It’s not news that drama, risk, and excitement create more memorable learning experiences than just presenting information. But sometimes, I admit, it’s just hard to figure out how to create drama/risk/excitement. Sometimes things just don’t work and I can’t blame it on a stakeholder, because it didn’t work in my head any more than it worked on the screen.

That’s when I turn to games, movies, and TV for inspiration. Personally, I don’t think what makes for good drama in these disciplines is all that different from what creates truly memorable learning experiences. I’ve seen no evidence that people turn off their BS detectors when they sign into the LMS.

Along that train of thought, here’s a letter from David Mamet to the writers of The Unit, about creating good television. Warning: Strong language abounds.

Enjoy.