©iStaircase Is dialectical theory that encourages filmmakers, radio producers, and other media professionals to think differently when creating reports and documentaries.
Explanation: Combined the two sentences for better flow and clarity. Specified “media professionals” to encompass a broader audience.
I have been working on this theory for many years to give some bright images of cogitation for those who work in the media.
On this page, I will briefly explain what iStaircase is with some simple examples.
*** Producing film and video is more than making reports or daily/weekly news. Creating a film is an art and in a form of a medium of mass communication in different modes and styles! It is the art of storytelling through motion pictures! In short; Art is the expression of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form… (The Workshop about “What is Art)! The film is a language that the director and/or producer creates a story in motion pictures. The fundament of this language is a frame, shots, and … (More Information: My Workshop about “composition of motion pictures”)! As an author uses the word to write the story, a filmmaker uses the frame to visualize her/his story… (My Workshop about “The Art of Storytelling”)! We should accept the facts that all filmmakers/producers are not creating films, but they do their daily work… (The workshop about Passion and Duty)! When we talk about creating a report or documentary film – NOT Docudrama – we talk about thinking differently… Thinking differently means “thinking out of the box” and “Non-Linear” and it is based on Dialectical Thinking… (The workshop about “Thinking Out of The Box & Objective Eyes)! Dialectical Thinking refers to the ability to view any issues/events from multiple perspectives… (more information: My workshop about “The Art of Creating Documentary”)! *** In short; News just defines as newly received information or important events… We start with a simple example of News production (compare it with creating documentaries). It is daily linear, but unusual News: “The flower in the garden watched the mother and cried. It was dawn!” And normally the news anchor/MC gave additional information; “It was not clear how a flower could cry”! Usually, News doesn’t raise any question for the audience, But this example aroused the curiosity of the audience, and they might accept it as an incident without any emotional, and psychological input. It should be neutral… (The Workshop about the difference between news, report, and documentary)! The report is an extended version of the news. This is an example of a Linear report; using music, and interviews with some experts – pro, and contra – about the subject of the crying. The Written Version: The Visual Version: *** This is a non-linear example of reporting. In this version, the radio producer or filmmaker pays close attention to detail and allows the images (or, in radio, descriptive language) to speak for themselves. This might involve: Close or extreme close-up shots Interviews Music Graphics Artistic elements, and more… Our brains are not limited to the size of a screen or a sheet of paper. Our minds think in spirals, dimensions, and curves — they build a staircase when we want to create. Because every story should follow three basic stages: Introduction: Introduce the characters, the setting, and the main conflict. Climax: A turning point or major event challenges the main character, involving sources, witnesses, and Vox pops. Resolution: The tension begins to ease, and the story moves toward its conclusion. (See the workshop: “The Art of Storytelling.”) What is a documentary? A part of life A truthful piece of artwork A non-fiction story of real people, places, and events Creating a documentary starts with an idea. The idea is everywhere, in all corners of any street, village, town, city, and country. Sometimes the idea came from a thought or a word, a piece of music, the weather, seasons, scents, or colors… and they could inspire you to create a documentary. The example about the crying flower and the mother would inspire you to develop a story and create a documentary… It is a dynamic process in a dialect way: Thesis, Anti-Thesis, Synthesis… (The Workshops about the Art of Creating Documentary & The Art of Editing Film/Video) Take the earlier metaphor: *** Your documentary reflects your identity. No one else will make the exact same film. It is not a routine, linear news report. Instead, you begin with questions: WHY is the flower crying? WHERE was the mother? WHO is the mother? Whose mother? WHAT was she doing? Then comes Doubt & Curiosity: Your curiosity and knowledge of the five W’s and one H will guide your research. (See: “Objective Eyes” Workshop) Once you’ve collected enough material, you begin building your screenplay / scenario / film script. DOUBT & CURIOSITY! Your curiosity and your knowledge of the five W’s and one H will guide your research. (See: “Objective Eyes” Workshop) Possibly, the flower was not crying. In that case: What was the real incident? Could it have been a phenomenon nobody recognized? These questions lead you to doubt the initial reports and to look deeper behind the scenes: WHAT was really happening there!? To begin answering these questions, you need to investigate. After collecting accurate information, you can start shaping your screenplay, scenario, or film script. A powerful and effective method to design your visual narrative is to photograph your characters or events. This helps you see the emotional and symbolic elements at play. At this stage, music becomes your closest collaborator. No matter what kind of documentary you are making, music is the soul—the spirit—of your film. Your imagination, expressed through pictures, forms the body. (See: The Art of Creating Documentary Workshop) Once your story is imagined, it might take the form of one of these versions: 1st Version: The flower is the main character, the central protagonist You can now place all your images on a blank page and begin to draw lines that connect them. These lines form a map—a flow—of how your story unfolds. These connecting spaces are where you can insert music, soundscapes, graphics, objects, or facts—just like editing clips on a non-linear video timeline. Without a staircase—a visual and emotional structure—your film will feel flat, too linear, lacking peaks or surprises. A linear story without variation can’t hold the viewer’s attention. The staircase is not the film itself—it is your imaginative blueprint. It is how you will shape your story during the editing phase. (See: The Art of Editing Film/Video) A non-linear, dialectical approach invites a more dynamic and human-centered story—something more than a routine or monotone documentary. It becomes a true Human Interest Topic. 2nd Version The mother is the central character this time. You can design entirely different staircases and story arcs based on this change. Same theme, new angle—new emotional journeys. 3rd Version Writing the script: Once your iStaircase is complete, you can translate it into your screenplay. The script should describe: Framing and shots Camera movement Sound design Lighting and mood And any other detail your crew needs to feel and follow your vision… The Written way: The Visual Way: *** This process is your filmmaking fingerprint—your creative identity. Nobody else would make the same connections, hear the same music, or imagine the same rhythm. This is how your documentary becomes personal, profound, and unique. Of course, you can create hundreds of stories and design your own staircase based on the main story… story to words and sentences in any form you want to… ©iStaircase ABRONTAN2019What is News?
What is Report?
A Non-Linear Report
But why do we need a Staircase?
The flower in the garden cried as it watched the mother…
A Documentary Is Like Your Fingerprint
Maybe the flower wasn’t crying at all — what actually happened?
Visual Thinking
IMAGINING THE STORY
Your Fingerprint