Online Seminar: Storytelling for Impact

Learn storytelling through the footsteps of iconic films

Whether you need support for your organization, buy-in for your idea, or excitement to follow your lead, refining your storytelling skills through classic films can transform your impact. In this online course, you’ll learn in the footsteps of great storytellers from films like Citizen Kane, Pulp Fiction, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind about how to shape your idea into a story. You’ll create a story brief, iterate and evolve your story through prototyping and feedback, and hone your tone and style. Get storytelling tips from business storyteller Peter de Kuster and gain tools and techniques inspired by cinematic masters that will help you bring your vision to life and create stories that resonate and inspire.

COURSE OUTCOMES

• Gain a framework from films like 2001: A Space Odyssey that helps you develop and hone your story.
• Understand your audience, their needs, and what you’re trying to achieve — like the layered flashbacks in Citizen Kane.
• Create a prototype of your story, inspired by Memento, to shape it, share it, and make it stronger.
• Increase your ability to engage and inspire others through tone and style, as in Parasite‘s subtle tension.
• Craft a story that brings your vision to life and motivates action, like The Lion King‘s cyclical journey.

What You’ll Learn

Part 1: Introduction

Get a brief course overview, explore the science of storytelling through film examples, and choose your story theme.
3 LESSONS

• How this Course Works—Your learning road map
• The Power of Storytelling—Motivate people like Braveheart‘s rallying cry
• The Science of Storytelling—What makes stories stick, as in Sunset Boulevard‘s voiceover
  1 ASSIGNMENT
  Identify the Story You Want to Tell—Choose a theme like Inception‘s dream paradox, providing building blocks for your work.
  2 DISCUSSIONS
• Think about challenges in your work. How could storytelling from Requiem for a Dream help?
• Recall a film story (Pulp Fiction) that moved you. What made it powerful?

Part 2: Develop Your Blueprint

Zero in on your audience and needs, like the split narratives in Requiem for a Dream.
3 LESSONS

• The Brief—Know thy audience like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• The Big Idea—Focus is key, as in Jaws‘ ticking clock
• The Medium—Ways to convey your story like Breathless‘ jump cuts
  1 ASSIGNMENT
  Develop Your Blueprint—Map your audience and story format, inspired by Memento.
  2 DISCUSSIONS
• When did you empathize like the characters in Murder on the Orient Express? What insights emerged?
• What challenges arose crystallizing your big idea, like in Adaptation?

Part 3: Build Storytelling Prototypes

Get your story out like the parallel plotlines in The Godfather.
3 LESSONS

• Build Storytelling Prototypes—Battle the blank page like Birdman‘s one-shot illusion
• Ways to Prototype & Build—Low-risk sharing like Big Fish‘ tales
• Invite Feedback—Iterate like Toy Story‘s character arcs
  1 ASSIGNMENT
  Prototype Your Story—Build, share, reflect using three steps from nonlinear masters.
  3 DISCUSSIONS
• Share a failure like There Will Be Blood that propelled you forward.
• Who’s your film hero (Deadpool) breaking the fourth wall? How did their values shape you?
• Describe prototyping challenges and triumphs, like Whiplash‘s intensity.

Part 4: Storytelling for Impact

Develop tone and timing like A Clockwork Orange‘s unsettling close-ups.
4 LESSONS

• Setting the Right Tone—Why tone is everything (Her)
• Learn from a Presentation that Falls Flat—like stiff delivery in early Star Wars prequels
• Learn from a Presentation that Moves You—like Dead Poets Society
• 6 Tips for Story Impact—from good to great (The Pursuit of Happyness)
  1 ASSIGNMENT
  Iterate Your Story—Apply two tips to make it compelling.
  5 DISCUSSIONS
• Share where tone shaped a film story (Psycho‘s sound bridge). What impact?
• Share your story letter. What feeling do you inspire?
• What made the flat presentation fail? Tone fixes?
• What motivated in the great one? Compare like Godfather parts.
• How has your story evolved since starting?

Part 5: Conclusion

Advice from Peter on perfecting skills, bringing your story to life like 2001‘s match cut.
1 LESSON
Course Conclusion—Go create impact.
1 ASSIGNMENT
Final Project—Share your story in chosen medium for feedback.
2 DISCUSSIONS

• Submit your storyteller declaration, like Amélie‘s charm.
• Most revealing moment? How will you apply to challenges?

Practical Information

Start Date: Anytime you want
Time: Five weeks. Each week one hour online private lesson with Peter de Kuster
Language: English
Location: Zoom
Tickets
Ticket: € 899 excluding VAT
Book your place by mailing peterdekuster2023@gmail.com

About Peter de Kuster

Peter de Kuster is the founder of The Heroine’s Journey & Hero’s Journey project, a storytelling firm which helps creative professionals create careers and lives based on whatever story is most integral to their lives and careers (values, traits, skills and experiences). Peter’s approach combines in-depth storytelling and marketing expertise, and for over 20 years clients have found it effective with a wide range of creative business issues.

Peter is writer of the series The Heroine’s Journey and Hero’s Journey books, has an MBA in Marketing, MBA in Financial Economics, and graduated at university in Sociology and Communication Sciences.