Q “But everything that is mentioned plays a necessary role in the plot. The chief characteristic of the folktale is economy of expression; the most extraordinary adventures are recounted in terms of their bare essentials.”
C This reading from Six Memos highlights the ability in storytelling to be as brief as possible in order to recount an impactful story that does not get distracted or watered down by unnecessary details. One memorable moment from the reading was when Calvino used the example of a person attempting to tell a joke, but failing miserably with a long-winded and overcomplicated story with incorrect or misremembered details. This feels like a prime example of when quickness and brevity are key.
Q When can quickness be abandoned? I can think of a few examples of successful and popular narratives whose film versions are quite long (Hateful Eight, Gone With the Wind, The Godfather Part II.) It seems that abandoning quickness may be a technique that, when executed well, makes for slow paced, non traditional storytelling that can be impactful on an audience.
Narrative Design Fall 2019 