Hello everybody. Technology changes and changes, and new content channels appear every week, but stories are still basically the same. An idea, a structure, a well-researched context or environment, a plot, usually a conflict or a challenge transitions between scenes, emotions, powerful characters, truthfulness, values, et cetera. As I'm sure, classic stories usually fit in a very straightforward three-act formula. Normally in the first act, the main character or hero, finds him or herself in a problematic situation. Then in the second act, this hero faces the challenge and learns a lesson in order to overcome the initial problem. In the third and final act, the conflict is resolved after our decision is made and the hero learns this lesson in which this often derives in a traditional happy ending. This kind of structure focuses on the conflict and its resolution. The struggle is what keeps us hooked to the story, and the solution gives us relief, and leaves us optimistic. But there are of course several other instructions in storytelling. Some are non-linear, and don't even have an obvious plot, some are choral, and build layer-by-layer with a juxtaposition of characters and interviews, there is also the inverted pyramid structure typically in journalism. A story structure in which the basic information appears at the beginning, and is followed by less important expendable information. You will remember because it's called the structure of the five W's, and the H. What happened? Who is involved? When it happened? Where it happened? Why it happened? Finally, how it happened? You might master all kinds of structures and become very proficient in the careful crafting of stories, but the most important factor won't be the structure. It will be choosing the format which best suits your targeted audience's taste, and your purpose. For instance, you should decide from the beginning if this content is meant to be predominantly informative, emotional, humorous, artistic, et cetera. To make this decision, you first need a basic idea. What this story is about? The idea is not the plot, which is basically a series of unfolding events in time. The plot will be decided in a later stage. Simple or complex, the main idea describes what you want to tell or show, and with what purpose? What justifies the development of this given story? What's its added value, and wide helps us build our content narrative? The structure is just an instrument for your story. You will choose the one which seems to best suit the effect you want your story to have, but beyond that, there are no objective advantages between these different options. The essential part is that you understand the structure of your work, and why it's useful for your mission. You may have had a brilliant idea for a narrative device, but if it doesn't fit the story, just leave it out. It's an instrument, not a goal in itself. It's like a musician who dreams about including a flute in a record, but finds out it just doesn't blend with the rest. Most storytellers build a lead that hooks the reader from the beginning the reader or the viewer. Supporting it with strong facts or striking quotations, and they afterwards, build different layers in secondary narratives that create the ecosystem for the development of the plot. Of course, attracting the reader or the viewer from the beginning is extremely important especially in these times. But all of these principles and techniques they're all starting points. Storytelling is not something you learned in class. It's the kind of learning born from watching and listening to the best authors, and also those which are not so good. In every format, reports, books, films, even blogs, so you will be aware of the existence of all these tools and instruments, but as you build your career, you'll feel yourself increasingly at ease to use them or not with complete liberty. To showcase for example, how classic story structures are just optional and often not the best vehicle for your narrative, let's take a look at one of our favorite branded content examples. The North Face "Question Madness" campaign, which was published in 2016 to celebrate the outdoor company's 50th anniversary. Take a look at this video. So, what did you think about the video? As you can see, there is apparently no pre-established structure in it, although, I'm sure you agree it's an excellent example of storytelling. Here, please remember again that the borders between advertising, content marketing, brand content, and all of those terms we used to call this activity are often very blurry. What would you say? Is this North Face campaign traditional advertising, or branded content? Different episodes are completely coherent in the transmission of the values we associate with the brand, and are intrinsically connected between themselves. Their alignment with the brand narrative is very clear, and the viewer watches effortlessly until the end, submerged in the beautiful images and the pervading feeling of extreme risk and wondrous natural beauty. But if you think about it once more, doesn't it follow in its own subtle way the three-act classic structure we were talking about? Remember, beginning, development, and resolution, or if you prefer introduction of the heroes, conflicts, and climax. Don't we feel for this these anonymous heroes which risk their life and conquer the heights of the world? It's just one very good example about how some stories might need very complex and classic plots and other stories might have extremely simple developments or even no plot at all. You have every structure and every tool at your disposal, and it's up to you how to organize them cleverly with originality and relevance to the service of your audience and your brand. We'll speak now with another expert who deals with brand stories every day, and try to enrich our definition of what makes a good story.
