When you’re working on a multimedia project it is important that you know what has been done before. This is not just so you can find a niche for your story but so that you can gain inspiration from the work of others. In the next of our Finding Inspiration series I want to share with you some great documentary style films which are guaranteed to spark your imagination and trigger your emotions.
Here are 3 examples of good storytelling which I think will ignite your passion for storytelling and leave you inspired.
1. Still Hoping
Still Hoping depicts a series of personal stories and letters to President Barack Obama building off his ‘Yes We Can’ speech. Produced by Luceo Images, the stories create a touching piece about equality in American society. It is an incredibly powerful video which has been brilliantly edited to suit the way the story has been told. Particularly you should pay attention to how the stories have been linked together throughout the piece.
2. King Justice
This is a film by Miguel Herrera documents the life of a musician who directs a group of young musicians. What grabs me most about this film is that the young musicians have suffered due to conflict in Sierra Leone. A great story will always make a great video if it is edited correctly and with King Justice the editing has helped make the story flow well. It is a good example of a film which shows someones everyday life but tells the story in a very powerful way.
3. LIVESTRONG: Missed
I always feel touched when I see stories of people living with cancer. Missed is a video made for the Livestrong foundation by Alpheus Media and documents stories of young adults who have cancer. Livestrong is a charity run by cyclist Lance Armstrong and is a great beacon for anyone who knows or is living with cancer. This is an incredibly powerful video which is really well edited. Pay close attention to the editing to see how you can turn a horrible story into one which is very powerful.
All of the above videos are very powerful and inspirational. Make sure you watch them over, take some notes, and try to identify for yourself what makes them great.
