TED Speaker: J.J. Abrams

In 2007 the writer, director, producer, and composer, J.J. Abrams, spoke at the TED Conference.  While watching and listening to Abrams' talk, I found him to be inspirational and personable.  He was relaxed and spoke in a more casual manner as he shared some of his personal experiences and knowledge of the film industry. One of the main reasons that I personally found J.J. Abrams so inspiring is that his talk opened up my mind to a new way of storytelling and has made becoming successful seem more attainable.

J.J. Abrams has become a leader of a new style of storytelling.  For television series, his writing style does not allow for viewers to tune in and out of the plot line.  Every minute of every episode is important to the plot and if a viewer misses it, the viewer will quickly become lost and confused.  This type of storytelling requires dedicated viewers who are willing to commit to the series.  Abrams is also known for adding "mystery" to his stories.  He often leaves his viewers guessing and does not always reveal all of the answers.  When talking about mystery during his TED talk, Abrams said, "mystery is more important than knowledge". This tip is one that I will keep in the forefront of my mind while writing scripts and stories from now on.

More inspiring for me than his writing style is his amazing ability to think out of the box.  In the past I have had some great ideas for my own projects, but have held back from them because I felt that I did not have the resources to pull it off.  J.J. Abrams made it clear that there is almost always more than one way to achieve something that we want.  Hearing of some of the things that Abrams and his friends were able to do to create their desired effects when they were kids has made me realize that my limited filming equipment that I currently own does not have to limit my abilities and stories.  

J.J. Abrams has amazing skills and abilities and I look up to him as a leader in the filming industry.  Watching his works and hearing him speak inspires to me to work hard, be creative, and love what I do as I reach for success. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/j_j_abrams_mystery_box.html