STORY CIRCLES NARRATIVE TRAINING
is an innovative program started in 2015, first outlined in the book, “Houston, We Have A Narrative,” (University of Chicago Press, 2015) by scientist-turned-filmmaker Randy Olson. It is built around the premise that narrative structure is the central element for effective communication, BUT is also the most difficult challenge for communication, THEREFORE it needs extra effort. Finding the ideal narrative structure for any content is like solving a puzzle — it takes time and a sense for how narrative works. Story Circles helps develop that sense, called “Narrative Intuition.”
THE ULTIMATE GOAL of Story Circles is to develop narrative intuition to the point where you no longer need templates as you develop the ability to shape the narrative of material using your own sense for it. this involves repeated “workouts” built around the ABT Narrative Template as the central tool. In this way, Story Circles is a new, unique form of communications training which has its origins in both improv acting training and the Meisner acting technique. Both of these methods are built around simple repetition as a means of moving from the cerebral to the intuitive.