ART OF STORYTELLING with Joe Sichta
1. At what age did you start storytelling?
Age 6 — I drew on our white brick fireplace with a big red marker, tracing Red Riding Hood’s path through the forest as she ran away from the Big Bad Wolf. Luckily, Red got away without incident… I did not!
I wised up and chose paper as my storytelling medium from then on, and spent a lot of my childhood drawing storyboards of my own space adventures inspired by Star Wars, Battle Beyond the Stars, Star Blazers, Star Trek, Star Log Magazine… basically anything with the word “Star” in it.
I had no real idea of story structure or scene study until I began actually working in the animation industry, where I was introduced to a wider world of inspiring artists, filmmakers, and writers. Being surrounded by all this talent exposed me to a world I had never known and I had to do my homework to keep up. To this day I study, read, and revisit the basic fundamentals of story constantly. You never really just have it. You have to work at it — but it’s endlessly fascinating and challenging. You never really know what’s going to happen next, and that’s the charm of it.
2. How your role as an animator help you to be the great storyteller you are today?
Animation is a very powerful storytelling medium that presents a unique challenge: everything that happens in a story, scene, or a character’s actions must propel the thing forward, revealing, revealing, revealing character and conflict all along the way. This is basic Drama 101 — but in animation, you don’t have the benefit of a charismatic actor whose mere strength of presence can carry the scene, reveal the hidden moment, and transmit the needs of the story. It’s all on the combined skills of the Story Artist, Director, Animator, Art Director, Composer, and Editor to put the scene or story across. This demands vision and focus on the part of the Storyteller — you have to know what you WANT… and then be open to the input of others who often contribute something BETTER than what you had in mind… and that’s the magic of the medium.
3. Tell us about your 10-Step Patented Storytelling Secret
It’s a simple road map for making stronger presentations and effective public speaking (which we do A LOT of in animation) based on basic story telling principles.
Conflict is at the core of every great story, and every choice we make. As opposing forces battle for our support, an effective story presents the case for both sides, and brings the audience to a moment where they must choose which side they’re on. It’s up to the audience to decide, and the most effective Storytellers merely present the dilemma.
These 10 steps will help you frame the dilemma, offer both intellectual and emotional support for your Thesis, and empower your audience to make an informed decision for themselves.
Here goes:
1. Open with a question
2.Share a Story
3.Engage the Audience’s Imagination
4.Reveal the intrigue — the conflict in question
5.Offer data to support your Thesis
6. Nail the hook point — present an emotional choice to the audience.
7.Call to Action — ask them to choose
8. Leave it to them.
9.Say Thank You.
10. Be ready with Deep Knowledge for Q&A — Know Your Stuff
BIO:
Joe Sichta is an Annie Award-winning and Emmy-nominated Writer, Director, and Executive Producer of animated films and TV series for Warner Bros. Animation, Dreamworks Animation, and The Walt Disney Company. In 2017 he launched Fortress of Focus Media, a next-gen content company producing digital entertainment, products, and publishing, based in Malibu CA. Joe is passionate about Creative Leadership, Arts-Informed Education, Optimal Health and Wellness, and Social Impact Storytelling. He holds a B.A. in Cinematography from Southern Illinois University (1992), and M.B.A. from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business Management (2018), and is a recipient of the Humanitas Prize for Excellence in Children’s Animation Television.
