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 or 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 por Michael’s creative intensity and perfectionism.
His ambition knew no bounds. But when Sony’s most important musical asset invited me to his início in Encino to discuss his plans to get into filmes and television, I was taken aback. Michael had proven he knew everything there was to know about pop music, but filmes 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 show 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 árvore 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 rato was trying to hide behind a pile of wood shavings.
I said hopefully, “Are they friends?”
“Do they look it?”
“No. The rato 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 rato is so terrified it can’t move, Muscles will close in.”
That snake had the attention of that mouse, and that rato 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 you know what it is, you don’t know how or when.”
“Maybe the rato 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 por 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 you 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. You have to have tension between expectation and uncertainty. Emotional tension drives you to think it might go this way, but it might go that way, and that makes you wonder, what will happen next?”
The mais you wonder what will happen next, the mais you pay attention. And the mais attention you pay, the mais you hear, notice, and retain.
One reason I was so helplessly enthralled as I watched Michael Jackson’s rato 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 mais 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 or 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, or securing a brand. The mais 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 or 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 por Michael’s creative intensity and perfectionism.
His ambition knew no bounds. But when Sony’s most important musical asset invited me to his início in Encino to discuss his plans to get into filmes and television, I was taken aback. Michael had proven he knew everything there was to know about pop music, but filmes 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 show 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 árvore 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 rato was trying to hide behind a pile of wood shavings.
I said hopefully, “Are they friends?”
“Do they look it?”
“No. The rato 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 rato is so terrified it can’t move, Muscles will close in.”
That snake had the attention of that mouse, and that rato 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 you know what it is, you don’t know how or when.”
“Maybe the rato 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 por 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 you 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. You have to have tension between expectation and uncertainty. Emotional tension drives you to think it might go this way, but it might go that way, and that makes you wonder, what will happen next?”
The mais you wonder what will happen next, the mais you pay attention. And the mais attention you pay, the mais you hear, notice, and retain.
One reason I was so helplessly enthralled as I watched Michael Jackson’s rato 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 mais 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 or 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, or securing a brand. The mais 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.”
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...
If you smile
With your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just...
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just...
Smile, though your coração is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...
If you smile
Through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile...
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile
So we had our school retreat today, & there was a band right? They started playing will you be there, & my friends were all nudging me going "it's MJ!" The thing is, I didn't know it was MJ when they first started playing. I had never heard will you be there before, yet all my friends knew it. Isn't that kinda sad? My friend Emily was like "Keri, it's MJ get up & sing!" but I was like "I don't know the words." I learned it pretty fast though; they only played the first 2 lines over & over instead of the whole song, so I didn't feel like a total idiot!! So it was kinda embarrassing for me because my friends all know me as the big MJ fanatic, yet I didn't recognize the song. But it really made my day!
YES!!! I amor THRILLER but come on thriller thriller thriller lets have a dif fav era for once hehe. ok so i do amor the thriller era yes probably ALLOT but my fav's are invincible and history why cause he had a more....mellinium and upbeat like a sorta futureristic pop música sound that just hung on me like all his albums not 1 mj song i hate. I like invincible cause it has beats that just make you want to mover not to menchon the beautiful and awesome slow songs on there i think mj put all his work into this album im sure. HIStory sorta explains how i feel and makes happy when im sad cause i know im not the only one whos lonely and gets made fun of cause of my looks or what. I amor ALL MJ ERAS xD
"Moonwalker" -- a collection of short films made por MJ in 1988 -- was never released theatrically in the United States ... but one L.A. movie theater is finally trying to make it happen ... for one night only.
TMZ has learned Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood is on the hunt for a film print of the 1988 cult classic ... after MJ fãs flooded the A.C. facebook page with the challenging request.
According to reports, "Moonwalker" was never theatrically released in America because of failed negotiations with U.S. movie distributors back in the dia ... however the flick was eventually released in The States on VHS.
FYI -- "Moonwalker" featured a super-iconic 25-minute featurette for "Smooth Criminal" ... which included an awesome cameo por Joe Pesci.
Arclight claims they're actively searching for the print -- we'll let you know if the procurar succeeds.
TMZ has learned Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood is on the hunt for a film print of the 1988 cult classic ... after MJ fãs flooded the A.C. facebook page with the challenging request.
According to reports, "Moonwalker" was never theatrically released in America because of failed negotiations with U.S. movie distributors back in the dia ... however the flick was eventually released in The States on VHS.
FYI -- "Moonwalker" featured a super-iconic 25-minute featurette for "Smooth Criminal" ... which included an awesome cameo por Joe Pesci.
Arclight claims they're actively searching for the print -- we'll let you know if the procurar succeeds.
Certain items found in the room where Michael Jackson died could help shape Dr. Conrad Murray's defense -- namely, that other docs were medicating Michael.
Sources connected with the case tell TMZ ... evidence in the room suggests certain potent drugs were "prescribed and prepared" for MJ to self-medicate.
As we first reported, Dr. Murray's team will not challenge the L.A. County Coroner's finding that Jackson died of a massive Propofol overdose. But as we told you, Murray's team will present evidence in the doc's manslaughter case that Michael awakened, then gave himself the fatal dose of Propofol when Murray left the room.
We're told Murray's team hasn't decided if it will use the evidence found in the room to implicate other doctors in Jackson's death. But we do know Murray's legal team will present evidence during the trial that the fruits of Jackson's notorious doctor shopping over two decades wore his body down.
The rep for Dr. Murray's lawyer refused comment.
Sources connected with the case tell TMZ ... evidence in the room suggests certain potent drugs were "prescribed and prepared" for MJ to self-medicate.
As we first reported, Dr. Murray's team will not challenge the L.A. County Coroner's finding that Jackson died of a massive Propofol overdose. But as we told you, Murray's team will present evidence in the doc's manslaughter case that Michael awakened, then gave himself the fatal dose of Propofol when Murray left the room.
We're told Murray's team hasn't decided if it will use the evidence found in the room to implicate other doctors in Jackson's death. But we do know Murray's legal team will present evidence during the trial that the fruits of Jackson's notorious doctor shopping over two decades wore his body down.
The rep for Dr. Murray's lawyer refused comment.
● I ► is for↔ Inspiration
● C ► is for↔ Creative
● H ► is for↔ Hero
● A ► is for↔ Amazing
● E ► is for↔ Excellent
● l ► is for↔ Lovable
● J ► is for↔ Joyful
● A ► is for↔ Amazing
● C ► is for↔ Caring
● K ► is for↔ Kind
● S ► is for↔ Sweet
● O ► is for↔ Optimistic
● N ► is for↔ Natural
Michael's name has the exact letters to describe him. He had the sweetest voice for such a young child and the smoothest dance moves. We would have talent shows at our school or community recreation center, and there would always be a number of us who wanted to portray Michael and the Jackson five.
As he and we grew older we still enjoyed his sounds and performances. No one makes all perfect decisions in their lives. As with many a great artist he had some ups and downs. But through it all, his musical talents have been phenomenal genius.