It was a rather common day when I had the idea.
It was late spring, the day’s work was done, and I considered the usual ritual: sitting back and watching a bunch of analysis and discussion-based online video. I was long past graduating film school, part of a video production hobbyist group, and had come to feel, as many creatives do sooner or later, that I’d best draw from my interests to output the most into a dwindling, meandering portfolio.
It dawned on me that I had no particular preference for genre or category when it came to stylistic forms of fiction, as I observed among producers of content I usually consumed. Thus, I ventured a look from the outside and inward, searching through the essence of all that I know and wish to pursue. And finally, like countless others, real or not, I reached the apex of that hard meditative trail, and emerged with a clear, focused view on a simple but meaningful function:
The consistent and enduring power of storytelling, as it exists in our popular media and its effects ourselves and our society.
So without further ado, here is the official reveal of my flagship online video series:
Stories Beyond the Screen
A treatise series that analyzes and explores the stories and motifs within culturally significant media, delving into their inspirations and patterns going back through the centuries, their lasting appeal to consumers, and the effect they can carry into the future.
Motivation-
From looking at the works that inspired our most popular properties, ranging from Star Wars to Harry Potter or even Marvel Comics, I felt that not only could I present my geeky side, but have more to present for it in the course of creating my own content.
J.J. Abrams, however some may feel for his “Magic Box approach”, passed along terrific advise from his father: Know what to make your movies about.
All things considered, this is honestly meant to be me being true to myself while finding more things to share with others as is the function of all media, and all stories when it comes down to it: Passing a message.
Here’s to hoping this will help uncover such messages within our favorite movies, shows, books, and games and share what we make of them through the possibilities of today’s age of media.
Influences-
I should mention I’m starting from much of my own experience and education, from the historical context of classic films or the inspired affects of them on popular subjects. Aside from that, I’ll take this moment to point out a few of the influences I’ve had with this series, at the risk of looking all the worse, but I expect improvement the further it goes.
Joseph Campbell’s Power of Myth Series
Whatever you may make of these, I’m certain you’ll at least enjoy their work. I couldn’t recommend them enough.
Setting Out-
As for this series, the idea is to analyze the shared traits and themes in similar stories from different eras, and come at the end with well-supported conclusions that pertain to patterns that influenced stories, influence individuals and societies to this day, and their potential to continuing such influence going into the future.
Much of that will depend on how the enduring messages within these great stories are left to you. I understand much of this is abstract and subjective, but believe very much that this is important enough to help us understand ourselves as human beings.
At this point, each episode is expected to take two weeks, with time being put into research for the best information and overall production quality I will provide to the best of my ability.
In the meantime, please enjoy the Blog and other things I might bring up from my research on social media.
Please subscribe on the YouTube Channel and email list. Follow the social platforms. Feel free to comment and message me your thoughts and opinions.
I look forward to what should come of the discussions between us from these projects.