THE FUNDAMENTALS: Going Back To Basic--The Story

Ramsey Seikaly

​Los Angeles -- Whosoever said story is king was right on the money.  Too often in the age of mobile social media we tend to lose site of the fact that in order to have an engaging visual experience, the backbone to your thrill ride into the imaginary, is made possible by your friendly neighborhood story teller and the story he is spinning.  That spin and subsequent hook make or break the experience. Case in point The Martian and Pan.  
The Martian tells the tale of a stranded astronaut on Mars aka Robinson Caruso or Castaway in outer space that has been breaking box office records.  I saw it and it was engaging, and well acted even though the story is trite and predictable.  

Say what? You just panned a good movie.  No I didn't.  Even though the story line has been told before it was never told like this and the way it was spun and developed made it fresh and appealing.  Again Story, Story, Story.  Get it?  Got it.

Now on the other side of the spectrum is the panned prequel to Peter Pan, Pan.  Yes it was very very bad and the 150 million dollar plus was a wasted disaster.  Even though the high tech CGI went over the top, and I got dizzy with motion sickness, even though I was firmly seated in a plush recliner. It was vertigo without end.  Naturally the 3D glasses and Imax screen did not help rescue this disaster.  Why?

Why you say?  Why?  Story, Story, Story!!  

Even though it was based on a classic tale of a boy who never grew up.  It wasn't about Peter Pan but an excuse to spew modernity framed in a fairy tale setting with no clue to story just politically correct statements and token cross racial, sexual, gender neutral characters with the exception of Pan and his Ferry (now dead) spoiler alert, Mom.  

Heck the only real story in this made up confused ferry tale.  Too bad it came too late.  So Story is King and you can either end up with a winning Martian or a dead Pan all based on how well a story is developed and written.  

So here is a technical overview of the Fundamentals on story telling and the equipment that you will need to make it so.  You will be surprised what this fine video has to say.  Keep in mind Story is the Key and King.

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