“To be or not to be,” is one of the most famous lines from the history of literature. Storytelling was always and will always be meant “to be.” The art of storytelling dates back to 30,000 B.C. with cave drawings depicting animals, hunting and daily life. Fast-forward to the Egyptian hieroglyphics which lead to early written alphabets that allowed for written languages. All ultimately resulting into books, plays and theatre. Both visual and oral storytelling forms serve to educate, impart social and moral values, preserve history and act as a form of entertainment. The Hellenistic period served to propel forward all aspects of storytelling by spreading the universal concepts of the phonetic alphabet, written stories and theatre, making life more meaningful for people of all ages. I plan to pursue a career in filmmaking utilizing the art of storytelling.
While the alphabet is ever-changing and distinct in each country, it has proven time and time again that is an integral part of society. A civilization can’t maintain its stability without the use of a principal written and spoken language. The period of Hellenism further cemented this idea when the alphabet, as we know it today (with assigned symbols for each letter), achieved new heights. During the invasion of the Persian Empire, the Greek language was able to spread across continents, providing a sense of a unitary society among the public. Surprisingly, the general aspects of the current alphabet haven’t differed too much. For example, by the time that the English language had been adopted, only two extra letter had been added, bringing the total to twenty-six. In fact, letters such as a, b, and e (among others) were directly adapted from the Greek alphabet. It’s a fair assumption to think that the Greek and English alphabets are universal in nature. The idea of a shared unity throughout the world plays a big part in my desire to become a film director. I want to create experiences that everyone can relate to and understand as a collective group.
Storytelling has been a vital part of all societies from the past four thousand years. The spread of the Greek language during the invasion paved the way for the translation of the Old Testament. This Greek translation was widely accepted and used by many as the official source. This idea was only bolstered when the New Testament was originally written under the Greek language. Storytelling did not stop there as it increased in popularity as time went on. Aesop’s Fables, a collection of short stories with messages of morality, remains to be one of the most influential pieces of literature to this date. Even in the age of technology, books are still painted in a positive light. Recent additions, such as JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, have secured and will continue to maintain their spot in history. Storytelling is one of the most important components in the filmmaking process. Critics top concerns almost always revolve around the script itself. In my career, I plan on telling complex and engaging stories that make audience members see the world from a different angle.
During the Hellenistic Period, Greek theatre received small but important changes to the way stories are presented. Up to that point, Greek tragedies were the only forms of plays available to the public. However, Hellenistic viewpoints introduced the idea of differing genres by adding new comedies. These proved to be quite popular with the people as more and more genres eventually came to pass. Theatre is generally seen as being the predecessor/prototype of film and Greek theatre definitely played a part in its creation and evolution. To this day, films still follow the three (and occasionally five) act structures that more or less result in exceptional plots. Putting twists on classic, pre-existing Greek stories have also proven to be brimming with success. If film had turned out to be akin to pre-Hellenistic theatre, I definitely would have passed on it. The ability to have freedom in what you can make is why film is so captivating to me. I want to make successful, three Act films that stand the test of time, much like the classic Greek stories.
The idea of having a unitary view of the world through storytelling is one of great importance. Laying the groundwork for this sense of unionism, the Greek alphabet managed to spread across the known world while sharing ideas. Therefore, storytelling was able to get a broader mainstream appeal from humans alike. Ultimately, this culminated into the divisions of the types of stories that people wanted to tell, paging the way for an updated way of storytelling for film. All of these innovations was in part to the Hellenistic period, which drastically changed Greek society from what it was once known. The world is a better place when we can share our ancestry, communicate theories and ideals with one another, and enjoy each other’s company through entertainment.