Engaging storytelling

Haarlem, Netherlands

Use engaging media that makes them feel and respond

If you really want to engage your audience so that they cannot help but engage with the message or service you offer, you have only a moment to capture their attention. Once captured, you need keep it.  We have found these tips helpful in creating media that elicits a response.

A beautifully shot cinematic film or photography will stun you with its spectacular beauty. The combination of well framed shots and perfect music can make ordinary things look spectacular. A well-written script captures your attention and leaves you riveted and deeply engaged. You know those times when you clicked away because somehow the story or the visuals lost your interest. You don’t want that to happen.

What is it about media that makes it work? How do you know when the piece has “IT”? What exactly is “IT”?  Capturing emotion in film is a huge challenge. There are many key factors at play that storytellers face, however, there are several things that can be done towards keeping your audience engaged.

Three tips to capture the emotion of your brand

1. Set the stage

The backdrop, the props, the details and the stage create the context for the story, whether told on film or in your photos. As a script is being written, help people frame your story and help understand what the story is part of. Show the big picture and help them grasp what is about to happen. On film, this involves showing shots that give context. The story needs to be positioned and anchored. This story is being told on your website, your social media presence and in your print material.

2. Master the art of perfect timing 

There are key moments that take place in any story. It may include a frown, a tear, or a flicker of anger. It’s there one moment and then gone the next. To capture these moments on film, the cameraperson needs to anticipate, and to feel what is taking place. They need to be prepared to zoom in tight as the emotion heightens. They need to be familiar with the story so they can anticipate what might happen. Many of those 1-second moments are caught on camera because someone’s emotional engagement was high enough to feel the story. As they felt it, they caught it on camera. They were intentional.

3. Build your story in a powerfully engaging way 

A camera captures the footage, but even the most beautiful filming does not result in a powerful story. The real work happens at the editing suite. This is where the cinematic shots, the script, the music and the vision come together. Stay with the story. It’s not just an assembling of footage or positioning a photo. This is where the visuals make the audience feel. If key parts are missing and you still don’t have “it”, this is where you take the time and go get that piece. It matters. The story you are creating needs to be powerful. 

What do you want people to feel?  Will they stay engaged long enough to get there? Understand that people are busy. They really don’t care what you create unless it looks interesting enough to make them click. Then, once they’ve done that, you want to keep them engaged. Keep the story engaging and don’t lose their attention.

You want people to engage with your brand, to read your article, watch your film because it is THAT good, not because it is THAT bad. You want them to feel powerful emotions and to engage in the solution that is presented by that film. Create compelling media elicits a response. Do this in film, print, photography and in every single product that markets your organization. People will respond when they feel.

Whatever widget, service or message your organization offers, the answer is in relevant, emotional and compelling storytelling. 

Make it simple. Make it emotional. Make it compelling.

Then, fill the orders.