EPISODE #1 – STORIES THAT TURN A DARK WORLD INSIDE OUT

In this episode I focus on how stories connect us. l introduce the StoryTellers Film Club. Why study storytelling through a film ?! Because -- like in a book club -- the group experience of focusing on one story and sharing your different perspectives, experiences, and knowledge – turns everyone into a valuable sounding board. You become peer teachers to each other and better conversationalists. When as a group we focus on a film – it’s beyond the book club experience ! Because a film is a multi-dimensional story that immerses us and our senses. The film we are studying is the classic 'HAROLD AND MAUDE' (1971). It's a story that reminds us that you only get one life to live, and it’s up to us to find meaning before time runs out.

‘ONE BLACK WOMAN’ PODCAST

EPISODE #1 – STORIES THAT TURN A DARK WORLD INSIDE OUT

This is the One Black Woman podcast. I’m you host Trayce, your StoryTelling Shaman ! If you landed here --- it’s probably because you want to do more than survive. This podcast is about learning how to be present in this moment, the moment you’re living in – through the tool of StoryTelling. In this podcast you’ll discover the ins and outs of how stories are constructed. When you go beyond just enjoying a story -- to deriving it’s real meaning and how it worked its magic – you’ll become confident when shaping your own story. Follow Me ! As I help you portray you as you; increase your options for how you communicate your story; and understand how stories connect us.

In this episode I’ll be introducing the StoryTellers Film Club. Why study storytelling through a film ?! Because -- like in a book club -- the group experience of focusing on one story and sharing your different perspectives, experiences, and knowledge – turns everyone into a valuable sounding board. You become peer teachers to each other and better conversationalists. When as a group we focus on a film – it’s beyond the book club experience ! Because a film is a multi-dimensional story that immerses us and our senses.

Today I’m joined by Shannon – who I’ve drafted as my accomplice in facilitating the StoryTellers Film Club. Hey Shannon !

Shannon: Hey Trayce, I’m really glad to be here discussing the Film Club with you, and I’m excited to be part of all this because I’m also learning new things about StoryTelling. And it’s really wild who we’re doing the Club with !

Yeah ! We doing it at Shads Landing, a senior living retirement complex in Charlotte.

Shannon: When I was in film studies in college I never imagined one day I’d be studying a feature film with senior citizens ! But the film you chose – HAROLD AND MAUDE -- is perfect !

And it’s darkly hilarious ! Which is why I titled this episode ‘Stories That Turn A Dark World Inside Out’. Our listening audience might not have heard of the film HAROLD AND MAUDE, but it’s a cult classic. Filmed in (1971), it sits at #45 on the American Film Institute’s list of 100 most classic comedies! And our listeners can screen it online for free at Pluto.tv , plus its script is available for free online as well. So you guys can study with us !

In the Film Club we’re watching the film in (10) minute segments over (10) sessions, while reviewing the corresponding pages of script. What are we discussing ? Everything ! That means discussing all the mediums used to tell a story in film – from words to acting, how an image is framed and lit, wardrobe, make-up, props, and the set and location, music and sound ! In real life we focus on people’s words. By studying the characters in a film and all the world that surrounds them -- you’re going to learn clues to people’s behavior and motivation that’ll make you more alert in your own world!

Shannon, when I told you I had chosen HAROLD AND MAUDE as the film for us to study, I didn’t assume that you would have heard of it. But then you told me it’s one of your favorite films !

Shannon: I love HAROLD AND MAUDE ! To study it feels like a full circle because it’s one of the films we studied in my college film studies class. She says a little about what she liked about it (without going into depth on the topics listed below yet). Why did you choose it ?

I wanted a film that anyone can view for free online. Then I wanted to overcome people’s fears !!! It’s easy to be a consumer of films or stories – but hey, are you ready to analyze what’s going on ?! I wanted a film that grabs people’s attention quickly, surprises them and shakes up their expectations -- so they want to know -- What Next ?! And Why ?!

I wanted a film that’s simple in its story . HAROLD AND MAUDE is basically a two character film about two people getting to know each other – but the twist ? HAROLD is 20, rich, depressed, lonely, and obsessed with death. Boom ! His life changes when he meets Maude, an energetic, radiant free spirit in her 70s who lives for the moment.

I knew the residents at Shads Landing would love being seen as the bright light that inspires the young !

And then, the story plays into my own personal tastes. I like films that take deep or heavy subjects -- including the many ways modern society can matter-of-factly crush our spirit -- and how these films use humor or fantasy or the absurd to turn our expectations inside out and give us distance on what might be painful. It’s like what the comedian Milton Berle said – “Laughter is an instant vacation.”

Shannon: Can you give examples of other films that, as you put it --- Turn a dark world inside out?

I like some classics. There’s 1967’s THE GRADUATE – it’s tagline was ‘What’ll you DO after you graduate? This is Benjamin. He’s a little worried about his future.’ The film uses imaginative and surprising visual ways of sinking you into the character’s total feeling of being lost and depressed in a materialistic world where he’s considered the Golden Son. I mean, before I saw that film, I was always envious of rich people – and in that film, they were laughably pathetic as human beings.

Shannon: I saw THE GRADUATE in my college film studies class. And it hit me because I was in college and it made me apprehensive about what would come next after school.

The 2002 film SECRETARY – which has a colorful almost fantasy set design – is a coming of age story for a young woman who’s been self-harming and is herded from an institution into a secretarial training program. She ends up with a boss as weird and repressed as her. The film is not for everyone ! But if you can accept that damaged people may never be ‘normal’ – you’ll be happy for how they develop their own version of love.

Shannon: SECRETARY was a difficult film in some ways to watch. But I really liked how – like HAROLD AND MAUDE – it challenged conventional ideas about love and sex.

And recently I saw the 1999 film OFFICE SPACE – which was written and directed by Mike Judge, who was already famous then for his animated series ‘Beavis And Butt-Head’. Many fans of Judge’s animation are not aware of the film. But even more surprisingly is it’s not known to many fans of THE OFFICE, both the 2001 British TV series and the 2005 American TV series. The film OFFICE SPACE is the grandad of the comic cry of rage about the nightmare of modern office life – with the office cubicles as cells, the monotony and meaninglessness of the job assignments, pompous and clueless bosses, and the push to make workers interchangeable !

I think what all these films say – including HAROLD AND MAUDE – is you get one life to live, and it’s up to you to find meaning before time runs out. I think HAROLD AND MAUDE also says -- don’t let age define you. Which leads to the title for our next episode: WHAT AGE ? – BE NOT DEFINED !

Shannon: I love it !

This is One Black Woman ! Until The next episode, here’s to inspiring each other !

ONE BLACK WOMAN

EPISODE #1 – STORIES THAT TURN A DARK WORLD INSIDE OUT

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