is finished, is a little different than what other stations do. A producer researches an idea, then takes a videographer and goes out and shoots the story. Once that's finished, The producer goes over the footage and writes a script, then hands off the footage and the script to the editor. 

Here's where I come in. 

As an editor on Chronicle, I often will get a script that's nothing more than dialog. Simply the interviews and the voice-overs that comprise the package. My job is now to take that audio, combine it with the visuals in a way that makes sense and makes it interesting, add music and turn it into something that looks effortless. 

To me, this is my version of being a storyteller. When I edit a package I take ownership. Even though someone else wrote it, and someone else shot it, I take on the responsibility for bringing that story to life, for creating the feelings it makes and the emotions it brings forth. Often times this means moving parts around or even deleting some things that don't work. The executive producer on the show gives her editors a lot of leeway in that regard since the segment producers often aren't available during editing.

How would you define storytelling?

Director Andrew Stanton (Toy Story, Wall-E) said, "Make me care. Emotionally, intellectually, aesthetically, just make me care." He goes on to say that a good story will make the audience think... though not too much. Give them 2+2, but not 4. Bob Mankoff, the cartoon editor for the New Yorker, receives 1000 submissions a month, but as he says, the ones that make it into the magazine are the ones that make you think.

A few years ago I got to do some judging for the regional Emmys. I watched about half a dozen entries from the west coast and was, frankly, unimpressed with how some of the packages were done. But, the one I ended up rating the highest was a simple piece about school nurses. That was the one that I connected with the most emotionally. It kept my attention. It made me care.

How do you think the many pieces involved in television - such as types of camera, camera angles, lighting, audio, etc. -  play a role in the way a story is told?

Obviously all those things have a part in the process of making TV, but one of my core beliefs is that all the technology that's available, those are only tools. They are only "things" which we use to tell a story. I had a professor in college who said that if you're watching a film or TV and at any time the viewer thinks  "that was an interesting way they used that shot", then you have failed. You have allowed the viewer to step out of the story and notice something that wasn't important. I once worked on a student film where part of the plot took place in a sewer. Rather than shoot in a sewer... we built one. One of the things I remember about that set was the amount of detail the art department put in to it. The color of the walls, the amount of extra trash strewn around, and even a forced perspective set piece to make the set look longer than it really was. All of this was done so that the viewer wouldn't see it and think "set". It kept the viewer in the story.

Now that said, each tool can be used in ways to elicit a response as well. Using blue lighting will make a scene feel cold. Low camera angles are used to make someone look imposing. Music is the ultimate method of perpetuating emotion. Just about every movie trailer is meant to play to your emotions. Listen to the score from Star Wars and you can practically see every scene in your head. But again, these tools should only be used to advance a story and not be obvious.

Talk a little bit about the role of storytelling in editing. What is an editor's most important role in telling the story?

The word that comes to mind here is pacing. Each story has a different pace to it. If the package is about race cars, the shots are quick, and the story moves along fairly fast. If the piece is about an artist, then your pace will be slower, you linger on the shots longer to the viewer gets more information. For the type of editing I do, recognizing the differences is key. A story can feel "off" if the pacing isn't right.

Another big aspect as well is something I've already mentioned, music. As the editor, I'm responsible for choosing the music used in a package. This is a pretty big deal since the music has to match the pacing as well as the emotions that the producer wants. I have a pretty eclectic musical background, so I can usually choose music that suits a piece pretty well. I will also use several different pieces of music during a package to keep it sounding interesting and less repetitive, this moves a story and the pacing along as well.

What is your favorite project that you've worked on? Why?

As I mentioned previously, I was nominated a few years ago for a regional Emmy. The piece I was nominated for was about autistic kids learning surf and to be honest it was a rush job. I got handed the script on a Friday and the package aired on Monday. Besides the script, the only direction I got from the producer was "inspirational". I chose the music and started editing on Saturday and finished the piece Sunday night. It shows that even under a harsh deadline you still have to apply all the tricks of the trade to make a good story. While I admire the work I did, it's not one of my favorite pieces.

About 5 years ago I gave a story suggestion to Chronicle about a summer program at the University of New Hampshire that brings masters of violin repair and construction to the campus for a series of workshops. As it happened this piece was shot just before the show went on a summer break, so I found myself with 3 weeks to edit the story. I changed things around, spent one week alone just looking for music - a three-part violin concerto, added graphics, color corrected every shot, and tweaked every shot to within frames of where I thought it should be. The result ended up being a piece that may not have been exactly true to the original script, but... it was how I thought the story ought to be told. Because of the effort and energy that went into that package, it's still one of my favorites.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

The phenomenal storyteller Geoffrey Lewis wrote:

 "Not long ago, I was down in Marrakesh in North Africa. Every night I used to go out in the marketplace there. They had snake charmers and acrobats and magicians and dancers... all kinds of people entertaining. But the people who gathered the largest crowds were the storytellers. Some of them would come out of the desert in a loincloth, just talk for two hours, then disappear. I would sit and listen to them for hours. I was enthralled by what they were doing. Pretty soon, I began to pick up pictures of what they were saying, although I couldn't understand the words. And that's what we do... we tell stories."

Geoffrey is the narrator for a spoken word/musical group called Celestial Navigations and through listening to his work, I think I would like to be able to stand on a stage and tell stories someday. Right now though, I'm satisfied staying behind the scenes. As Neil Gaiman once said in a commencement speech "Do what only you can do... make good art!"

Thank you, Brendan, for taking the time to provide such an intriguing and fascinating look into the world of storytelling! 

You can check out Brendan's Emmy-nominated piece, Surfing Through Autism on Youtube. Also, look at a cartoon of Neil Gaiman's commencement speech quote on making good art, and you can find Celestial Navigations here. Finally, if you're interested in storytelling, watch Andrew Stanton's TED Talk!

The Art of Telling Stories: Ryan Holmes

The Art of Telling Stories is a series of posts designed to take a deeper look at what it means to tell a story. Writers tell stories constantly, but many other people in many other vocations tell their stories as well, but in other, often more subtle, ways. Today's guest is Ryan Holmes, the bass player for the Connecticut-based band Echo and Drake. You can check out their music and upcoming events at their website, on Facebook, or click here to download some free songs!

Tell us a little bit about you and what it is you do.

I'm Ryan, a lifelong student of music and songwriting, but more specifically, the electric bass guitar. I write and perform music like its my job (ha!) and primarily with my band 'Echo & Drake'.

How would you define a storyteller?

This is such a broad concept, but to me a storyteller is someone who works within their chosen art form to get their message across. Their message could involve simply conveying some facts, or persuading a room full of thousands of people. That could mean using their spoken language, music, paintings, writings, or a delicious combination of any possibility. Its hard to define because a storyteller can mean so many things!

Do you consider yourself a storyteller? Why or why not?

I consider myself a storyteller before the music. I've always been told I have a knack for telling a great story and tying all the ropes together before I ultimately drop the punchline. I've taken pride in it! Some have said "Cut to the chase!", but I've always maintained that I'm simply building an environment for the listener to revel in for a while.

As a musician, what are the different elements you might use to tell a story? How do those elements work together?

As a musician, I feel like my whole existence is a story. Being in music, like any other walk of life, your message will begin to become a wash if you're perceived as someone who doesn't truly live inside that world you've created. You have to prove yourself to any prospective listener before they even consider your music and your lyrics. As humans we can become unsure about our actions before we even commit to them. An audience member at a comedy club may stifle his own laughter at a particularly outlandish joke for fear that the gentleman down the row will give him a dirty look. A group of concert goers may decide not to dance to the opening act (even though they may want to) because they're not endorsed by the whole crowd yet. A person will jump to read the newest novel by a known NY Times Bestseller, but a newly published upcoming author might go under-noticed for a while as they build this trust with their "audience". Sitting among friends at a restaurant you may subconsciously begin tuning out a particular person who has a track record of droning on about things you have no interest in. To me, its because that person has built no credibility with you as a storyteller. As a musician you don't need to be a master of your chosen instrument or a master of your spoken language, you simply have to prove that the notes you play and the words you've chosen have meaning. You have to deliver them with conviction.      

How do you approach the thought process of writing a song? What is it about that process that really appeals to you?

Songwriting has become one of my greatest passions. After really delving into it I've discovered that its something that makes me truly happy. With that said, there are about a million ways to approach songwriting - and my best piece of insight would be to not approach it at all. By that I mean the best ideas aren't forced; they tend to come to you. Sometimes it can be a melody that seems to appear in your thoughts, or a great phrase you think up at random in a passing conversation. Usually the idea starts with something small, and then you're able to sit down with this idea behind a piano, or holding a guitar and begin developing. "Maybe the bass line could start on the 5th of the chord played on the guitar... Nope, that doesn't sound great, maybe that line would sound great an octave higher." In other words, I think really great ideas appear from some sort of higher musical power within you and only then can you take that idea to the workshop and start your adjustments, your layering, your additions, etc. They tell any new songwriter to "write everyday." Some go as far as to say "You should write an entire song every day." I don't think it has to mean that per se, but I think working at it as consistently as possible is the best course of action. As I said, its nearly impossible to force a good idea, but if you force yourself to sit down and be continually thinking musically (making sure to notate and/or record ideas you may have for future reference) those ideas could resurface and be great supplements to your spur-of-the-moment breakthroughs.

Imagine you're playing/writing a song without words. How do you make that song tell a story? How do you make it resonate with your audience?

"Dynamics! Dynamics!" But seriously, music stems from the human vocal chords. So, like it or not, to really move the listener, that has to be considered at all times. While performing instrumental works, often times it helps to consider how those lines would be sung, how the voice would portray them. This could come in any form of variation in dynamics, accents, lack of accents, note attacks, note endings, anything. I think one of the reasons so many are up in arms about the current state of popular music is due to its lack of originality. People go to see live a live show to be wowed by a performance that wouldn't otherwise have been heard on a recording. This has to be realized before you're able to open yourself up to the possibility of an actual moving performance.

What is your favourite part of being a musician? Why? 

The best part of being a musician is developing that trust I mentioned with listeners. Of course, there's a lot of personal validation in being able to perform at a high level - but none of it really would matter if there were no others to share it with. Being able to carefully articulate your message, deliver it with intent, and see it resonating with another person is the absolute best feeling.

If you had to pick a favourite instrument (besides the bass!) to listen to, what would it be and why? 

At the risk of sounding unoriginal - the piano. "All music comes from the Piano" - this idea isn't off base. The instrument is so equipped to aid the musician in telling their story, so to speak. It can sound so dark and dreary on one hand and so light and relaxed on the other (quite literally!). Its such an inherently dynamic instrument (as all instruments are, of course!) But in general, I find it pleasing to listen to just about any instrument that is performed well and with meaning. If you can pull great sounds out of a crinkled up piece of paper and a broken rubber band - then let's hear it!

How do you approach the concept of telling a story as a team (as in, you have to work with the other members of your band to all tell the same story at the same time, but in different ways)? 

Musically, the entire process is close teamwork. You need to be a great listener in order to effectively fit your piece into the puzzle. You have to consider your relationship with other voices, your relationship with space, and how it all relates to one another. In terms of lyric, I find it more difficult to piece together a story as a group. Particularly with songwriting, being that it can be difficult sometimes to convey your own deepest inner thoughts - it can be increasingly harder to tap into another individual's. 

Is there anything else you would like to share? 

"I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit." Just sayin'.

Don't forget to check Ryan out on Facebook and on his Echo and Drake website. In addition, stay tuned for some music by Ryan under a different name (TBD)!

The Art of Telling Stories: Aurora Gordon

The Art of Telling Stories is a series of posts designed to take a deeper look at what it means to tell a story. Writers tell stories constantly, but many other people in many other vocations tell their stories as well, but in other, often more subtle, ways.

Today's guest is Aurora Gordon, a dailies colorist for television, a video producer, and a brilliant artist. You can check out her newest trailer about the Daily Ocean as well as several of her other projects on her website or on Vimeo. In addition, the image to the right is one in a series of nine that will be available to benefit the Red Cross of Oklahoma with the recent tornado damage.

Aurora, tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm a dailies colorist for television - and that means I'm the one applying a look to the footage
immediately after it was shot (so I work the graveyard shift, yikes!). We do this so that the footage will look as close to the final intention as possible for the rough cuts before the footage goes to a final color session for polishing, and eventually broadcasting on TV. In ideal situations I talk to the DP beforehand, and we discuss what sort of look he's going for.  Then it's up to me to come up with the right "cocktail" of dial pushes to recreate that everyday.  I go through all the footage and make sure if more than one camera is used that both cameras have the same color balance.  So, if B Camera looks too blue compared to A Camera, I'll either add yellow to B Camera, or add blue to A Camera.

What that means in reality: I stare at monitors overnight and turn knobs and roll track balls!

In my daytime I'm a video producer and lately I've been working on a documentary about a woman who goes to clean up the beach 20 minutes at a time.  I work mostly on personal documentary style projects but I've been known to take a commission or two. Especially if it means working with an awesome small business.

How would you define storytelling?

Wow, storytelling defined!  I'd say good storytelling is forgetting about your ego and relaying events in a generous, affordable, relatable way. Being a liaison to the world - even if it's a small story.


Would you consider yourself a storyteller? Why?

Definitely.  I used to get asked a lot, are you ever going to specialize and focus on just videos, or just color? And I think it's a lot of the same skill set.  To me it's almost the same job.  As a storyteller you have to get this idea in your head out to an audience - and as a colorist I have to get the idea in the DP's head out to the audience. But, there's still a lot of room for my interpretation.  For example if someone says to me "Make this scene warm!" my first image is a slightly yellowed cozy kitchen, probably with something being baked for hungry guests in the oven.  So I'll then grade the scene with my interpretation of warm - gold familiarity.  But another colorist might grade it like a warm body on a beach - almost red. I live in a land of subtlety and perhaps it's hard for a lot of people to understand nonverbal storytelling as the same as Storytelling with a capital S - but that's what I like to think I do best: subtly transfer feelings.


How do you decide what images tell the story and what ones don't?

When I'm cutting a documentary project, I'm just ruthless. I ask myself: what's the most important image here, and what am I really trying to say?  Does this other image inform and support that? No?  On the cutting room floor it goes then. Another good question to ask is: Would an alien get this image?  Hopefully it's powerful enough some creature from Mars would even understand.


What impact does colour have on the story being told?

Ah - this is a good question. Like I said before, it's a nonverbal art form. I think really great color can take a cold, steely scene from a movie like Skyfall, and make a lonely spy trapped in solitary confinement relatable to everybody's life. What's actually on screen might be a creepy dude with a bad attitude and a bionic jaw, but everybody has a time in their life that was blue and steely and lonely. Sometimes it's easier to say with a look than words.


Do you think you could tell a story with just colour? How?

I think there are color arcs like there are story arcs. I don't know if I could just pop colors on screen and say something a viewer could understand though. I do think oftentimes the color really confirms what you're seeing.  For example, oftentimes movies will end warmer than they started.  If it's a happy ending, it probably looks a little rosy too.  A filmmaker can dial in a look that says, "You might not feel this way, but here's how I want you to feel."  I think a stylized look can be a really honest tip of the hat to the fact the story is of course coming from a biased and subjective point of view.  For example, Wes Anderson always uses his yellowed, aged, signature look and I think that's a nice way to subtly say to the audience, "This is my fading memory and it may or may not be what's really occurring in the world."

But I also think there can be stories told with color in homes.  I'm fascinated with the way people choose to decorate and paint walls. I think there's a reason some people have dark walls and some people have light walls.

What is your favourite part of the work you do and why?

My favorite part is probably the moment before I dial it in.  (Do people know what that means?  We say a scene is "dialed in" when we've got the knobs literally dialed in to the right position. It's another way to say "nailed it.")

When I'm working on a challenging scene I might go back and forth with 10 different versions that are all minor, minor changes, but from version 1 all the way to version 10 is cumulatively a big change.  I like the challenging scenes because oftentimes the moment before it's dialed in is the moment I try something new and discover a new way to combine shadow, midtone, and highlight color values.


What is your favourite colour?

Green!  Our eyes are most sensitive to around 550 nm, which is about green. So I like green because it illuminates most things for humans.

Also, when my husband James first met me he insisted I have green eyes, even though my driver's license and everybody else in my life says I have blue eyes.  He sees me green instead and it makes me laugh.


Is there anything else you would like me to share?

Eat your vegetables! Play with animals! Don't buy things that sell you another version of yourself!


Don't forget to visit Rory's website to learn more about what she does and what she can do for you!

The Art of Telling Stories: Nancy Tozier Sieling

Today's guest for the series The Art of Telling Stories is Nancy Tozier Sieling, a brilliant seamstress and costume designer. You can check out her blog, some photos from her most recent shows Peter Pan and Seussical, or follow her on Facebook.

Nancy, tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a seamstress and costume designer. I do alterations and make custom clothing - mostly wedding and formal wear. I also design and make costumes for theatrical productions.

How would you define storytelling?

Storytelling to me is communicating a set of related ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Usually, but not always, there is a point to be made or something to be taught. The greatest storytellers are able to reach across time and cultures with tales that resonate with a wide variety of people, which is why so many filmmakers turn classics (take Les Miserables, for example) into blockbusters.

In what way do you use costumes and clothing to tell stories? 

If I am working on a show, my job is to help the director portray his or her vision of the story. Costumes help define who the characters are and how they relate to each other. They might be rich or poor, attractive or ugly, self absorbed or clueless, etc. and I try to reinforce those qualities and relationships through their clothing. Color can be used to define someone's mood, attitude, and social status. Costumes can also be used to sort people into groups to make the story easier for the audience to follow. If I do my job well, you will feel like you know something a important about an actor the minute he walks onto the stage. Costuming is not usually a standalone form of storytelling, though it can be. How the actor wears and uses his costume is also important. For example, in 1905 men all wore hats.  Does he wear it properly, toss it in the air, twist it in his hands? What the actor does with his hat takes you deeper into the story.

Could you look at one person and see a story in them, based solely on the clothes they were wearing?

I do that all the time. Sometimes I have the opportunity to find out if my surmises are correct, but more often I don't.

How do you approach the thought process of telling the story of a character through their clothes and appearance?

I start with the time period. I research both the era and the clothing. I educate myself on the social class and occupation of the character. Next, I consider what other details the script tells me about the person - any peculiarities, color or dress preferences, etc. and integrate them into the costuming as much as I can. I love to read old books and have found pop fiction from the time period I am working in to be very helpful, because it tells you things about everyday life that you wont pick up elsewhere. 

What is your favourite thing about costuming?

My favorite thing about costuming is transforming a person from today into someone from another place and time. I feel really successful when an actor's mother fails to recognize her own child.

What is your favourite outfit/era? Why?

I can't pick just one, but in general I love the time period from 1880 to 1950, and I especially like the early 1900's and the 1940's. Fashions in these two eras were graceful and slightly formal without wild excesses of fabric (with the exception of the hats in the 1910-1919 era). Wartime shortages and rationing of fabric and buttons forced clothing designers in the 1940's to be really creative.  The result was the development of some breathtaking designs. This is a favorite of mine from 1912:

...and this is a favorite of mine from the 1940's:

If you had to pick one element of costuming that has the most impact on telling a story, what would that element be and why?

If I had to pick one element of costuming that makes the most impact I would say it is what you don't see- the foundation under the costume. The undergarments of an era provide the shape the dress or suit sits on and plays a huge role in setting the time period. Something as simple as a man wearing suspenders under his suit coat with the pants cinched way up can make a huge difference in setting the time period. Ladies foundations run the gamut from nonexistent to incredibly complicated, and are capable of giving the same woman wildly different shapes. Compare these two dresses- the foundations are radically different:

Don't forget to check out Nancy's Facebook page and blog!

The Art of Telling Stories: Harley O'Brien

Welcome to the next in the series of interviews on The Art of Telling Stories. Today we will hear from Harley O'Brien, a multimedia architect and big-picture thinker. Coming up, he will be at mLearnCon, speaking on Redefining the Document: Creating Content for a Mobile World. You can follow him on Twitter, check out his LinkedIn, or click here to visit the conference webpage. 

Harley, tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

I'm a multimedia architect, I deal with images, forms, and colors, but also with computer code. It's a nice blend of designer and programmer. My formal background is communications and marketing, but from a very early age I got involved with computers, and the interactivity captured me. I fell in love with the worlds you could create and control using media and programming.

How would you define the idea of storytelling?

The basic idea is to convey a story... sounds simple, but that's what makes it so exciting. It can be as simple as a short marketing message, pretty obvious, uh? But also an e-learning module where you need to communicate new concepts, or even better, an RPG or an immersive scenario!

As a Multimedia Architect, how does the work you do make an impact on the way the story is delivered or perceived?

It affects it in almost every way. I'm a firm believer of the old saying "the medium is the message." And that applies even more to interactive media. If you think about it, audiovisuals and interactive media require a lot of team work. You need graphic design, audio, music, layouts, interactions and of course, a good story!

I see a multimedia architect as the orchestra conductor that weaves it all together, carrying the responsibility to respect the essence of each of the parts and enhance it in a new whole.

What role do graphics and images play in storytelling?

Nowadays, a lot. We live in an audiovisual culture. For good or bad, not judging, it's just the way it is. Most of the world's population believe that an image is worth a thousand words :)

I think I could put it this way: "visuals" are important. Even a still image can tell a story, ask any photographer... but also the right word, the right font and the right background can be a powerful visual. See how it is all the medium? Anyway, I feel that text can be a flexible, on-demand and cost-effective media when used correctly. 

What thought process do you use to approach the way you present information to your consumer?

I think you should start with the end: what is the reaction you want? You work from there. You know your times, media, resources. Put yourself in the user's shoes. In what context will he receive the message? a video on a TV screen sitting on a couch or just 20" from a computer monitor? Maybe walking down the street on a smartphone screen?

Then you dissect the message, identify the essence, and start creating different ways of communicating it effectively. Keep in mind that "the message" can be anything, a conventional message in the case of a marketing piece, an e-learning lesson or an interactive experience in the case of an application. I would say that creating interactive media is creating user experiences, something like on-demand, user-controlled storytelling.  

Would you consider yourself a storyteller? Why or why not?

Definitely. I see myself as a user experience designer. You as a writer can identify with this. The end goal as a creator is to create a user experience. In computer lingo, there's even an acronym for that, UX Designer :-)

How do you think multimedia architecture is going to change over the next decade? In what way will that impact the way we communicate and the way we tell stories?

I think the technological aspect of it is the least interesting. I'm sure most people won't be surprised to be able to create holograms at home or use 3D printing. Our fascination threshold is pretty high. But it's the social implications I'm excited about. The Web 2.0 gave us the tools to produce content and share it with the world. Some developing countries have gone from no land lines to a cell phone in every hand and internet connections in just a few years. This moves us towards scenarios that should make us think.

With the overwhelming complexity of search, the trend to "curated" content is growing. Are we sharing our knowledge or giving up on our decision processes?

What about the cloud? It's not only for storage. A lot of "smart" devices are now windows to content that get processed in "the cloud." But remember the PC revolution of the 80s that meant breaking free from the big central computers to have your our processing power on the desktop?

I could talk for hours, but imagine a world with overwhelming audio and visuals, interactions that affect other senses but only 140 characters for text. I'm so up for that challenge! :-)

Art of Telling Stories: Amber Anderson

The next guest in the series of interviews on The Art of Telling Stories is Amber Anderson, a graphic designer and animator. Amber is always looking for new people to work with and new projects to work on - and asking questions is always free! You can find out more about Amber and her services by visiting her website.

Amber, tell me a little bit about who you are and what you do.

I am a self-educated designer, animator, developer, and programmer that believes design and visual appeal are a mainstay in any marketing or branding effort, with eight years of professional experience in the fields of information technology, social media, website design, e-marketing, branding, animation, website development  project management, and graphic design. I create and design end-to-end solutions with standards-compliant code with an emphasis on identity branding, efficacy, cross-platform browser compatibility, interactivity, accessibility, and search engine optimization. 

How would you define storytelling?

When I think of storytelling, I think of someone expressing themselves creatively using an outlet such as writing. When someone says storytelling, I think of a fable, or someone taking inspiration from a fairy tale.

In what way can images fit together to help tell a story?

Images and graphics are key elements of supporting and/or singly expressing a point inside a story. They give the audience something to envision and imagine when exploring an idea or concept. They also give the reader an identification point of a way to feel connected to the author and the author's vision.

How do you decide what images or colours tell a part of a story and what ones don't?

It depends on whether I'm using graphics to tell the story or graphics to support the story. When using graphics to tell the story, I go on my own gut instinct of what I feel and what I see when I review the content. When using them as support for an existing story, I pull key words, scenes, feelings, characters, and seasons, along with other components from the story to visually express the writer's vision.

I use all of these elements to visually format the story. That can be anything - changing fonts, sizes, colours, graphics, layouts, margins - formatting is everything. Formatting is what makes the document visually come together. It's what makes it easy to read, it's what makes the story come alive, it's taking your vision combined with the author's vision and making it tangible for someone to be able to connect to.

What is your favourite design work that you've done?

My favourite projects are ones that I get a hand in all the way down the line. I would have to pick something where I got to do some formatting of text, graphic design, story boarding, animation, framework design - any project where I get to touch it from beginning to end. For example, I recently worked on a project for a client that was producing multiple toolkits to provide a variety of programs working towards similar goals but in different locations, in order to have access to tools and resources to help them better implement their events and assist their clientele. On that project, I designed the framework, the templates for the documents, created their branding style, worked on story boards, and developed tutorial animations for the final product, created visual graphics for reports, and more.

In what way does branding tell a story?

Branding expresses the vision of that individual (or organization). It expresses not only how they see themselves, but how they want to be seen by other people. Branding is a stylistic consistency that allows customers to identify with, feel connected to, and know that they can have faith in the company or organization and its products.

What is your favourite colour and why?

If you had asked me that question twenty years ago, I would have told you anything but pink. If you asked me that question today as a 32-year-old woman, I would tell you that my favourite colour is pink. I used to run away from anything that labeled me as a girl when I was younger because I thought that meant constraints, keeping me inside a box, holding me to a standard, having to be a part of a societal norm. As an adult, I realized that being a girl and liking pink are probably two of the most powerful things that I own. I learned to embrace my gender but not conform to the societal norms or stereotypes, and instead created my own way of thinking that didn't necessitate the colour pink, but still welcomed it. The colour pink signifies to me where I started and how far I've come professionally and personally. It's a reminder to me as to how strong we all really are. 

Similarly, what colour do you use the most frequently when designing and why?

Grey. It's a neutral colour, it's a complimentary colour, and it doesn't overpower or take over a program or organization's already established colour pallette. It's a way to add in lines, colours, and graphics with a calming appeal which doesn't clash.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Creating a brand for your business or organization is important. It's as important as buying a house. It's something that is going to be with your business for a very long time. Don't settle. Don't find one designer and think that you have to stay there. Don't take no for an answer. Don't lose your vision because someone is trying to tell you that you're ideas aren't valid or that you're wrong. Your brand is a part of you. It should be a reflection of you and it should tell your story.

The Art of Telling Stories: A.H. Browne

Welcome to the first of my series "The Art of Telling Stories." Over the next few weeks I will be interviewing a series of individuals who work in different vocations, and looking at how they approach the art of telling stories.

My first guest is Ariana Browning, who writes under the name of A.H. Browne. She is author of Dark Illusions, Dragon's Dawn, and Always Consequences. You can check out her writing website and personal one, and you can find her on Facebook here.

Ariana, tell me a little bit about yourself and your writing career.

I have been writing since I was young, but never really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the storytelling and fantasizing part of it, but not the writing aspects. I never really had a passion for it until my mid 20's, at which time I used it as a way to save myself. A lot of personal stuff happened in my life and I needed something to focus on to get my mind off that. Around my mid teens, I ended up starting with poetry because I've never been good at expressing my emotions and I used that as an outlet. I began to write short stories around 18 or so and then progressed from there with encouragement from people to put it online. When I noticed how much joy it could bring people to read what I wrote and that I could perhaps change lives through it, I found this passion strike me that has stuck with me since then. No matter how much hard work it is at times and how much I wish I could have a break, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I love it.

I've published 3 books so far and many poems. Short stories too. Some of my poems have been in writing magazines and poetry books, but I've lost touch with where those all are. When I was younger, I sent them off, but didn't think about keeping track. Most of the poetry and short stories can be found on my website (www.ahbrowne.com), as well as what I've published, and the list of what's to come.

How would you define storytelling?

Now that's a great question. I've never really thought about it. Let me see; I would say that storytelling is taking someone into another world of existence. Opening up their heart, mind, and soul, and taking them on an adventure without them ever having to leave where they are at. Magic does exist. All around us. That, is storytelling: magic.

Do you do any other forms of storytelling (any element of theatre, design, fashion, music, etc.)?

Other than trying to motivate other people to better themselves and showing that they can do anything they want, through telling my own story on www.arianasmemoir.com, for now, I do not. I have plans later on for more, maybe even sooner than later, but right this second I am focusing mostly on my books. 

How do you think about designing your book covers to communicate to your reader what they are going to experience?

When I design a book cover, I think about the colors and images that most convey the story in psychological ways without giving everything away. For my most recent cover, Always Consequences, I wanted something with a slight military theme overall, but also a woman imprisoned. The psychological part is whether she is imprisoned mentally, physically, or both. I went with a title font which portrayed a military theme, and the blue, green, and grey colors. Those colors went with that more somber quality of being imprisoned. The slight bit of red on her dress was to be eye-catching for the observer and break up the blue, green and grey coloring, but also because one of the main lead males, Umar, happens to dress her in a red dress for his benefit. It's also the color of passion and strength. Then you have the bars she is looking out, which happen to be a window to signify a prison and mental anguish.

So the main theme became military, imprisonment, and the colors blue, grey, green, and red. Simple, but loads of meaning behind it. Covers don't have to be complicated, just eye-catching to make the reader check out the synopsis. (Keep your eyes peeled for free download days! Coming up June 4th and 14th, and July 18th and 19th!)

How do you decide what you are going to write? Where do your story ideas come from?

My ideas come mainly from dreams. Or moments where an idea pops into my head from reading another story, watching a movie, or staring out at nothing and losing myself in nothing for a while, which I admit, I can do when it's gorgeous out. Nature is my addiction. I choose which story to work on through gut instinct. I have had to abandon stories that, after a few chapters, didn't stay with me when I didn't listen. But in general, I always advise choosing one that you feel within. That little voice that says this one. You will never go wrong because even when you're mad at your book, and hate your characters, the love will be there, and you will stick with it. Since doing so, I've rarely, almost never, experienced writer's block.

What is your favourite word?

Favorite word ... wow, not something I thought about. How about "which" when I write and in real life, all the old words! I am determined to keep using old words because I love the sound of them, how they sound, how they flow. I may start annoying people by avoiding contractions too. 

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Shall I share how much I love chocolate? Oh, sorry, about writing. How about some advice? Know that we all think we're a failure or have that little voice saying "I will never be that good." The winners are the ones who have those thoughts, but keep pushing ahead, despite that fear. In the end, the winners are the ones who don't let that fear keep them from being as amazing as they can be. 

Thanks, Ariana for sharing all of this with us! And good luck with your work!