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Movie Time
Table of contents
What is Movie Time?
Movie Time is a card from the Storyteller Tactics deck by Pip Decks.
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.
When to use Movie Time
- Preparing for a high-stakes presentation or pitch
- Struggling to communicate complex ideas simply
- Needing to engage an audience emotionally
- Launching a new product or service
- Rebranding or repositioning a business
- Improving team communication and alignment
- Facing challenges in stakeholder buy-in
How to use Movie Time
- 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.
- “ACTION”
- Where are we?
- What is happening?
- What happens next?
- Emotion
- Who is involved?
- What is at stake?
- How does it feel?
- “ACTION”
- Once you’ve set the scene with Action and Emotion, we’re ready to listen to the point you’d like to make.
- Meaning
- What has changed, what have we learned?
- Why does this matter?
- What do you want us to think or do differently now?
- Meaning
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.
