Storytelling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StNvFjirQks

A Question of Faith is a Christian based movie, directed by Kevan Otto. The movie was released on September 29, 2017. The movie focuses on forgiveness, driving safety and donating organs. A teenager, Maria, was operating a vehicle while texting and driving. Her mother had warned her several times it was dangerous to text and drive, because she could harm herself or someone else. Maria was making a delivery, while responding to a text and struck a 12 year old boy who was crossing the street. Eric is pronounced brain dead and his parents have to decide whether to pull the plug. Maria is sent to jail for homicide by a vehicle. While Eric is still on ventilators when a young singer, Michelle, falls out from heart issues and is hospitalized. Once Eric's parents decide to pull the plug, his heart is donated to Michelle. Each family has a hard time accepting the events that took place. They all begin to question their faith. Circumstances throughout the movie bring all three families together and they begin to heal, upon meeting each other, and learning the others stories.

The tone was set a few minutes into the movie. The accident where Maria hit Eric took place not long after the movie began. "The opening sets the tone for the story, the audience needs to be given presuppositions about the type of tale they're reading" (Weiland 339). "Set the tone of your story right from the start" (Weiland 341). The movie opened with Maria driving and her mother scolding her for texting while driving. "The stories open with characters, preferably the protagonist. Even the most plot-driven tales inevitably boil down to characters" (Weiland 339). The movie opened with conflict and set the stage for the remainder of the movie. "If there is no conflict, there is no story (Weiland 339)." Conflict makes the story or movie worth watching, reading, or being told. "Conflict keeps the pages turning, and turning pages are nowhere more important than in the beginning" (Weiland 339). Stories that have meaning leaves its readers with wanting more, they begin to wonder and ask questions about what is going to happen next. "You can't just tell readers what is going on in your story; you have to give them enough information to make them want to ask questions, so you can answer them" (Weiland 340). It is important to keep your audience's attention. "Opening lines offer authors their first and best opportunities to make a statements about their stories" (Weiland 341). It is up to the author to catch our attention and make us want to read or watch what they present to the world. People lean towards what they can relate to, what they find interesting, or appealing. "Your hook is your first chance to impress readers, and like it or not, first impressions will make you and break you" (Weiland 342). It is important to grab the attention of the audience. "Plan the hook carefully and wow readers so thoroughly they won't ever forget the opening scene" (Weiland 341). The audience's reviews of a story will determine the feedback. It is vital to make a good first impression, and to catch the attention of others at the beginning, so they will be left wanting more.