Why Isn't Your Story Working? Storycraft analysis of the Narrative Path, Puzzles and Anomalies

Exploring Story Craft and the Intersection of Faith and Hollywood with Justin Wells, filmmaker of documentaries, professor teaching documentary and story craft. On X as @onejwells https://www.youtube.com/@justinsmorningcoffee

Seeing Story Structure through the lens of Complexity Theory

Justin elaborates on the five-act structure of storytelling, emphasizing the importance of updating a character's mental map as they navigate challenges.

He connects this process to complexity theory, outlining the journey from order to chaos and back to harmony. Apparently, Sean Coyne and John Verveke are working on a book titled "Story Principia," which will delve into these concepts.

The importance of mental models in understanding character development.

The development of a five-act structure for storytelling. Understanding the Journey from Law to Chaos in Storytelling

The transition from a procedural phase, where rules are strictly followed, to a chaotic phase in storytelling when everything goes wrong. He uses the analogy of teaching a child a game to illustrate the importance of learning and applying the rules before questioning them.

Exploring Creativity Through Chaos Creativity is rooted in chaos, citing research that shows how epiphanies occur when individuals abandon conventional thinking, leading to breakthroughs.

Chaos and Creativity in Storytelling

Justin emphasizes the importance of chaos in the creative process, suggesting that characters in the New Testament often experience a shift in perspective that challenges their expectations. He notes that this pattern of death and resurrection is essential for learning and creativity.

The Stages of Learning and Knowing

Outlining four types of knowing, including propositional, procedural, perspectival and participatory knowledge, he describes the procedural stage as a time of obedience and practice, akin to boot camp, before moving into a more fluid, participatory stage where one can innovate and adapt.