We had two master storyellers here on Microsoft Campus last week – Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Neither of them really need an introduction but if you need the background, click on their names and I’ll see you back here in about an hour.

They’re responsible for movies like Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon, and The Da Vinci Code. Oh and little know series called 24. Given I’m supposed to be a storyteller, and my recent note about studying at the feet of the best, I decided I should go hear what they had to say and what I could learn.

The video above gives you the highlights of a Q&A they did on stage at our Imagine 2011 event. A few things I observed and heard:

  • On partnership: These guys are the perfect complement – Ron isn’t naturally adventurous whereas Brian is more so. That works well in their partnership of storytelling.
  • The storytelling palette: Both agreed that stories haven’t changed a great deal – the essence of a great story remains. What has changed is the palette of tools with which a story can be told.
  • Emotional journeys: Ron believes that despite all the barriers to movies (getting in the car, going to a theater etc.) once in a while, people still want to be told a story or listen to a musician or be entertained by a comedian. Brian agreed - people love being transported emotionally. Movies do that. stories do that. cameras are Magnifiers
  • Being an observer: Ron is always looking for clues for stories – observing people, watching.
  • Experimentation & Risk: Ron talked about his admiration for Microsoft’s culture if experimentation. He said movies struggle with that due to cost, deadlines and that taking risk and gambling is daunting.
  • The role of the Internet: Brian noted that the Internet is our new literature – he and Ron are big users for researching for movies.

It was fun to listen to two guys who are masters of their craft. In the digital age, they’re curious about how the palette for storytelling gets extended. During a lunch conversation with them we discussed transmedia, 3D and how to embrace these things without sacrificing the story. I’ve certainly seen my fair share of movies with tech overload of late and even if they had a good story, it was buried in special effects and a narrative that became too complicated. What I took away from these guys is to find the story and then turn to the palette for telling that story, not the other way around. Obvious but often forgotten.

With a few stories on their hands right now, Brian and Ron spent four hours with Microsoft Research and walked away impressed by what they’d seen. Brian mentioned on stage and in a subsequent tweet…

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….I noted to them that I get to do this every day….seeing glimpses of the future and only wish I could take more people on tours around Building 99 and other places. The next best thing is taking a camera in to these places and showing you what I’m allowed to. In fact, I’m off to shoot a movie of my own now…a quick tour around the Microsoft Home. It’s not going to win any academy awards but check back here soon to see the finished product.