Aaron Conner
Narration Script
Audio Documentary Production
Jeff Goodman
Hey, thanks for tuning in, this is Aaron Conner on behalf of Jeff Goodman’s audio documentary production class.
Today I’m going to weigh in on a topic that has come to be one of the most important character traits that I would use to describe me.
A storyteller.
You might think, what is a storyteller? What kind of storyteller? There are millions of different ways one could tell a “story”. I’m here to enlighten you on how similar all the “millions of storytellers” out there really are.
For me personally, my sense of storytelling comes from my passion for cinematography and video production. I’ve been losing considerable amounts of sleep shooting and producing videos for over 4 years.. Over the last 4 years, I’ve learned a lot about myself, my work ethic, my strengths and weaknesses as a human being, and how to find a relevant, meaningful story in almost any situation.
Being a storyteller requires attention to detail, dedication to preparation, and a bit of creative intellect that luckily I’ve been blessed with. It’s like.. a little voice inside your head always thinking “How can I make people care about this?”
This is something I go through on a regular basis during my work with the Appalachian State Football team, as well as when I’m producing wedding films or promotional videos for corporate clients. Whether I’m by myself shooting leaves on a tree in Boone, or shooting with the stars of Duck Dynasty, the cinematographer and storyteller in me is always there. Whispering… “How can I make people care about this?”
A good friend of mine, Trevor Bridges, an Electronic Media Journalism major here at Appalachian State, considers himself to be a storyteller as well. Trevor is the play-by-play voice of the Asheboro Copperheads, a summer league baseball team for college baseball players.
Different, yet similar to my career path, Trevor’s attention to detail and his preparation help him be the best storyteller he can be regardless of the situation.
No matter the subject matter, the art of storytelling is all about being prepared, and being knowledgable about that subject. I’ll even take it one step further and say that understanding the art of effective storytelling requires one to really assume the personas both of a content-creator, and a content-consumer. As a storyteller, myself and Trevor always think of how we can do something differently that will catch the listener’s attention, and then retain the listeners attention despite all the distractions that are out there.
As a storyteller, if you’re able to assume the position of the content-consumer, and really stop and think about the way a viewer will interact with the piece you’re creating, that will only strengthen the quality of your work.
I believe I can speak for Trevor when I say that being a storyteller is a constant journey. One that never is truly complete. Each day I motivate myself to be better than I was the day before. In a world where everyone seems to have the resources to be a quote videographer endquote, I dare to be different.
This is Aaron Conner on behalf of Jeff Goodman’s Audio Documentary Production class. Thanks for listening.