Narrative is one of the most powerfully motivating human forces. Filmmaker J. Christian Jensen reveals how the same emotional forces that thrust us forward in a good film can propel us to do remarkable things. Illustrated by scenes from his Oscar nominated documentary, White Earth, Jensen tells how to construct your own personal narrative to accomplish things no one else can.


J. Christian Jensen is a part-time educator and a full-time documentary filmmaker. He has spent his career immersed in the study and craft of filmmaking – devoting particular attention to the ways that personal tensions can be used to create powerful, authentic stories.
Jensen believes that storytelling can be an incredible force to bridge gaps between opposing beliefs and ideas, and as such he uses filmmaking to explore tensions between things like political ideology, science, religion, modernization, and traditional values.
Jensen’s recent film, White Earth (2014), is a true tale of a North American oil boom seen through unexpected eyes. Three children and an immigrant mother brave a cruel winter and explore themes of innocence, home and the American Dream. 


This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx