a writer's blog

Tag Archive for ‘form & technique’

Inception

Antagonist and Impact Character in Inception

There seems to be some confusion about who the Antagonist might be in Inception but frankly, I can’t see any problems here. Everything has its place, and cleverly so.

Anagram: Octopus

Book-Cut Storytelling: Three Stills and a Lemon

Three well executed book-cuts from the Czech Republic plus a German letter-cut with a pedestrian copy like you wouldn’t believe.

Narrativity and Diachronic vs. Episodic Self-Experience: Observing the Self

Is that a Cartesian Theater which I see before me? What Strawson’s self-observation lacks in methodology, it makes up for with psychological entitlement.

Inception

Inception Dream Architecture: Infographic Contest Winner

I started to try and sketch Inception’s dramatic structure (in words, not in pictures), and this greatly helps: Co.Design’s Inception Infographic Contest!

Narrativity and Diachronic vs. Episodic Self-Experience: Reading Literature

If that’s all the witnesses and the testimony you can muster in your favor, you might as well try and get to Mexico while you still have time.

New Particle Physics Framework Teaser That’ll Make Your Jaw Drop (And Haz Bunnies)

It’s called “Lagoa Multiphysics,” developed by Thiago Costa. But will it blend, in terms of storytelling, if games become ever more realistic?

Narrativity and Diachronic vs. Episodic Self-Experience: Checking the Evidence

You’d think when Strawson takes on the psychological Narrativity thesis and lets loose with both barrels, he’d load his gun with something substantial.

Narrativity and Diachronic vs. Episodic Self-Experience: Setting the Scene

According to Strawson, life is experienced in a “diachronic” or “episodic” kind of way: the former is compatible with psychological narrativity, the latter not.

Dramatic Conflict and the Future of Science Fiction

Dramatic conflict in science fiction connects to advanced aspects of a future society. With our accelerating technological progress, this is becoming difficult.

Travesty, Parody, and Advertising with a Purpose: #Prop8

Travesty is a powerful form of storytelling not despite, but because we know what’s going to happen. We’re already on the lookout for what’s different.

Turns and Flashbacks, Junctions as Junctures

Flashbacks are a powerful storytelling device, especially when used for missed turns and missed junctions-as-junctures.

Ecological Footprint

Book-Cut Storytelling: Environment

This EWS/WWF commercial for the UAE is nicely done, but it lacks storytelling. Usually, it’s not the advice that sticks, it’s the story that goes with it.

Textual Landscapes: Book-Cut Storytelling Evolved

Mashing-up paper, text, moving images, and the voice of the narrator, a commercial featuring Maurice Gee takes book-cut storytelling to a whole different level.

Diegesis (“Excuse me sir, a what?”)

Diegesis is a technical term literature can do without. Mimesis too, but we should keep that one simmering on the back of the stove for historical reasons.

Good Grief

We’ve become so used to Kübler-Ross’s “Five Psychological States of Grief” that we never stop and ask if it might be more complex, in reality and writing.

The Unfinished Swan

Storytelling in Videogames: The Unfinished Swan

Sometimes storylines can be evoked by form rather than developed by content, and the results can be quite astonishing.

What’s in a Tale

While there certainly are differences between a tale and a story, they’re not necessarily what James Hull makes them out to be.

Overquirked!

If characters are overstuffed with mannerisms, they’re gaining in quirks while losing in depth. Quirks and idiosyncrasies, moreover, should have a function.

Hall of Hacks, Pt.II: Dan Brown

While the movie “The Da Vinci Code” did a pretty good job, Dan Brown’s book turned out to be rather awful. Geoff Pullum from Language Log gave it a (buck-)shot.

Foreboding, Part II

Two foreboding techniques tested in (pen & paper) roleplaying storytelling that were supposed to raise suspense and broaden the picture, but failed miserably.