Photo by Jeremy Yap / Unsplash
This post was written by Cinematic Storytelling instructor Craig Good, and was originally published on his blog.
Yes, it’s been a while. Finally settled into the new digs, and with some interesting projects going, few of which I’m at liberty to discuss.
But one of them is developing an online course in Cinematic Storytelling for Kadenze. It got me looking for examples, good and bad, of visual storytelling. And, boy, did I find a couple.
This is purported to be the “funniest scene ever” from Friends. I want you to watch it, but with the sound turned off.
Do you have any idea what the scene was about? What the goals were for any of the characters? What was at stake? Was it even remotely funny?
Now watch this — again, with the sound turned off. And ask yourself the same questions.
It’s hard to think of a more clear illustration of the maxim, show, don’t tell.
Craig Good is an animator and filmmaker who has years of professional experience working for Pixar and other companies in the film industry. He is the instructor for the course Cinematic Storytelling. Learn more about storytelling techniques in the course below:
Cinematic Storytelling
California College of the Arts