The Death of Story

[Kei]

The Devin’s Advocate: James Cameron Calls Out The Story Crisis In Hollywood

All of a sudden I’ve found myself in a world where story is for snobs, and only the elites want good characters. All of a sudden Edgar Rice Burroughs is high falutin’ and Back to the Future is impenetrable arthouse fare. I’m not standing here demanding deep and meaningful themes or exquisite metareferences in the text – just simply good old fashioned two-fisted storytelling. Giving a good yarn, and filling it with exciting characters. The action set pieces become disconnected free floating fireworks displays if there’s no story to support them and no characters to give them meaning.

This article was written about Hollywood. Isn't it uncanny that it seems to apply to recent trends in anime as well? I mean, people are seriously trying to defend Infinite Stratos' story as well-written. How brainwashed have we become?

[Nagato]

There always have and always will be people who unironically like crap. The problem starts when people actually recognize something isn't good and like it anyway because they've become accepting of sub-standard storytelling.

[Ryu]

People don't want to take risks with a story that might be a hit or a miss when they know that they can make millions with awful jokes and pop culture references for twenty minutes.

I am looking at you Lucky Star, K-On, (I could say Panty and Stocking, but the difference here is that p&s is not s***)

EDIT: I should also mention that 90% of everything is terrible anyway, so it's just that terrible things have higher budgets now days! Also you can't account for taste!

[Ryu]

The Devin’s Advocate: James Cameron Calls Out The Story Crisis In Hollywood

Hahahahaha

This is pretty rich coming from James Cameron

[Kei]

Hahahahaha

This is pretty rich coming from James Cameron

I know, right? Especially considering Avatar's story... or lack thereof.

[Osaka]

It is sad indeed, and its something that's bothered me for a while.

I think a large portion of the problem though is not that good stories aren't out there, its that the business is more about contacts than content.

So the people in position to make a movie / anime / show usually aren't the ones with the best idea and the writing skills to back it up, but the one with the fame or connections to be able to fund the thing and get publicity.

Its sad really.