There is a reason they call it Thanksgiving. It’s not about Turkey. It’s not about football. And it’s not about Black Friday Eve. Simply put, it’s about being thankful. And while the idea might seemed played, or even a bit cliche’ this time of year, there is something about the creating space to be thankful. To thank.

Historically, Thanksgiving is tied to the harvest. Our lives look different today. Our harvest is different.

If you read our previous post, you’ll know that the Rule29 team has been attempting to instill space to reflect on the things that matter. We’ve done this here. And we’ve decided to share a few below. All in all, we’d like to thank YOU for being a part of our lives, whether loosely, or closely. And for those who are on the closer side… can you guess who is thankful for what?

From Andy, Bob, Dawn, Justin, Kara (The Cheech), Katrina, Kerri, Sarah, Susan, and Tim (not in this order):

Read the rest of the entry >

Storytelling is one of the oldest art forms known to humanity. Whether it is the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve, the tragedy of Hamlet, or the animated series Toy Story, stories have shaped both people and culture since the beginning of time.

They inform us. They move us. They change us.

And as our team has traveled the world, meeting people anywhere from the Napa Valley wine country to the largest slums in Africa, we have realized that each of us share one thing in common. We all have a story. A story worth telling.

This is the basis not only for the Stories Matter Project (being introduced here), but in what we do. We tell stories through visual mediums. In fact, it’s so central to what we do, we want to become better at it. This collective is simply an avenue for us to experience the beauty and wonder of both humanity’s similarities and differences. We do this to learn, to share, and to be transformed… which is exactly what happened when we met Arkangelo.

Arkangelo is one of the 20,000 Sudanese refugee boys that were displaced during Sudan’s civil war that took place for the better part of the 80s and 90s (1983-2005) – otherwise known as the “Lost Boys of Sudan”. Although Arkangelo’s story is rooted in one of the most brutal civil wars of the modern era, it is his love and care for people than truly defines him. I could tell you the story, but invite you to experience it yourself – along with Wendi, our other featured story.

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Stories Matter is a joint venture between the Rule29 team and Wonderkind Studios. Special thanks to Michael Rostenbach and Susan Herda (Rule29) for illustration/animation help.

View more stories at www.storiesmatter.co . Have a story? Share it with us here. Maybe you can tell it with us.

Unfortunately, in our current political culture, the notion that two opposing parties could come together for a singular purpose seems rather absurd. Rather, the norm is to stubbornly take sides. Dig our heels in. I’m right. They are wrong. Actually, this is nothing new. This was the case from our country’s very beginning. In 1787, the states’ delegates were so divided on whether on congressional representation should be equal amongst states (irregardless of their population) that it threatened the very basis (and existence) of the Constitution.

Fortunately, our forefathers learned how to be talk it out, how to see value from the other side. This situation (in 1787) eventually became known as “The Great Compromise” – a proposal that, while at the time seemed quite radical, was the beginning of our current representational structure (a proportional House of Representatives AND a Senate with equal representation).

In the business world, working with the competition is an even greater anomaly. Other than negotiating usage rights and/or buyout agreements, working with the other side is almost unheard of. That’s why the story of NUMMI is so intriguing.

NUMMI was a joint venture by GM and Toyota in the early 80s. Toyota was looking to enter the North American production space. GM was looking to learn the “secrets” of Toyota’s efficient production system. The results (and lessons) from the experience(s) is quite remarkable – in both what was accomplished and what was not. In fact, the lessons go well beyond GM and Toyota, but are incredibly insightful for our relationships today (business or not). But hearing the story from me would not do it justice. Instead, I invite you to take your next commute or car drive and listen to some of the best storytellers of our day, the team at NPR’s This American Life. Here is their story of NUMMI (personally, one of my favorite TAL episodes of all time.) Enjoy.

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Download story here.
or stream via the This American Life app here.

Let me paint the scene. We are shooting our documentary This is My Normal in Nairobi, Kenya last year. We had decided to follow one of our subjects home from work one night. He happened to live in the Kibera slums (one of the largest in Africa). Throughout our trip, there was one primary rule we had been given. “Don’t hang in the slums at night.”

Not only did we decide to travel through Kibera that night, we chose to carry large film equipment, including a giant battery powered LED light (which I happened to be holding over my head). Standing out is an understatement. I’ll admit. My heart was beating fast. We moved fast through a number of alleys and streets and eventually came upon a path that led to the train tracks that ran through the slums. The tracks were elevated. As we walked along the tracks and began to head down the other side towards our friend’s home, I became captivated by the rooftops I now saw. They were painted. They were mesmerizing. They were art?

Not until I returned home and stumbled randomly upon this TED talk, did I realize this was the artwork of famed French artist JR. Not every photo seen above was still present, but enough “eyes” that caught my attention. In the midst of some of the most intense moments of my trip, I paused.

Is this not the hope of good art? To pause. To wonder. Read the rest of the entry >

When we think of great storytellers, we often think of filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, the Coen Brothers, or Steven Spielberg. Or maybe authors like Ernest Hemingway, J.D. Salinger, and the recent J.K. Rowling. But few have given public radio the credit it is due in storytelling. In fact, one could argue (and I am) that nobody understands the art and craft of storytelling better than those producing frequent radio documentaries – particularly greats such as Ira Glass, host of NPR’s This American Life, and Terry Gross (Fresh Air).

If you’re in the storytelling business (and we are), this might be the best 20 minutes you could spend on the subject. Pulling from over 30 years in the business, Glass reveals key insights into the art of (good) storytelling. Enjoy. Read the rest of the entry >