TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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The Art of Investigative Story-Telling*
JulianSherCBCthefifthestate
*Scoops arereported,butstories aretold
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Ihavetoldstoriesontelevision,innewspapersandinbooks…
Wearebornstory-tellers
• Untildailynewsreportingbegankillingtheartofstory-telling(c)www.juliansher.com
The Rebel DailySkywalkerShocker!!!Inashockinganddisturbingrevelation,RebelallianceheroLukeSkywalkerhasdiscoveredthatGalacticEmpireleaderDarthVaderishisfather,TheRebelDailyhaslearned.
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TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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The Biblical TimesGodCreatesUniverseAftersixdaysofgruelingworkcreatingtheuniverse,Godrestedontheseventhday,tellingtheBiblicalTimes“itwasverygood”andnowitwasuptoAdamandEve.
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ü#1:PLOTTINGTHEJOURNEYOFYOURCHARACTERS
ü#2:The “FOURCs”
ü#3:STARTWRITINGWHILEYOURESEARCH
The Art of Investigative Story-Telling::
Whatmakesagoodstory?
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ØGREATCHARACTERSØGREATPLOTØGREATWRITINGØGREATACCOUNTABILITY
THE FOUR BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A GOOD STORY:
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• Let’slookatthemost• important- InterestingCharactersüHeroes,ProtagonistsüPeopleIcareaboutüPeopleIgettoknowüRealpeoplewhochange(c)www.juliansher.com
Tip#1:Yourcharactershavetogo onajourneyüTheychange….üTheystruggleüTheywin…üTheylose (c)www.juliansher.com
TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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• Charactersneedtochange onthatjourney(evenifyouhaveto“recreate”thatchange)
üIftheyaredead,bringthembackaliveüIftheyareangry,gobacktowhentheywerehappy
üIftheyarebeaten,gobacktowhentheyhadhope
üIftheydidsomethingbad,gobacktowhentheywere good.
HOWWETOLDTHESTORYOFAYOUNGMANWHOWASMISSINGFORNINEYEARS…ANDHISMOTHER’SJOURNEYTOFINDHIM
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1.38Hislife/7.08search/11.48Kid/17.05reveal
Weonlyhadafewdaystofilmherstory,adecadeaftertheevent…
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[EXCERPTSFROMTVDOCUMENTARY…]
Tip#2:Toplotyourcharacter’sjourney,youneedTheFourCs
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The4C’s:»Character
Theprotagonist:heroorvillain
»ContextWhatyouneedtoknowWhyyoushouldcare
»ConflictThegutsofthestory
»ConclusionWhathappensnext
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TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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WeinterviewafirechiefwhohelpedsendaTexasmantodeathrow…
Wedoallourresearch…andpreparethequestions
Watchhowweunfoldthe4Csin4Clips:
CHARACTER:He’stheherofirefighterCONTEXT:His“arson”claimwillconvictamanCONFLICT:HisfindingschallengedbyscienceCONCLUSION:Anyregrets?
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[EXCERPTSFROMTVDOCUMENTARY…]
Tip#3:Startwritingrightaway
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Don’twaitforallyourresearchtobeover
The intrepid reporter
The interpretive story-teller
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TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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Being the intrepid reporter
TAKES90% OFOURTIME
WE SPEND ONLY 10% OF OUR TIMEBeing the interpretive story-teller (c)www.juliansher.com
Wedomonths ofresearch
Butonlydays ofwriting
TVinvestigations:
Hollywoodstories:
Hollywoodwraps60-70daysofshooting
Butspendsayearinediting
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RESEARCH WRITING
INSTEADOFREPORTING,THENWRITING…
LETYOURWRITINGHELPGUIDEYOURREPORTING
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The intrepid reporter
The interpretive story-teller
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Because then you will discover the story holes …
Not just the research holes
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Usethese3tipstothenhelpstructureyourinvestigativestory
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TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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OPENING
CONTEXT
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
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NUTGRAF
OPENING
CONTEXT
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
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NUTGRAF
Openingscenes…
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Openingscenes…
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OPENING
CONTEXT
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
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NUTGRAF
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Not:
“Finders of the Lost Ark”
TIMINGYOURCLIMAX:It’scalled‘RAIDERSOFTHELOSTARK”FORAREASON*…
*HINT:TheyfindtheArkinthelastfewminutes…
TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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OPENING
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
Onceyougetgoing,sticktochronologyunlessyouareboldenoughtotrysomeflourishes(foreshadowing,flashbacks,reversetimeline)
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TheChronologyofaJourney
• Remember– YourCharactersareonajourney
ü Iftheyaredead,bringthembackaliveü Iftheyangry,gobacktowhentheywerehappyü Iftheyarebeaten,gobacktowhentheyhadhope
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OPENING
CONTEXT
CLIMAX
DENOUEMENT
FINALTWIST
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Rememberhowweplottedthemother’sdifficultjourney… andtheshockingrevelation
Finaltrick:IuseStickyNotestoplotoutmyscenes
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TOSUMUP– THREEKEYTIPSTOTELLINGASTORY,NOTYOURRESEARCH:
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ü#1:PLOTTHEJOURNEYOFYOURCHARACTERS
ü#2:The “FOURCs”
ü#3:STARTWRITINGWHILEYOURESEARCHTOFINDTHEHOLES
THEARTOFINVESTIGATIVESTORY-TELLING
Copiesofthispresentation:
>www.juliansher.com
>IRETipsheets (2017)ire.org/events-and-training/event/2703/3254/
>IRETipsheets (2016– Longerversion)ire.org/resource-center/tipsheets/4847
TheArtofInvestigativeStory-Telling- J.Sher June2017
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KEEPINTOUCH…
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