Ep. 11 - The Stories We're Missing (with Franklin Leonard)

Parenthood may be one of the biggest transformations in human life. So why are there so few stories about it? Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List, has spent his career identifying overlooked stories. In this conversation, he helps us think about one of the biggest stories we may still be struggling to tell. Shownotes: Much of today's conversation draws on Franklin Leonard's work as the founder of The Black List, the annual survey of Hollywood's most-liked unproduced screenplays, which has helped bring acclaimed films including Juno, The King's Speech and Slumdog Millionaire to the screen. Franklin reflects on Shel Silverstein's classic children's book The Giving Tree, one of the earliest stories he remembers, and one that shaped his understanding of generosity, care and what it means to give without expecting anything in return. The conversation explores why the most compelling stories capture moments of transformation. Franklin reflects on films including Juno, Lars and the Real Girl, Aftersun, Moonlight and Nightbitch, each illustrating different ways stories can challenge convention and expand our understanding of parenthood. Franklin also discusses Harvard Business School's research on The Black List, which found that films made from Black List screenplays were twice as likely to be produced and generated about 90% more box office revenue than comparable films of the same budget. Near the end of the episode, Franklin reflects on actor Alan Rickman's observation that, in uncertain times, we need stories to remind us who we are, where we come from and what might be possible. This podcast is part of the Early Childhood Matters platform by the Van Leer Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.