"Good stories always beat spreadsheets."
- Chris Sacca, famous early investor in platforms like Twitter, Uber, and Instagram
"People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it."
- Simon Sinek, five-time author and motivational speaker
Storytelling is the most effective form
of communication humanity has.
For thousands of years, both oral and visual storytellers have held an exalted place in societies worldwide. Our ancestors painted pictures on cave walls; Greek and Roman orators like Socrates and Cicero made careers out of speaking to crowds; Native Americans storytellers and Icelandic skálds passed down their lessons and histories in the form of stories; and today the world is filled with journalists, filmmakers, and novelists who all seek to share and expand upon the human experience, which is unique for all of us.
All of these people in their variety of societies shared one thing in common: they were seeking to connect us all at a deeper level.
Stories shape our perception of
ourselves and the world we live in.
They deepen our connection within society and enable us to better empathize with others. Through connection, they can shatter social barriers and can inspire and motivate people to behave in ways that create meaningful change, whether in themselves or others.
On a neurological level, our brains even process stories differently than they do with more direct forms of persuasion. The most powerful stories that we interact with can feel almost magical in the seamless way that we seem to find ourselves engrossed in their plots, characters, and outcomes.
This feeling of magic comes from two scientifically-backed features of good stories: Narrative Transportation and Character Identification.
Narrative Transportation and
Character Identification
Have you ever lost track of time or forgotten to eat because you were so absorbed in a story? Have you ever binge-watched an entire season of a show on Netflix? It's okay, we won't judge.
Those feelings are part of what's called Narrative Transportation. Bringing people deeply into your story is critical to convincing them to take actions consistent with your desired outcomes. Engaging them through a proven story structure is the best way to accomplish this.
Character Identification is what happens when we imagine ourselves in the perspective of the character in the story, as if we were seeing through their eyes rather than our own. When viewers strongly identify with what a character is experiencing, brain scans have shown that the they will feel as if the story is happening to them and will identify with the character's goals and desires.
Luckily for us, the modern age has also introduced the most powerful medium for communicating stories that stick: video.
Analytics back up the power of
video storytelling in a BIG way.
The simple fact is that video content spreads further and faster than any other type on the Internet. We've all watched viral videos that stuck with us about people's challenges or something bright and positive happening in the world.
Our personal experience tracking metrics with some of our clients has shown that video posts on social media platforms bring in double the engagement as the next closest post type, photos. Oftentimes the disparity is even larger. These anecdotal results have been tested and confirmed by dozens of large analytic and research firms.
Check out some of these eye-popping statistics:
By 2022, 82% of global internet traffic will come from video streams and downloads.
(Source)
Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text.
(Source)
80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales.
(Source)
84% of people say that they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video.
(Source)
The facts are clear: The best way to spread your message is
through compelling, story-driven content.
Here at Rick McClelland Films we specialize in creating films that follow a powerful and proven narrative structure that can most
effectively lead to success in connecting with your audience, spreading your message, and inspiring action.
It all begins by getting to know you, your brand, and your desired campaign objectives. Our story finding and
development processes help find and organize the most powerful story possible for your desired outcomes
so that once the cameras are rolling we can be sure we're capturing the best you have to offer.
Everything is done with intention and the end goal in mind: transporting your audience and creating
identification with the characters. When that occurs, a world of possibilities open up as a result.
