ABOUT ME

In retrospect, it was inevitable I’d write a book about Pixar. Why Pixar? Because they’ve come to represent all the good I see in storytelling. We use storytelling all the time—to convey who we are on a first date, to explain moral principles to a child, to craft our online image on social media, to help customers fall in love with our brand and so on. In essence, storytelling is a way to organize the world, often in a way that states what is good and what is bad, what is to be desired, and what is undesirable. And while they might not hold the hallowed position they once had, movies are still my favorite form of storytelling.

When I was 14 a Film 101 class introduced me to The Graduate and The Manchurian Candidate, and I’ve been obsessed with film and storytelling ever since. My big penny drop came in those teen years, reading film critics and screenwriting books, and realizing how movies—being both made by hundreds, sometimes thousands of people, and in their vast accessibility— managed to both express and shape our collective narrative and subconscious. This power can have insidious effects of course—from marginalization to championing harmful ideals—but it can also be a benevolent force.

Pixar uses storytelling as a benevolent force. Their films somehow manage, within the tight framework of a 200 million dollar budget, mass appealing, Hollywood product, to be full of life, poetry and joy, and also give us the tools to grow, seek better values, face harsh emotions, and become better people. I got to write Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar’s Greatest Films almost by accident, not imagining it would reach so many people. But I’m so grateful I did, as it helped me cement my place in the world: to tell, and help other people tell, stories that empower their audiences, and make the world a better place. 

Since the book came out, it has been translated into several languages and is taught on campuses worldwide. Its success led me to give storytelling workshops and keynotes at the BBC, Microsoft, the Boston Museum of Science, and other venues, as well as make a living as a story consultant in film/tv development. As a screenwriter, I’ve worked on TV projects for Disney Junior, Cineteve, Blackpills and UFA. I’m currently in development on a sci-fi series for Cineteve, and working on a new book.

Reach out to coordinate a keynote, workshop, coaching session, or just say hi.