J.J. Abrams' Mystery Box

1. Take-Aways

This video talked about the importance of everybody needing some kind of mystery box in their lives. Without any mystery or suspense, there would be nothing to look forward to in life. Abrams uses the example that after a magic man makes a card disappear, he must stay in the same position until he can figure something out. If people had one aspect of suspense in their lives and then froze after that, life would be dull, boring. But on the other side, Abrams talks about how we have to make the sense of mystery appear in our lives. He describes it as, "what you think your getting then what your really getting." And he uses the analogy of going to the movie theater. A person will set themselves up ready for something, yet the outcome is totally different than planned. But they brush it off and move on. People need a purpose caused by mystery because "withholding information intentionally is much more engaging."

2. Effective Speaking Techniques

J.J. Abrams is very relaxed all the way throughout his talk. He talks a great deal about his grandfather at the beginning, stating that he was the one for Abrams inspiration and imagination. He also uses multiple personal connections to his mystery box and how he got it when he was a boy and has had it since. Another effective technique that Abrams uses is the lightness of humor and slang. While joking around and having fun talking about a box he has had nearly his whole life, joking makes the conversation flow better and takes the stress off of the situation. He expresses this humor through making jokes of his own family and talking in different tones of voices to make the audience laugh. This is important for the reason that he wants to engage the audience and make sure they are not bored throughout his talk. One thing that really stood out about Abrams is that he makes sure to repeat things he feels are important multiple times. This shows the emphasis on a point and really drills it into the listeners brain. Repeating also puts one person’s idea into another’s brain and causes them to think about it. Once they ponder the thought a while, they begin to think it is a good one and that’s where persuasion sets in. It is important to have the audience on your side, or else it is very difficult to get your point across. The last and most effective technique that Abrams uses is analogies and real-life scenarios that relate the mystery to the people making it easier for them to embrace and remember.

3. Presentation Style

Abrams uses tons of gestation throughout his entire performance to help enrich what he is talking about. He is constantly trying to clarify what he is talking about by repletion, explanation and the uses of extra video clips. He feels that video clips from certain movies like Jaws, Mission Impossible, and Lost can explain the importance of a mystery box better than words. This could be because he is a show writer, or the fact that an image placed into someone’s mind is remembered more than words. To help the video clips illustrate what he is talking about, Abram brings in different props to support his speech. He does multiple magic tricks throughout the talk to emphasize the feeling of mystery and surprise. He even brings in his original Tannen’s Magic Mystery Box that he has had since he was a kid and never opened.

4. What Matters

What matters from this talk is the element that nobody really knows what is coming next for our world, and in our generation’s future. The mystery box, like all magic,  is constantly causing people to think ‘what comes next?’ Not only in our everyday lives, but also in the technological advances in the world. Abrams talks a lot about how when he first started filming Lost, the technology available was not very significant. He relates it back to present day where we have all of this crazy technology. He says,  “you don't need the greatest technology to do things that can work in movies." This is true. Some of the most successful and popular movies have been made with little technology available. Anybody can use technology, and it is not only limited to those who have unlimited access to it. Abrams uses a video made by two random guys using the same special effects that a big director would use in one of his films. He states, "no community is best served when only the elite have control." Abrams talk really focuses on the whole world getting involved and not only those who are expected to. When the world comes together as one, people might actually get something done.