THE POWER OF strategic

STORYTELLING in experience events

Roy Grünewald CV:

•  Studies: Cultural Management, Academy for drama directory

•  Drama teacher and director •  Creative producer Arjan van Dijk Events •  General manager municipal theatre Gorinchem / Targett

entertainment & events •  Teacher Imagineering & management creative industries

NHTV •  Guest teacher concept development and storytelling •  Column writer •  And…

•  www.inextensio.eu commercial and public events

•  www.roygrunewald.com concept development & storytelling arts, culture and tourism

I CREATE EXPERIENCES

and use STORYTELLING

What do you do all day long Mr. Grünewald??? Are you rich????

Commissions:

•  Concept development Virtual Museum •  ‘OPEnRAam’ Concerts •  Innovative concept Dutch Fortified Cities Event •  ‘Operalala’ Brabantstad European Cultural Capital •  Touristic experience discoveries •  Concept innovative museum experience

‘Gorcumpascum Magica’ •  Dutch Windmill Experience

PROGRAM

•  Why storytelling in events? •  What is strategic storytelling -our brain •  Manipulation of the imagination •  Tools •  Practice

STORYTELLING is the most important instrument

to manage and to enrich the experience of the public

Storytelling in events

Narratives provide the experience and image and so the

VALUE of the event

Storytelling is much more then just telling a story

People can imagine, dream, create metamorphoses, they understand (hidden)

messages, they feel emotions

Storytelling in events:

It’s telling the event story in a way that the number of facts trigger the emotions and is a

contribution to the experience A VERY IMPORTANT

EVENT EXPERIENCE TOOL

STORYTELLING events have a double aim

•  Marketing strategy: the strategic message must be memorable in the consumers brain

(content) •  Experience events: to create maximum

involvement (design)

But first: WHAT IS STORYTELLING?

STORYTELLING

The narrative forces

From Neaderthal…

Till Nokia

Storytelling in daily life

•  The first lie… •  Where are you, what are you doing, did something

happened? •  Last night I was with that girl… •  Gossips, jokes, bragging, exaggeration, lies, fraud,

tricks, love declarations Everything told in another way than

announcements or reports

Basicly there are 3 forms of communication

•  Announcement (demand, order, point of view) > we do, follow or not etc.

•  Report (number of facts, journals, processes) > we accept or not

•  Story (imagination, emotion) > let us believe, experience, let us think, learn)

Why we all love stories more than announcements and reports?

Why we all understand stories better than announcements and

reports?

Because stories activate our brain

by triggering imagination

curiosity

Our brain will puzzle

•  It’s within our DNA •  The gene FOXP2 •  Fysical and neurological skills

Example

•  My uncle died at the age of 49. One year later, his butler died

•  Harley Davidson is the best motorbike in

the world.

Just add…

•  My uncle died at the age of 49. One year later, his butler died of grief.

> plot, emotion, we wonder, want to know… •  Harley Davidson brings you forward and

behind… > Interpretation of facts, insinuation, promise

Strategic words

listen

Brain acitivity

•  Keys •  Chair •  Coffee •  Perfume •  Secret •  Running away •  Love

•  Neutral •  Neutral •  Taste •  Fragrance •  Curiosity •  Movements •  Emotions

Narratives and metaphores, sensorial words, words with secrets,

movements, emotions •  Activate our brain in its search (puzzle) for

signification, solution •  Trigger our curiosity

How do we recognise a good story?

•  We have to understand the facts •  We are involved by the sequence of events •  We feel emotions (laughter, sadness etc.) •  There is a message or morality (what do we

learn?)

A good storyteller is able

To manipulate the brain of his audience

(customer, consumer, public, visitor) etc.

So to tell a brilliant story, (s)he has to:

•  Tease the audience (creating curiosity) •  Play with emotions and feelings •  Involve his audience •  Create suspense •  Trigger the imagination of the audience by

manipulating the facts

THE TOWER OF LONDON

A BLOODY VISIT

A GOOD STORY: Facts and knowledge trigger the

IMAGINATION

A good story is NOT an announcement or report

What works? basics

•  To trigger curiosity •  Step by step building up the imagination •  Activation of the brain •  Result: memory

Storytelling as tool in experience events

basics PLUS •  Insinuations and promises •  Translation of the message in a narrative •  Stimulation of imagination •  Wrap the audience, guests in positive

emotions •  And they will neeeeeever forget

Practice of storytelling in events

•  Concept development (creative proces > storyboard)

•  Selling the event (to convince the client) •  Directory and design of the event (to use

experience tools > scenario)

So the storyteller (as a concept developer):

•  Has to translate the strategic message into a brilliant story

•  Has to wrap the message in a way the audience feel positive emotions in their minds.

So the storyteller (as a salesman):

•  Has to trigger the curiosity of the client by pulling him into the story

•  Has to take the client step by step into the narrative of the event

•  Manipulates the client with emotional promises and insinuations

•  Bombard him with experiences (emotions, senses, secrets and movements)

Then imagination works!

So the storyteller (as event director):

•  Has to trigger the curiosity of the guests by pulling them into the story

•  Has to take the guests step by step into the narrative of the event

•  Manipulates the public with emotional promises and insinuations

•  Bombard them with experiences (emotions, senses, secrets and movements)

Then imagination works!

EXPERIENCES! Romance, suspence, adventure,

discovery, sensations, thrills

The manipulation of the imagination

How to activate the brain? How to trigger curiosity? How to create emotions?

STORYTELLING

THE TOOLS

YOU CAN HAVE THE MOST BRILLIANT IDEAS…

IF YOU CANNOT TELL THEM

WITH IMAGINATION AND POWER THE IDEA SHALL NOT BE

ACCEPTED

LOGIC THINKING BRINGS US FROM A TO B

BUT IMAGINATION BRINGS US

EVERYWHERE (Einstein)

The first theatrelaw:

‘your audience is willing to believe what you are and what

you tell, if you as an actor (storyteller) are able to convince

what you play’

Aristoteles (350 b.C.)

THE KISS OF DEATH!

To convince: •  I believe in what I play (gestures) •  I believe what I’m telling you (language) •  I refer to common knowledge (facts) •  I change reality (manipulating the facts) •  I tease and trigger (manipulating

imagination) •  I’m building up suspense (from horror to

terror) •  I create a happy end

3 powerfull instruments to tell idea and message of an event

1.  Story structure (creates cohesion and suspense) > 6 steps 2.  Stratification (using dimensions make stories fascinating) > 3 dimensions 3.  Story energy (make stories convincing) > 5 elements

The incredible story of

Little Red Riding Hood and the big bad wolf

1. STRUCTURE

6 steps

PROLOGUE

•  introduction •  dramatis personae •  environment •  time and place/location

THE TRIGGER

•  The mission •  The warnings •  The journey from A to B

TEASERS

•  building up suspense •  (sub) climaxes and plateaus •  Following trails and false routings

SUSPENSE:

•  the audience have information that the characters don’t have

•  dosage •  timing

CATASTROPHE

•  ultimate climax •  everything seems lost •  and then?

PURIFICATION •  release •  liberation •  salvation •  deus ex machina •  hope

EPILOGUE •  message •  morality •  warning •  (open) ending

STORYTELLING CURVE (structure)

suspense

prologue introduction

trigger subclimaxes

& teasers

climax

purification

time

epilogue the end

USING THE NARRATIVE OR DRAMATIC CONCEPT OF LITTLE

RED RIDING HOOD ALLWAYS WORK!

Endless combinations and variations are possible! But never start with the ultimate climax

Storytelling structure in events

The storyboard: Step by step description of the number of ‘things what happen’

Storyboard imagine the event ‘movie’

•  Pre exposure…(invitation, promises) •  …You enter the scene and then… •  …and then…and next…meanwhile… •  …A path of magical moments •  …up to a peak, a climax… •  …pffff…the end and going home… •  …post experience (what is the memory?)

Magical moments

•  ‘this is us’… •  Surprise the visitor/guest

•  Sub climaxes •  Peaks and easy moments, action and chill

Peak-end rule

•  Make the climax memorable •  Timing of the climax moment •  People need time to understand the climax •  The end is ALLWAYS positive (messsage) •  The last experience must be memorable •  > is of great influence of the total

experience

storytelling event curve (structure)

suspense

Pre exposure

trigger Mag. mom & teasers

Climax, peak

chilling

time

Memory post experience

Structure

STORY 1. Prologue 2. Trigger 3. Teasers, building up sub climaxes and suspense 4. Climax 5. Purification 6. Epilogue

STORYBOARD EVENTS 1. Pre exposure 2. Entree, start and then… 3. further…next…then… (magical moments) 4. Peak, finale 5. Landing/chilling 6. Post experience

2. Dimensions

3 Stratifications Secret codes, symbolism, insinuations

and interpretations Activate our mind…we wonder

DIMENSIONS

•  For children and adults •  Wrapped metafores •  Hidden messsages and symbols •  Suggestive codes •  Insinuations > •  Triggering the subconscious

1st dimension:

physic observations •  Girl: wearing a red riding hood •  Forest: trees, path, grandmothers house •  Wolf: predator who speak human language

2nd dimension:

symbolism, insinuations, promise

•  Girl: Why she wears a red hood? How old is she? Naive, initiation rite from child to adult, simple-minded

•  Forest: unknown area full of potential danger, slums, the Bronx etc.

•  Wolf: hunting for victims, lover boy, gangster, demon

3rd dimension:

judgement and morality

•  Girl: Lost her innocence, was saved (learned for the rest of her life: don’t be naive)

•  Forest: Darkness, hell of life (be prepared for mischief and disaster)

•  Wolf: Human criminal mind, evil (warning)

Her innocence

…..

Brutal reality

…..

Dimensions in events

The railway museum event

1st dimension: physic observations

•  Trains: transportation machines •  Different worlds: transportation concepts •  Travellers: people, moving from A to B •  Technics: machinery

2nd dimension: symbolism, insinuations, promise •  Trains: economic progress •  Different worlds: people, discovering the

world •  Travellers: connecting people •  Technics: inventions

3rd dimension: value and morality

•  Trains: prosperity •  Different worlds: globalisation •  Travellers: understanding •  Technics: innovations

3. Story energy

5 elements

FIVE ELEMENTS:

•  PASSION •  HERO •  OBSTACLE •  INSIGHT •  TRANSFORMATION

MASTERCLASS pitching

Convince your client with your STORY

USE NARRATIVE TOOLS

•  Start with a promise (make him curious) •  Use the LRR structure •  Magical moments •  Secret codes and dimensions •  Peak end rule

USE NARRATIVE

LANGUAGE •  Use strategic words, but don’t exaggerate!

•  Triggering senses •  Emotions •  Atmosphere •  Movements

THE CASE

•  A Sylvester party •  100 guests •  Message: it was a bad year because of the

crisis, but we believe in a better future •  Special location •  Good catering and entertainment •  From 10 pm till 2 am

PRESENTATION

•  Sell your idea of the ‘voyage’ of the guests from A to B in a brilliant story

•  Convince in 7 minutes •  Use the ‘experience’ curve •  Use a theme •  Remember: tell a STORY, not serial

announcements or a report

22.00 23.00 00.00 01.00 02.00 hours

A B

Blue = pre exposure/prologue and trigger Yellow = step by step program

Star = climax/peak Green = peak end rule and post exposure

QUESTIONS?

EVALUATION

TOI TOI TOI ROY

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You may only use this for study purposes. Publication and/or presentation for other purposes is not allowed without written

permission of the author: Roy Grünewald, Haarstraat 3,

4201 JA Gorinchem +31183-632742 / +316-53781356

roygrunewald@hotmail.com