How to Tell Compelling Stories (Holiday Story)

This ‘storytelling’ activity is to help children tell compelling stories. It will help children think about, structure and tell stories using ideas from the film industry. To start, we suggest children write about something they know about such as their holiday experiences. The activity can also be undertaken after reading Spid the Spider Goes on Holiday as this story will give children the same foundation of facts, and ideas, and further help them understand, and apply storytelling and storyboarding concepts to their own ideas.  Of course, once the concepts are understood they can be applied to any story!

What is a story?

Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, in prose, rhyme and song! A story is a narrative, form of words, prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the reader or listener.

There are five key elements to a story; the plot, setting, characters, point of view, and conflict. Stories typically also have a beginning, middle and end.

What is a storyboard?

A storyboard is a visual and written representation of a film or video sequence. It breaks down the action into individual panels. It is a series of drawings or sketches, with simple narrative showing out how a film or video will unfold, shot by shot. So we’ve created a free-to-download storyboard template to help children structure or plan and bring to life their holiday stories as a short film. The images and words can be as simple or complex as you wish.

A three act story structure

In 1978, screenwriter, Syd Field, applied this storytelling concept to screenwriting when he published his book, Screenplay. The three act structure is a narrative model or organisational tool that divides stories into three parts — Act One, Act Two, and Act Three. He labels these acts the Setup, Confrontation, and Resolution. The three act structure is useful in helping increase emotional engagement and build and resolve tension.  In other words, it is useful in helping tell compelling stories!

• Act One sets up the world, characters, the character’s goal, as well as the conflicts or obstacles that are preventing them from achieving their goal.
• Act Two raises the stakes for the character to achieve the goal, thus escalating the conflict.
• Act Three resolves the story by either achieving or failing to achieve the goal.

 

A three act structure is the ‘simplest’ form of screen storytelling, but there is no limit to the number of times that tension could rise and fall through a film. For example, tension rises and falls many more than three times in action adventures!

To help children grasp the three act concept, you should now read Spid the Spider Goes on Holiday. Then after reading the book discuss the underlying structure of the story, and map this to our downloadable holiday storyboard template.

In Spid the Spider Goes on Holiday, we learn in Act One that Spid is going on holiday though doesn’t have enough money to get home. Then in Act Two, he goes on holiday and faces a number of set-backs.  Firstly, in reaching his destination, and then while at his holiday destination. All causing rising tension. Finally in Act Three, through a little luck as well as applying his talents, all is well in the end.  By reading the book, your children will be able to colour in more details of the story.

Storyboarding a holiday in three acts and six scenes

So now with a little more understanding of basic storytelling and screen writing concepts, ask your children to storyboard their own holiday. Ask them to tell the story of, or  story from, their own holiday by drawing some images and writing a few words on the storyboard template i.e., as a short film.  Just encourage your children to be creative in both a visual and written sense – there are no right and wrong answers here!  The main guideline is that the story should have a beginning, middle and end. They should also choose a main character, and this may or may not be themselves. The holiday storyboard template is simply a ‘creative and thinking’ guide. And as with any form of creativity, it is fine to deviate from the guidelines.

The first act should set the scene, intrigue and engage, and by the end of the act we should know who the main character is, his or her circumstances and the general direction or theme of the story. When writing an introduction, it might also help to think about the 5Ws; who, where, when, what, and why?

The third act should resolve the drama – as in you lived happily ever after (cf. a fairy story) or achieved something (cf. in Spid’s case, in an Indiana Jones quest or Spiderman adventure) …

The second act (middle part of the story) should include one or more activities, which interest, entertain or build rising tension. So ask them to think about challenges, or set-backs faced, or learning points realised by them, as the main character (film makers call this a protagonist) on their holiday.

Learning from other stories and films!

There is lots of inspiration to found and lessons learned from reading stories and watching films. So at this point, you could also discuss stories and films that your children enjoy and then decode the underlying structure of the stories.  In 2004, Christopher Booker published a book called ‘The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories’. In this book he describes seven basic plots:

1. Overcoming the monster

Here the hero (protagonist) sets out to defeat a evil or antagonistic force that threatens the protagonist and/or protagonist’s homeland.

Examples: Star Wars, James Bond, Harry Potter

2. Rags to riches

Here a poor protagonist acquires power, wealth, and/or a mate, loses it all and gains it back, and as a result changes or grows as a person.

Examples: Cinderella, The Ugly Duckling

3. The quest

Here the protagonist and others set out to acquire an important object or to reach a location. They also face lots of challenges en route.

Examples: Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones movies

4. Voyage and return

The protagonist goes to a strange land. Then after overcoming the threats it poses or learning important lessons unique to that location, he/she returns more experienced.

Examples: Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

5. Comedy

Involves a light and humorous character with a happy or cheerful ending; a dramatic work in which the central theme is the triumph over adversity, resulting in a successful or happy conclusion. Typically also involves conflict and confusion, which resolves clearly in the end.

Examples: Romance films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shrek

6. Tragedy

The protagonist is a hero with a major character flaw or he/she makes a great mistake which causes their undoing.

Examples: Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar

7. Rebirth

Here an event forces the main character to change their ways and often become a better individual.

Examples: Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Carol, Spid the Spider Helps Out at Spidmas

Another movie for discussion – Holiday

Holiday is a fun-Christmas-holiday-themed film written by US writer and director, Nancy Meyers. It’s about two women troubled with guy-problems who swap homes in each other’s countries, where they each meet a local guy and fall in love. It’s a romantic comedy with ‘rags to riches’ elements. It also starts dramatically when Jasper Bloom, love-interest of protagonist, Iris Simpkins, announces his engagement at a work event.