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Storytelling via the Psychology of Professional Wrestling by David Copeland Great storytelling feels almost impossible at times, yet week in and week out, for over 30 years, the jacked-up men & women of World Wrestling Entertainment have been doing it, five minutes at a time. No back-story, little dialog, and a live crowd that knows it's all scripted. Yet, they get the audience invested in the outcomes almost every time. Sound impossible? Pro-wrestlers know the essence of great storytelling—called “ring psychology”—and have used it for decades.
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In the talk "Storytelling via the Psychology of Professional Wrestling," David Copeland explores the intricate art of storytelling within professional wrestling, particularly highlighting the concept of "ring psychology." He argues that despite its scripted nature, wrestling is capable of captivating audiences through emotional engagement and character development. Key points discussed throughout the presentation include: - **Emotional Investment**: Copeland shares an anecdote about watching the NXT match between Sasha Banks and Bayley, illustrating how he became emotionally invested within minutes, despite having no prior knowledge of the wrestlers or their backstories. - **Wrestling as Storytelling**: He describes wrestling matches as akin to ballet, where the absence of dialogue relies heavily on actions and character portrayals to convey a narrative. - **Ring Psychology**: The essence of great storytelling in wrestling is encapsulated in the ability to manipulate audience emotions, using setup, conflict, and resolution akin to traditional narratives. - **Character Archetypes**: Copeland identifies archetypes in wrestling, primarily the hero (babyface) and the villain (heel), and explains how these characters create narrative tension and audience investment. - **Match Structure**: He outlines the components of a wrestling match, including phases such as shine, cut-off, heat, hope spots, and comebacks, which reflect classic storytelling structures found in other media. Copeland concludes by encouraging viewers to embrace the emotional and narrative depth of wrestling, using the Sasha vs. Bayley match as a prime example of its storytelling capabilities. He emphasizes that wrestling, when approached with an open mind, can offer a rich and engaging storytelling experience reminiscent of more conventional forms of narrative art.
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