The following is an excerpt from the just-released book, 'Tell to Win':
Once you’ve got your hero, what gets the emotion moving? What holds us spellbound, begging for more? Michael Jackson taught me in no uncertain terms, the answer is drama.
Back in 1991, Jackson already was a force to be reckoned with. After renewing his contract with Sony for a record-setting $65 million, he released his eighth album, "Dangerous¸" with the singles “Black یا White” and “Remember the Time,” both of which dominated the pop charts. As CEO of Sony Pictures, I’d sat in on the studio production of that album and was overwhelmed سے طرف کی Michael’s creative intensity and perfectionism.
His ambition knew no bounds. But when Sony’s most important musical asset invited me to his ہوم in Encino to discuss his plans to get into فلمیں and television, I was taken aback. Michael had proven he knew everything there was to know about pop music, but فلمیں were a different animal. He wanted to produce as well as act. That meant telling stories. Could he do it?
I didn’t even have to ask the question. “In both films and music,” Michael said, “you have to know where the drama is and how to present it.” He gave me a long, intense stare and abruptly stood up. “Let me دکھائیں you.”
He led me upstairs to the hallway outside his bedroom, where we stopped in front of a huge glass terrarium. “This,” he said, “is Muscles.”
Inside, a massive snake was coiled around a درخت branch. His head was tracking something in the opposite corner of the terrarium.
Michael pointed with his finger at the object of Muscles’ obsession. A little white ماؤس was trying to hide behind a pile of wood shavings.
I کہا hopefully, “Are they friends?”
“Do they look it?”
“No. The ماؤس is trembling.”
Michael said, “We have to feed Muscles live mice, otherwise he won’t eat. Dead ones don’t get his attention.”
“So why doesn’t he just go ahead and eat it?”
He said, “Because he enjoys the game. First he uses fear to get the mouse’s attention, then he waits, building tension. Finally, when the ماؤس is so terrified it can’t move, Muscles will close in.”
That snake had the attention of that mouse, and that ماؤس had the attention of that snake -- and Michael Jackson had my attention.
“That’s drama,” he said.
“It sure is!” I said. “This story has everything -- stakes, suspense, power, death, good and evil, innocence and danger. I can’t stand it. And I can’t stop watching.”
“Exactly,” he said. “What’s going to happen next? Even if آپ know what it is, آپ don’t know how یا when.”
“Maybe the ماؤس will escape.”
Michael let out one of his high, strange laughs. “Maybe.”
If I’d had the slightest doubt about Jackson’s command as a teller of stories, it evaporated that day. His telling to win profoundly and clearly taught me that nothing grabs our attention faster than the need to know what happens next?
Back at UCLA, I asked Dan Siegel to help me understand from his perspective as a neuroscientist why people are so enthralled سے طرف کی drama. Siegel pointed out that emotions don’t occur spontaneously. Nor, as any actor knows, can they be summoned at will. Emotions have to be aroused. “And arousal gets heightened,” Siegel said, “when آپ realize, I don’t know if the mountain lion’s still there; I don’t know if the spaceship is going to get back; I’m not sure he’s going to win the race. آپ have to have tension between expectation and uncertainty. Emotional tension drives آپ to think it might go this way, but it might go that way, and that makes آپ wonder, what will happen next?”
The مزید آپ wonder what will happen next, the مزید آپ pay attention. And the مزید attention آپ pay, the مزید آپ hear, notice, and retain.
One reason I was so helplessly enthralled as I watched Michael Jackson’s ماؤس and snake was that they were enacting a story of primal desire and dread. Somewhere deep in our DNA, we all have this story lurking because, at some stage of our evolution, if not in our مزید immediate existence, we lived this story. We were the weaker prey that hid trembling inside the cave from the saber-tooth lurking outside.
Of course, most business storytellers don’t need to set dramatic stakes as high as death یا survival. But even business stories are told best if they trigger the conflict between dread and desire. Desire is a core human need which in business may translate as landing a job, motivating employees, keeping an account, impressing a boss, successfully launching a product, یا securing a brand. The مزید we desire something, the greater our fear of not achieving it. And that emotional tension engages your audience because it makes them feel “what’s in it for them.”
Once you’ve got your hero, what gets the emotion moving? What holds us spellbound, begging for more? Michael Jackson taught me in no uncertain terms, the answer is drama.
Back in 1991, Jackson already was a force to be reckoned with. After renewing his contract with Sony for a record-setting $65 million, he released his eighth album, "Dangerous¸" with the singles “Black یا White” and “Remember the Time,” both of which dominated the pop charts. As CEO of Sony Pictures, I’d sat in on the studio production of that album and was overwhelmed سے طرف کی Michael’s creative intensity and perfectionism.
His ambition knew no bounds. But when Sony’s most important musical asset invited me to his ہوم in Encino to discuss his plans to get into فلمیں and television, I was taken aback. Michael had proven he knew everything there was to know about pop music, but فلمیں were a different animal. He wanted to produce as well as act. That meant telling stories. Could he do it?
I didn’t even have to ask the question. “In both films and music,” Michael said, “you have to know where the drama is and how to present it.” He gave me a long, intense stare and abruptly stood up. “Let me دکھائیں you.”
He led me upstairs to the hallway outside his bedroom, where we stopped in front of a huge glass terrarium. “This,” he said, “is Muscles.”
Inside, a massive snake was coiled around a درخت branch. His head was tracking something in the opposite corner of the terrarium.
Michael pointed with his finger at the object of Muscles’ obsession. A little white ماؤس was trying to hide behind a pile of wood shavings.
I کہا hopefully, “Are they friends?”
“Do they look it?”
“No. The ماؤس is trembling.”
Michael said, “We have to feed Muscles live mice, otherwise he won’t eat. Dead ones don’t get his attention.”
“So why doesn’t he just go ahead and eat it?”
He said, “Because he enjoys the game. First he uses fear to get the mouse’s attention, then he waits, building tension. Finally, when the ماؤس is so terrified it can’t move, Muscles will close in.”
That snake had the attention of that mouse, and that ماؤس had the attention of that snake -- and Michael Jackson had my attention.
“That’s drama,” he said.
“It sure is!” I said. “This story has everything -- stakes, suspense, power, death, good and evil, innocence and danger. I can’t stand it. And I can’t stop watching.”
“Exactly,” he said. “What’s going to happen next? Even if آپ know what it is, آپ don’t know how یا when.”
“Maybe the ماؤس will escape.”
Michael let out one of his high, strange laughs. “Maybe.”
If I’d had the slightest doubt about Jackson’s command as a teller of stories, it evaporated that day. His telling to win profoundly and clearly taught me that nothing grabs our attention faster than the need to know what happens next?
Back at UCLA, I asked Dan Siegel to help me understand from his perspective as a neuroscientist why people are so enthralled سے طرف کی drama. Siegel pointed out that emotions don’t occur spontaneously. Nor, as any actor knows, can they be summoned at will. Emotions have to be aroused. “And arousal gets heightened,” Siegel said, “when آپ realize, I don’t know if the mountain lion’s still there; I don’t know if the spaceship is going to get back; I’m not sure he’s going to win the race. آپ have to have tension between expectation and uncertainty. Emotional tension drives آپ to think it might go this way, but it might go that way, and that makes آپ wonder, what will happen next?”
The مزید آپ wonder what will happen next, the مزید آپ pay attention. And the مزید attention آپ pay, the مزید آپ hear, notice, and retain.
One reason I was so helplessly enthralled as I watched Michael Jackson’s ماؤس and snake was that they were enacting a story of primal desire and dread. Somewhere deep in our DNA, we all have this story lurking because, at some stage of our evolution, if not in our مزید immediate existence, we lived this story. We were the weaker prey that hid trembling inside the cave from the saber-tooth lurking outside.
Of course, most business storytellers don’t need to set dramatic stakes as high as death یا survival. But even business stories are told best if they trigger the conflict between dread and desire. Desire is a core human need which in business may translate as landing a job, motivating employees, keeping an account, impressing a boss, successfully launching a product, یا securing a brand. The مزید we desire something, the greater our fear of not achieving it. And that emotional tension engages your audience because it makes them feel “what’s in it for them.”
A judge has ruled that witnesses will NOT be allowed to discuss Michael Jackson's child molestation case during Dr. Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial.
L.A. County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor کہا any testimony relating to the molestation case is irrelevant -- and would be distracting and misleading to the jury.
The judge also banned Arnie Klein from testifying -- after prosecutors argued the defense would try to blame the dermatologist for the death ... and take away attention from the man on the hot نشست -- Dr. Murray.
L.A. County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor کہا any testimony relating to the molestation case is irrelevant -- and would be distracting and misleading to the jury.
The judge also banned Arnie Klein from testifying -- after prosecutors argued the defense would try to blame the dermatologist for the death ... and take away attention from the man on the hot نشست -- Dr. Murray.
The Michael Jackson estate is tired of waiting for Lloyd's of London to pay out on the $17.5 million "This Is it" insurance policy -- so they're going after Lloyd's in court ... demanding they pay up, stat.
Lloyd's of London originally issued the policy to cover potential losses for MJ's 2009 "This Is It" concerts -- but earlier this year, the company asked an L.A. court to declare the policy null and void ... claiming MJ lied about his medical history and drug addiction.
Lloyd's insists the policy "was restricted to losses resulting from accident only" -- pointing out Michael's official cause of death was "homicide."
But the estate is now on the offensive -- filing a cross-complaint, claiming MJ never intended to die, whether سے طرف کی homicide یا not, so his death still qualifies as an accident.
But the estate isn't just settling for the original $17.5 million -- they also want punitive damages. FYI, suing for punitive damages often scares the crap out of insurance companies.
Lloyd's of London originally issued the policy to cover potential losses for MJ's 2009 "This Is It" concerts -- but earlier this year, the company asked an L.A. court to declare the policy null and void ... claiming MJ lied about his medical history and drug addiction.
Lloyd's insists the policy "was restricted to losses resulting from accident only" -- pointing out Michael's official cause of death was "homicide."
But the estate is now on the offensive -- filing a cross-complaint, claiming MJ never intended to die, whether سے طرف کی homicide یا not, so his death still qualifies as an accident.
But the estate isn't just settling for the original $17.5 million -- they also want punitive damages. FYI, suing for punitive damages often scares the crap out of insurance companies.
1.YoyoJackson
2.MJJJ29fan
3.Sanuce
4.Nahtania Jackson
5.Niks Adnks
6.MJpeterpan
7.Koolkat-1994
8.Iluvmj54
YoyoJackson: I love آپ sis very much!!!!!
Nahtania Jackson: I love آپ sis soo much!! MJJJ29fan: I love آپ sis soo so much!!!
Niks Adnks: I love آپ sis alot!!!!!
MJpeterpan: I love آپ sis very much. but u almost the best sister!!!
Koolkat-1994: I love آپ sis!!!. Keep michaeling
iluvmj54: I love آپ sis. even sometimes u get on my nerve (jk)!!.
Sanuce:I love آپ very very very much. آپ are the best sister.
Natasa: I love آپ every single day. U always make me happy. I will always be سے طرف کی ur side forever. Sisters forever!!
Hi,
I just started a project about Michael and need some help from you.
This Project is about stories سے طرف کی King Of Pop's fans..!!
The project is about people sending in the entries about what michael meant to them and how his death changed them and also entries like pictures,videos یا anything they had done for Michael یا سے طرف کی being inspired سے طرف کی him..and مزید creative آپ can get.
the entries received will then be turned in a digital collage cum museum and e magazine.all will be eunveiled on august 29,his birthday.
now i need your help in spreading the word out about the project asking to send in the entries.....
watch this video i made about mj
link
to know مزید about the project visit link
reply back to mjtourlives@live.com if آپ are willing to help.
thanks
I just started a project about Michael and need some help from you.
This Project is about stories سے طرف کی King Of Pop's fans..!!
The project is about people sending in the entries about what michael meant to them and how his death changed them and also entries like pictures,videos یا anything they had done for Michael یا سے طرف کی being inspired سے طرف کی him..and مزید creative آپ can get.
the entries received will then be turned in a digital collage cum museum and e magazine.all will be eunveiled on august 29,his birthday.
now i need your help in spreading the word out about the project asking to send in the entries.....
watch this video i made about mj
link
to know مزید about the project visit link
reply back to mjtourlives@live.com if آپ are willing to help.
thanks
Michael Jackson
God looked at his Garden
And found an empty place
Then he looked upon the Earth
And saw your tired face
He put his arms round you
And lifted آپ to the rest
God's garden must be beautiful
He only takes the best
Dedicated to Michael Jackson. I'm so sorry Michael,
آپ came to help, they hurt you
آپ taught us to love, they accused آپ of loving
It's all our fault.
I know آپ are in a better place now I love آپ very much.
Bye..till we meet again!
We will never forget you, آپ were a blessing to the world and to us
God looked at his Garden
And found an empty place
Then he looked upon the Earth
And saw your tired face
He put his arms round you
And lifted آپ to the rest
God's garden must be beautiful
He only takes the best
Dedicated to Michael Jackson. I'm so sorry Michael,
آپ came to help, they hurt you
آپ taught us to love, they accused آپ of loving
It's all our fault.
I know آپ are in a better place now I love آپ very much.
Bye..till we meet again!
We will never forget you, آپ were a blessing to the world and to us
With the two-year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death approaching -- one helicopter company is giving شائقین the chance to pay their respects ... سے طرف کی raining flowers down around Neverland ... mid-flight.
The 30-minute Channel Island Helicopter flights are set to take off June 24th and 25th -- exactly two years since Jackson died after a Propofol-induced cardiac arrest.
During the flight, passengers are encouraged to honor the late entertainer سے طرف کی chucking his پسندیدہ پھول -- a red rose -- out of the helicopter mid-flight ... over nearby Zaca Peak.
A rep for the helicopter company tell us -- شائقین are super excited for the aerial tour ... saying they feel it will bring them "closer to heaven" ... and closer to Michael.
The 30-minute Channel Island Helicopter flights are set to take off June 24th and 25th -- exactly two years since Jackson died after a Propofol-induced cardiac arrest.
During the flight, passengers are encouraged to honor the late entertainer سے طرف کی chucking his پسندیدہ پھول -- a red rose -- out of the helicopter mid-flight ... over nearby Zaca Peak.
A rep for the helicopter company tell us -- شائقین are super excited for the aerial tour ... saying they feel it will bring them "closer to heaven" ... and closer to Michael.