The BS of Storytelling

keynote presentation for 2015 Computer Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) conference, June, Denver

Storytelling, you know the metaphors- cave paintings, campfires. There are all kinds of ways I could describe them, and the BS is not the BS you may be thinking of. Rather than defining, constraining storytelling, I share my experiences of creating digital stories and teaching to others of what "works" as elements, with suggestions how you can think of it as more than just a magic spice you sprinkle on your work.

Transcript

1. THE BS OF
   STORYTELLING
   ALAN LEVINE
   go.cogdog.it/bs-storytelling
   Wikimedia Commons Image
   

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3. Wikimedia Commons Image
   

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5. cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo by ex_magician:
   

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6. EVERYBODY IS A
   STORYTELLER
   flickr photo by kaje_yomama http://flickr.com/photos/kajeyomama/4987968865 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC) license
   

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9. flickr photo by Giuseppe Bognanni http://flickr.com/photos/79286287@N00/420455953 shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license
   

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10. cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo by pasukaru76: http://flickr.com/photos/pasukaru76/3694736727/
    

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11. BS
    BE SCARED
    flickr photo by calebdrostphoto http://flickr.com/photos/drostphotos/1405372343 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-ND) license
    

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12. creative commons licensed (BY-SA) flickr photo by cogdogblog: http://flickr.com/photos/cogdog/11023534043
    

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13. TELL ME A STORY
    

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14. cc licensed ( BY NC SD ) flickr photo by g-mikee: http://flickr.com/photos/g-mikee/5202927662/
    

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15. TELLING ~= PERFORMING
    

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17. flickr photo by Kevin Shorter http://flickr.com/photos/28648582@N02/5766506970 shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license
    BS
    BIG SECRET
    

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18. WHAT WORKS?!
    THE OPENING
    

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19. ONCE UPON A TIME...
    

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21. The last man
    alive on Earth
    sat alone in a
    room.
    

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22. The Last man
    alive on Earth
    sat alone in a
    room. There
    was a knock at
    the door.
    "KNOCK" BY FREDERICK BROWN http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knock_(short_story)
    

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23. WHAT WORKS?!
    THE HOOK
    

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24. youtu.be/IG1ZkW_u_Bw
    

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25. JJ Abrams: The Mystery Box
    youtu.be/vpjVgF5JDq8
    

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26. WHAT WORKS?!
    EXPECTATIONS
    

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27. Troy Library: Book Burning Party
    http://youtu.be/AoT13m8-Kxo
    

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28. WHAT WORKS?!
    CHARACTERS
    

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29. A TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT COMMERCIAL
    http://youtu.be/9zf0dqzTUPk
    

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30. A TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT COMMERCIAL
    http://youtu.be/9zf0dqzTUPk
    

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31. ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT COMMERCIAL
    http://youtu.be/Lmf0F7JxxXE
    

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32. WHAT WORKS?!
    JUXTAPOSITION
    

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33. cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo by kevindooley: http://flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/2172001078/
    

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34. cc licensed ( BY NC SD ) flickr photo by chuck_heston: http://flickr.com/photos/chuckheston/383386494/
    

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35. cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo by Pay No Mind: http://flickr.com/photos/paynomind/65010034/
    

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36. BS
    BIZARRE SHAPES
    Public Domain Wikimedia Commons image
    

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37. THE PYRAMID
    

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38. THE LUMPY HILL
    

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39. THE CYCLE
    

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40. THE OBVIOUS
    

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41. KURT VONNEGUT "THE SHAPE OF STORIES"
    http://youtu.be/oP3c1h8v2ZQ
    

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42. BUDWEISER COMMERCIAL RECUT
    http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2014/09/07/budweiser-puppy-love-storytelling/
    

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43. !
    http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2014/09/07/budweiser-puppy-love-storytelling/
    “Be$a$sadist.$No$matter$how$sweet$
    and$innocent$your$leading$
    characters,$make$awful$things$
    happen$to$them$—$in$order$that$the$
    reader$may$see$what$they$are$made$
    of.”$
    —Kurt$Vonnegut
    

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44. BS
    BRAIN SCIENCE
    flickr photo by PinkPersimon (
    

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45. Paul Zak: Empathy, Neurochemistry, and Dramatic Arc
    http://youtu.be/DHeqQAKHh3M
    

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46. BS
    BUILDING SUSPENSE
    Public Domain Wikimedia Commons image
    

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48. BS
    BY SCIENCTISTS
    flickr photo by NASA Goddard Photo and Video http://flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6385412459 shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license
    

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51. http://youtu.be/9_LLj4_3ZRA
    

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52. http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Be-Such-Scientist-Substance/dp/1597265632
    

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53. MY STORY CARDS
    

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54. I DEAL STORIES (NOT ‘IDEAL’)
    

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55. creative commons licensed (BY-NC-SA) flickr photo by mictlan74: http://flickr.com/photos/mictlan74/3374564653
    

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56. !
    http://pechaflickr.net
    

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57. I DEAL STORIES (NOT ‘IDEAL’)
    

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58. !
    http://5card.cogdogblog.com/
    

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59. I DEAL STORIES (NOT ‘IDEAL’)
    

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60. !
    ds106.us
    

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61. THE BS OF
    STORYTELLING
    ALAN LEVINE
    go.cogdog.it/bs-storytelling
    Wikimedia Commons Image
    

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