Nail your narrative. Discover your difference with brilliant brand storytelling (hint: it starts with knowing dramatic structure).
When you want to be a screenwriter, you watch a thousand films, read a few hundred screenplays, and buy a few books about writing scripts. The films you watch include Paris, Texas, The 400 Blows, Midnight Cowboy, Three Colours: Blue, Parasite, Nomadland , A Separation, (if you need some lockdown movie recommendations, just ask—I’ve got a treasure trove of them). The books you read include Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, Syd Field’s Screenplay and Lajos Egri’s The Art Of Dramatic Writing. I know all of this because in my twenties, I wanted to be a screenwriter. I studied it for over two years. I gained mentorship from a Cannes awarded writer and director. Then I realised my chances of making a living from it were probably as likely as me actually reading the T&Cs on Apple’s latest update. But I use the methods I learned whenever I’m approaching a piece of content or branding work. And I’d like to share a few screenwriting tips with you. Starting with…
For fluff’s sake: storytelling isn’t fluff
“Our brains are wired to respond to well-crafted narratives and remember drama over information.”
The tussle between creativity and business results is as old as time itself.
But in an increasingly competitive (and less-differentiated) market, the stories you share can increase your market share. As a creative, it can be hard to fight for what you instinctively know is a compelling story. When I’m losing the fight, I start speaking like a robot and say that ‘neuroscience proves that storytelling is the best way to capture people’s attention, forge an emotional connection with them, and make them remember you.’ And it’s true. Our brains are wired to respond to well-crafted narratives and remember drama over information.
Without conflict, you’ve got nothing
I avoid conflict like the plague—unless I’m creating content. Then, I’m seeking it out and loving every damn dramatic moment. Syd Field famously said ‘All drama is conflict. Without conflict, you have no action; without action, you have no character; without character, you have no story; and without story, you have no screenplay.’ And the same goes for your content—whether that be an article, video, the ‘about us’ section on your website, or just about anything else. More about the hero’s journey later.
“Audiences are done with the never-ending highlights reel... Honesty and vulnerability build trust.”
Shiny unhappy people: flaws help break down walls
Audiences are done with the never-ending highlights reel. They crave authentic storytelling, warts and all. The want to see the sky highs and down-in-the-gutter lows. Honesty and vulnerability build trust. So, be real babe.
Using the hero’s journey to craft your content
Three act structure, eight reel structure, the hero’s journey. These are all different labels for what’s really the same thing: creating rising conflict in your story.
How does it work? Google any of these screenwriting methods and you’ll discover detailed formulas, but the main things you need to know are that your story should have a beginning, middle and an end. And that:
your protagonist should be flawed, likeable, and have a clear goal.
there needs to be a baddie. Someone or something that stands in the way of the protagonist and their goal.
your protagonist needs to have an initial obstacle to overcome (and then escalating obstacles, pity them).
along their journey, the protagonist should make friends and allies—and discoveries about themselves, and the people and the world around them.
they need to have an ‘all is lost’ moment. This is where they almost give up.
your story needs to have a climax and a resolution.
So next time you’re brainstorming branded content (or even your own brand story), you might like to think of it like you’re writing a screenplay. Now, you just need to source a clunky old typewriter a la Jack Torrence. Want to learn more? Drop me a line.
