An Introduction to the Four Throughlines

A comprehensive look at the most important thing you can do in storytelling.

Recently, I gave a talk to artists at The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). The subject was one I'm very familiar with, and something I've been focusing on as of late with the development of Subtxt and Narrative First:

The Four Throughlines.

Every story must present all Four Throughlines (or perspectives) in order to feel complete. Leave one out and the Audience will sense that something is missing. Leave two out, and they won't even remember your story hours after.

The talk lasts almost two hours and uses the same slide deck I created for my Story Classes at the California Institute of the Arts when I was an Adjunct Professor for the Character Animation department.

After the break, I return to discuss how to use Subtxt and the Dramatica theory of story to structure a short 2-3 minute film.

My thanks to John Webber, a good friend of mine and colleague from my days as a Disney animator, for inviting me and offering the opportunity to present this material.