7 Storytelling Secrets from the Movie, GRAVITY [spoiler warning]

[*spoilers ahead... You’ve been warned]

I just returned from watching one of the most riveting movies to hit the silver screen in years, GRAVITY. The film stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

The majority of the movie is set in orbit around planet earth. It primarily features two astronauts (Clooney & Bullock) battling the elements of outer space trying to get back to Earth.

Here are 7 secrets to effective storytelling that were used in the film that you should use the next time you get up to speak to students:

STORY - Keep it central.

It would seem like a no-brainer that a “story” should be central to storytelling; however, many youth pastors forget the essence of story when they communicate. A good story has a beginning, middle and an end. Be careful not to detour from the central storyline and rabbit trail. Gravity does this extremely well throughout.

SENSES - Engage them.

Throughout the movie, there are numerous scenes which depict both the below-freezing temperatures and the deafening silence of outer space. Engaging the five senses of students while telling a story is crucial to drawing them in to experience the story with you.

SILENCE - It is golden.

Don’t be afraid of using dramatic pauses and silence when storytelling. Gravity has multiple moments during which there is absolutely no sound. Instead of distracting from the story, it pulls you in even more, while building anticipation of what will come next. Be intentional about using silence as a tool when you communicate.

SUSPENSE - Build it throughout.

What good is a story that looks like flat-line and is boring? This film brilliantly executed both building and releasing tension at just the right moments. The next time you communicate, deliver just enough suspense to draw students in, and be sure that your story includes the payoff in a rewarding way.

SANDRA BULLOCK - Queen of facial expressions.

Much of this film is spent in close-up shots of Bullock’s character in challenging and emotional situations. She is able to express the right emotion for her character in each heart-pounding situation. Be sure to match your facial expression with the emotions in your stories.

SURPRISE - The twist you never saw coming.

There is a scene in the movie where Sandra Bullock’s character has given up all hope and has resigned herself to die, alone in space. At that moment, Clooney’s character miraculously returns, lighten’s the mood,and gives wisdom for how Bullock’s character can get out of this “end-of-the-road” situation. As it turns out, this twist that everyone saw coming, gets twisted again and it’s all in Bullock’s head... Clooney’s character is actually dead. I found myself saying, “No way!” When you utilize surprise during a story, there is actually a chemical release that occurs in a student's brain that helps them remember the story better.

SHORT - Less is always more.

Gravity’s run-time is just over 90 minutes. Relatively short for a feature-length film nowadays. Brilliant move on the director’s part to tell the story and leave it at that. No extra detours. No flashbacks. Just the story. Try to keep your stories short and moving forward. Your students will thank you for it.