Gift your characters and their worlds and their journeys of dilemma, conflict, and transformation generously.
Emphasis on transformation.
Of course well-told stories have the power to simply entertain us. But the best stories also have the power to transform by offering new vision, new insight and awareness. They wake us up. And yes that is a tall order.
I watched two films at the Regal 14 with my ten-year-old daughter this summer. Both were major studio productions with big budgets.
The first, a very recent box office hit—a save-the-universe archetypal saga—featured a reluctant, off-beat hero and his vagabond “knights”, one of whom was female, with green skin and a fighting spirit. Make no mistake, she could kick ass with the best and the worst of the guys. The film was loud, action-packed, entertaining and the same ole’, same ole’ story. My daughter loved it! (more…)
