Creativity in Every Industry
By: Nia Braccidiferro
Contrary to popular belief, it is quite difficult to create a compelling story for your audience. Even if you have a clear vision of the product in your mind, it may not come out exactly as you want. It takes more effort to make others see what you have in mind because unfortunately, not everyone has the same perspective that you have.
To make them see, you must create the best and most detailed storyboard in your ability. This will help others give you genuine feedback and help you further your product’s future.
In Kimberly A. Austin’s article for Fire Starter Studios, titled, “What is Creative Storytelling? Why Should We Care”, she explains that “Creative storytelling engages the viewer with your content. It brings them into your world and creates empathy and connection to your brand or product. Viewers that identify with your product on an emotional level are much more likely to turn into loyal customers. With creative storytelling, the content creator works with you to find a unique voice and tell an impactful story.”
The more detail you display in the storyboarding of your product, the more likely it is for people to relate to it and feel interested in it. If you don’t include enough transitions, camera angles, colors, etc, your audience, fellow co-workers or even potential financial contributors will lose interest and find what they desire elsewhere.
In a recent article on SPINSUCKS’ website, entitled, “The Five-Step Process for Creating Captivating Stories,” Rob Biesenbach writes, “So your number one job as a storyteller is to find a character to which your audience can relate… Choose a character which is as close as possible to your audience in both situation and circumstance. Employees will more easily relate to fellow employees, customers to other customers, insurance brokers to insurance brokers, and so on.”
Although it may be easier to include a person that is relatable to your audience, it isn’t always the case. You may have the desire to only provide a visual that is pleasing to the viewer’s eye. It can be anything from circles, to a pair of sunglasses. It doesn’t have to be relevant to your brand, it could possibly be an idea that leans more to the side of novelty.
Whichever way you go, make sure it helps you gain a following for your idea or product. Lee Watanabe-Crockett's article for Wabisabi Learning called, “Storyboarding 101: A Creative Conversation with Ridley Scott”, explains that “The effectiveness of storyboarding is why comics and graphic novels are becoming so increasingly complex and gaining so relentlessly in popularity. Even digital storytelling is largely visual in nature, where a storyboard can come alive through animation.
Storyboarding is praised by many directors who couldn't imagine doing a film without it. For them, it's as essential as hiring actors to play the roles. What storyboarding ultimately means for students, however, is communication, expression, and personal development. It's a way to break through creative barriers and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
Storyboarding and the Creative Storytelling process mean different things to different people since they can be used in almost every industry. It can help anyone visualize their idea and put it down onto paper. Colleges and universities are now creating programs to help students become more familiar with processes similar to these because they are becoming increasingly relevant in today’s society.