Where do I go next?

So I've spent the last year and a half learning video. I feel I've mastered all the technical aspects of shooting and editing. I'm going through a little lull as I try to figure out where to grow next.

I've got all these technical skills, and now I feel that I need to use them to become a better storyteller.

I want to study narrative structures in video and learn about different ways I can go about telling a story.

Can anyone point out books or sites to help me?

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Permalink Reply by Mindy McAdams on January 31, 2008 at 4:31pm

I am liking the textbook I made my grad students buy this semester -- Documentary Storytelling, 2nd edition (2007) --

http://www.amazon.com/Documentary-Storytelling-Second-Stronger-Nonf...

It is all about the story and very little about technology. Lots of examples given from feature-length documentaries, and great interviews with pros in the last one-third of the book!

Permalink Reply by Angela Grant on January 31, 2008 at 5:02pm

I think I looked at that one over the summer when I did my little book research series.

I even tried to order that book, but it was on back order for like 3 months or something crazy! I'm going to have to try some other book sites ...

I ordered In the blink of the eye, and I must say I'm thoroughly disappointed.
http://www.amazon.com/Blink-Eye-Revised-2nd/dp/1879505622/ref=pd_bb...
I can't even read past the middle of the book. It all seems really inapplicable to me.

Permalink Reply by Mindy McAdams on January 31, 2008 at 5:23pm

I and eight students got Documentary Storytelling from Amazon, no trouble ...

Permalink Reply by Mark Hamilton on February 1, 2008 at 1:36am

I think this is Mindy's fault: she's made Documentary Storytelling into a bestseller with her recommendation. I ordered it from Amazon just before Christmas and have had shipment delayed three times since then. According to the latest email from Amazon it may finally be on its way.

Angela: Not sure if you'd like this one or not (it's heavily *gasp* TV oriented) but I got quite a bit out of Roll! by Rich Underwood (http://www.amazon.com/Roll-Shooting-TV-News-Behind/dp/0240808487/re...) Some of it was technical: most of the good stuff was stories from the field.

Where do I go next?

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