

Future of StoryTelling (FoST)
Future of StoryTelling
The Future of StoryTelling (FoST) is a passionate community of people from the worlds of media, technology, and communications who believe that better stories can create a better future. Join FoST Founder and CEO Charlie Melcher for a series of conversations with expert storytellers from a range of disciplines to learn how they’re navigating the changing media landscape, focusing on how stories can help create positive and lasting change in the world. Conversations address a breadth of topics, from immersive storytelling to emerging technologies, the neuroscience of narrative, and much more. www.futureofstorytelling.org
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 19, 2023 • 30min
Emerging Tech, Education, and Empowerment — Alton Glass
As new technology arises, so do new opportunities for expression, empathy, and empowerment. Our guest today, Alton Glass of GRX Immersive, shares how he’s making the most of these opportunities and helping others do the same through educational programs designed to help diverse creators take advantage of virtual reality and other emerging forms.--© 2023 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Madison Brownin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Alton Glass, Bonnie Eldon, Meghal Janardan, Sarah Vitak, Elisabeth March, Michael Bass, and Megan Worman.

Dec 15, 2022 • 33min
LARP and Co-Created Reality — Sarah Lynne Bowman
We all play roles in our day-to-day lives– but we don’t always have a choice in them. Roleplaying games, and particularly live action roleplays (aka “LARP”), allow us to reclaim the ability to decide who we’re going to be, both within the game and beyond. On today’s episode of the FoST Podcast, Dr. Sarah Lynne Bowman shares her learnings on how roleplaying games work and why they’re becoming more and more popular.--© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Madison Brownin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Sarah Lynne Bowman, Bonnie Eldon, Meghal Janardan, Sarah Vitak, Elisabeth March, Michael Bass, Megan Worman, and Laura Cray.

Dec 1, 2022 • 31min
Be the Stage, Not the Star — Marvin Chow
Today’s marketers are tasked with telling stories that not only represent their products, but that also empower their customers. As VP of Global Marketing at Google, Marvin Chow understands better than anyone how important it is for a brand to have a positive impact and help its users do the same. On this episode of the FoST Podcast, Marvin shares learnings on marketing for one of the biggest brands in the world.--© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Madison Brownin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Marvin Chow, Bonnie Eldon, Meghal Janardan, Sarah Vitak, Elisabeth March, Michael Bass, Megan Worman, and Laura Cray.

14 snips
Nov 17, 2022 • 30min
The Neuroscience of Good Storytelling — Paul J. Zak
Creators, marketers, and other storytellers have long wondered: could there ever be an objective measurement of how moving our stories are to audiences? Neuroscientist and tech entrepreneur Paul J. Zak says yes— and he's studied 50,000 brains to back up his claims. Paul shares science-based insights on what makes stories effective from his new book, Immersion: The Science of the Extraordinary and the Source of Happiness, on this episode of the FoST podcast. --© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Madison Brownin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Paul J Zak, Bonnie Eldon, Meghal Janardan, Sarah Vitak, Elisabeth March, Michael Bass, Megan Worman, and Laura Cray.

26 snips
Nov 3, 2022 • 29min
Reinventing Retail — Ben Kaufman
In recent years, brick-and-mortar retail has been facing a crisis. But Ben Kaufman and his family experience company, CAMP, have come up with a solution: make shopping in person a memorable, immersive experience. On this episode of the FoST podcast, Ben discusses how CAMP is combining play, product, and programming to give young families a place to make memories together. --© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Madison Brownin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Ben Kaufman, Bonnie Eldon, Meghal Janardan, Sarah Vitak, Elisabeth March, Michael Bass, and Megan Worman.

10 snips
Oct 20, 2022 • 33min
The 4 Elements of Transformative Experience – Margaret Kerrison
With immersive experiences becoming more and more popular, it's important to ask: what makes an experience not just entertaining, but transformative? Margaret Kerrison, former Disney Imagineer and multi-award winning writer for immersive experiences, shares her answer to that question and more from her new book, Immersive Storytelling for Real and Imagined Worlds: A Writer’s Guide.--© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Madison Brownin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Margaret Kerrison, Bonnie Eldon, Meghal Janardan, Sarah Vitak, Elisabeth March, Michael Bass, and Megan Worman.

Oct 6, 2022 • 30min
Songwriting and the Future of Music — Aloe Blacc
Singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc sits down to talk about what makes a song “evergreen,” how he writes his lyrics, and the potential of machine learning in art.--© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Madison Brownin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Aloe Blacc, Bonnie Eldon, Meghal Janardan, Sarah Vitak, Elisabeth March, Michael Bass, and Megan Worman.

Sep 22, 2022 • 32min
Designing Games for Generosity — Jenova Chen
Co-founder & CEO of thatgamecompany, visionary designer of Journey (2012) and Sky: Children of the Light (2019), and game media evangelist Jenova Chen talks about designing video games that bring out the best in people. --© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Madison Brownin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Jenova Chen, Bonnie Eldon, Shannon Fanuko, Meghal Janardan, Elisabeth March, Sarah Vitak, and Megan Worman.

Sep 8, 2022 • 36min
Inside the Theater of the Mind — David Byrne
David Byrne, the multi-award-winning frontman of Talking Heads, dives into his groundbreaking project, Theater of the Mind. He explores how this immersive storytelling experience merges art with neuroscience to create deep emotional connections. Listeners learn about the significance of tailored spaces for enhancing audience engagement and the role of technology in artistic expression. Byrne also discusses the civic responsibility of art and its ability to unite communities, underscoring the transformative power of stepping outside creative comfort zones.

Aug 25, 2022 • 31min
Marc Simons
Marc Simons, co-founder of Giant Spoon, the agency behind the legendary Westworld SXSW activation discusses immersive as a tool for building brands.--© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherExecutive Producer, Carolyn MerrimanProducer, Sarah Vitakin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerExecutive Producer, Mike RugnettaEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Stephen Smith, Marina Kay, Fred Kolouch, Bonnie Eldon, Shannon Fanuko, Meghal Janardan, and Megan Worman.