Movie Time
What is the Movie Time story tactic?
Tell me a story and a little movie starts playing in my head. I literally "see" what you mean.
Your brain processes language by running a visual simulation. Abstract concepts, theories and data are hard to visualise because nothing actually happens. What's the movie playing in your head when I say "sustainability" or "accessibility"? There isn't one. Give me a moment that brings those abstracts to life.
Use Emotional Dashboard or Good & Evil if you're struggling to find a movie moment in your story.
How to use the Movie Time story tactic
1. Start with the key concept or main point you want to get across. Find a movie moment that helps me "see"what you mean. What's It About? could help you if you're struggling to find a single story moment.
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a. "ACTION!"
- What has changed, what have we learned?
- Why does this matter?
- What do you want us to think or do differently now?
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b. Emotion
- What has changed, what have we learned?
- Why does this matter?
- What do you want us to think or do differently now?
2. Once you've set the scene with Action and Emotion, we're ready to listen to the point you'd like to make.
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c. Meaning
- What has changed, what have we learned?
- Why does this matter?
- What do you want us to think or do differently now?
Get into the habit of movie-checking your own writing. At the end of a paragraph, ask yourself"what's the movie playing in their heads now?"If the answer is "none", you're not telling a story.
Develop stories for visual presentations or video content using Show & Tell.
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Movie Time is one of 54 storytelling recipe cards inside the Storyteller Tactics card deck.
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