Even in the midst of these economic hard times, people are still finding the extra cash to check out a movie now and then. Recent films like Avatar and The Book of Eli show that the public is still hungry for blockbusters, and when it comes to blockbusters, one name stands above the others – Steven Spielberg.
Love him or hate him, no one walks the line between innovative, artistic film making, and popular success like Steven Spielberg. In fact there was no such thing as a blockbuster film until Spielberg made Jaws. There had been very successful films of course, but Jaws remade film distribution – and profitability – into the model we still have until this day.
What does this have to do with your next presentation?
By taking a few notes from Mr. Spielberg, you can incorporate new and interesting ideas into your next PowerPoint, allowing you to tell your unique story in a unique manner that connects with your audience in a brand new way!
Take a second to check out these four lessons from the master:
Use What You’ve Got
When Spielberg made Jaws, he was just another struggling film maker, trying to wrestle with the technical difficulties of dealing with a mechanically fickle shark. In fact, Spielberg had so much trouble with the Great White Dope that he wasn’t able to feature the creature in many of the scenes he’d planned. Instead, he used his camera to represent the shark’s point of view. He also developed an incredibly simple musical theme that haunts us to this day. Implying the presence of the shark without showing the eating machine was the masterstroke that made the film truly terrifying – and it wasn’t even on purpose! The next time you’re putting together a presentation, don’t focus on the limits of your resources or your technical tools. Allow these obstacles to inspire your best!
Best for Last
Although Spielberg kept his shark under wraps for most of Jaws, he took it to the limit with Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When is the last time you saw a science fiction movie with no aliens – until the very end? This is a great model for your next presentation. Never show your best cards right away. End strong and they’ll remember you!
Crowd Pleaser
A lot of folks don’t know that Spielberg began his career in television. If you think about it, it’s not that surprising. In fact, it makes sense that this revolutionary crowd pleaser would’ve first spent time in the trenches of the most “mass” of all mass media. Spielberg has made films in every genre, covering every type of story – all the while engaging dazzling technical innovations – but he never forgets that entertaining an audience is his first priority. Never forget that you aren’t presenting to yourself – it’s all for your audience!
Story! Story! Story!
In the ’80’s Spielberg returned to TV, producing a series called Amazing Stories. This was a logical step for a creative person whose best work is always built on the framework of strong, traditional story structures. Keep this in mind with your next presentation. Use the power of stories to make your work truly memorable. Why present a series of displays when you can spin a yarn? Why display a bunch of information when you can tell a story?
