Everyone Loves A Good Story

Posted Oct 30th, 2008 by Andrew Davis

At the request of one of our partners, we put together a very short demo reel that highlights the way we shoot and how we approach telling a story. Take a look and see if it resonates with you.

Anytime we shoot video or create a new advertising campaign, we strive to tell a good story.

At Tippingpoint a good story…

…is emotional. If you want to produce an effective video or television commercial or print campaign, make sure it’s emotional. You’ve got to make your audience feel something. Make them feel happy, excited, sad, or make them giggle. If it’s emotional it’s memorable.

…has a beginning, a middle, and an end. I don’t care how short your tv spot is, or how small your print ad is, if you don’t have a logical beginning, middle, and end to your story — it’s not a story! To connect with your material, your audience must feel a catharsis. They must feel like they can connect with your message. They can’t connect if they don’t understand the story.

…is simple. Many of our clients are possessed with the desire to over-complicate their stories or their customers’ stories. Keep it simple. Leave out all the technical mumbo jumbo that complicates the story. Stick to the emotional aspects that resonate with your audience.

…is memorable. Chances are, if you tell a simple, well-formed, emotional story, it will be memorable. But make sure that it is. Audiences love to retell a good story, and if you’ve created a memorable story, you’re enabling your audience to pass it along.

…is told in their words. Don’t over-script your talent, or over-write your ad. Let them tell the story the way they want to tell it. The more honest and unrehearsed your talent is, the more powerful and emotional your story can be.

So, next time you’re working on a video production or a new ad campaign, remember you’re telling a story. The outcome will be more successful, more memorable, and more emotional than you thought possible.