Storytelling - drawing on emotion. Small charities communications conference, 23 September 2016

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Story, Story, Hallelujah

Using storytelling to change hearts, minds and actions

Presented by Stephen Follows Creative Director of Catsnake Film

stephen@catsnake.com @stephenfollows23rd September 2016

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My Story

• Stephen Follows, Creative Director at Catsnake Film

• A story agency based in Ealing Studios

• Over 30 million views to date

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Three truths about stories

• We all enjoy stories – Deep down, on a primal level

• Stories affect us – We feel connected and personally involved

• Stories inspire action – Far more than logic and reason

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Once upon a time…

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… in a land long ago…2

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Pre

se

nt

Da

y

Homo

sapiens

Stone

tools

Mitochondrial

Eve

Fully modern

humans

Farming

Fudge

iPhones

One Direction

Credit Default Swaps

Spoken

language

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… humans evolved tales

• The love of stories is hard-wired into our brains

• Evolution has made the most important things deeply enjoyable

– Fuel became cuisine

– Procreation became sex

– Survival techniques became stories

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So, waddya know?

• People who crave fat and sugar live longer

• In the bush predators could be anywhere

• You’re unlikely to meet someone only once

• Faces you see often are your friends

Obesity

Superstition

Ethics

Celebrity

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Famous “friends”

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So, waddya know?

• People who crave fat and sugar live longer

• In the bush predators could be anywhere

• You’re unlikely to meet someone only once

• Faces you see often are your friends

• Representations of humans are humans

Obesity

Superstition

Ethics

Celebrity

Photos & Videos

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The Life of Brain

Primate“Cerebral Neocortex”Language, planning and perception

Mammal“Limbic System”Motivation, emotion, reproductive/parental behavior

Reptile“Basal Ganglia”Aggression, dominance and instinct

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Your cerebral neocortex hard at work

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12 What is a story?

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What’s a story?

An account of imaginary or real

people and events

told for entertainment

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A story in a single picture

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16 What makes people share content?

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• Practical Value

• Social currency

• Triggers

The elements which make content more shareable

Tap into your audiences’ inner caveman

Make people look good when they share

Tap into familiar items to trigger associations

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Triggers in Hollywood movies

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• Practical Value

• Social currency

• Triggers

• Public

The elements which make content more shareable

Tap into your audiences’ inner caveman

Make people look good when they share

Tap into familiar items to trigger associations

Being seen to share, and feeling included

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How to crush a soul and not be fired

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• Practical Value

• Social currency

• Triggers

• Public

• Emotion

The elements which make content more shareable

Tap into your audiences’ inner caveman

Make people look good when they share

Tap into familiar items to trigger associations

Being seen to share, and feeling included

When we care, we share

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The emotions that cause action

High Arousal Low Arousal

Positive

Awe

Excitement

Amusement

Contentment

NegativeAnger

Anxiety

Sadness

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1. The Challenge plot

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2. The Connection plot

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3. The Creativity plot

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Further reading

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Stay in touch

For these slides, or to just swap stories,

email me at stephen@catsnake.com

Twitter @StephenFollows

Visit the CharityComms website to

view slides from past events, see

what events we have coming up

and to check out what else we do:

www.charitycomms.org.uk

23 September 2016

London

#CCsmallcharity

Small charities

communications

conference

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