Pixar is arguably one of the greatest storytellers of our generation. Over the years, they’ve won 13 Academy Awards, 9 Golden Globes, and 11 Grammys. But there’s a difference between good storytelling and great storytelling. Effective storytelling involves a deep understanding of human emotions, motivations, and psychology in order to truly move an audience.
Great stories are universal
Take a piece of the human condition and convey it in a unique situation
- Pete Docter, the director of Pixar, puts it perfectly
- “What you’re trying to do, when you tell a story, is to write about an event in your life that made you feel some particular way.”
- Get the audience to have that same feeling
Great stories appeal to our deepest emotions
Think about the “why” of your emotions – why are you feeling a certain way? How might you be able to take the “why” behind your emotions and tell a story?
- Continually question yourself in order to understand your own emotional reactions to stories so that you can learn to tell more authentic stories that reach and move people where it counts
Great stories are surprising and unexpected
Our perceptions of reality are challenged or changed in some way.
- If you’re stuck on coming up with something truly unique, Pixar recommends to get rid of the 1st thing that comes to mind – and then the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Challenge yourself to dig deep.
Great stories have a clear structure and purpose
Structure: Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? What greater purpose does this serve? What does it teach?
- Purpose: By crafting a story that you are passionate to tell because it serves a real purpose, your stories will have bigger impact on the world.
Great stories are simple and focused
As creators, we naturally want to include as much information as possible in our stories.
- Pixar’s advice here is to “combine characters and hop over detours.”
- While you as the creator may feel like you’re losing lots of valuable stuff, it’ll set you free in the end and will allow your audience to get lost in the narrative.
Have an Underdog
People want to root for the main character because they are the underdog
- We admire a character for trying more than for their success
- When your character is battling against all odds, facing adversity, or their back is against the wall, well then, you have the makings of a great story
