The “life of the party”, who spins a recent event that happened to them into an epic story. An eloquent person, who describes their favourite restaurant in such delicious detail that it makes you want to eat there immediately. That opinionated friend of yours, whose take on current events is always thoughtful, well articulated and backed by research. A natural born leader, who always turns their group projects at school into stunning, visionary pieces of entertainment.
These people all have something in common: they are storytellers. Anyone who can look at day-to-day life and pull a narrative from it, to the degree that they provoke thought, emotion and empathy, is a storyteller. If you see yourself in this definition, or in one of the above archetypes, chances are you are a natural born storyteller too. And, if you are, here are four career paths you might be perfect for.
Directing
Directors have a vision for what they want to see on the screen, and the way they go about realizing that vision is by delegating, communicating and working collaboratively with fellow professionals. Much like the school project leader mentioned above, a director uses their bold vision and flare for collaboration to make something that will appeal to both the class (the viewing public) and/or the teacher (the critics).
Do you want to work in the entertainment industry as a director? Break into the industry through a mentorship program (see the link provided), through film school, or take the DIY approach and gain attention by posting your own content online.
Advertising
Believe it or not, branding is a type of storytelling. The characters that companies use to convey themselves, the words they choose and the themes they touch on all coalesce to form a brand story. Some people have a natural knack for understanding what people want, and they can speak to that desire in a way that seems natural and unaffected.
The advertising industry can seem slimy at times, but there are numerous ethical jobs in and around the industry – for instance, you can work in-house for a not-for-profit company or a conservation society.
Editing
Editors are the unsung heroes of storytelling. It’s been said that a film is written once on the page, and a second time in the editing room, and that’s completely true. The way you cut around certain scenes, or linger on an actor’s face, can profoundly impact the story.
Editing doesn’t just end with film though; for an even more in-depth editing experience, you can take courses on news editing. With news editing, you often take raw footage from segments, and work with a correspondent and segment producer to tell a story.
Journalism
A journalist is responsible for presenting reality, but in so doing they are forced to tell a story. There is no escaping it. Even the stories they choose to tell, the people they choose to interview and the details they choose to include/exclude all tell a particular story. If you are passionate about the truth, and want to keep people as informed as possible, journalism might be the job for you.
If you think you have a knack for storytelling, try one of the above careers. Start your journey either through a mentorship program, a postsecondary program, or dive head first into the job market by making some cold calls. A life of storytelling awaits!
