Story Structure and
Modern Storytelling


Amit Kapoor
argument | STORY
    analysis | SYNTHESIS
    function | DESIGN
      logic | EMPATHY
    serious | PLAY
accumulation | MEANING
We are all Storytellers
Discover your Structure
Choose a story
 Outline your story
Use five post-it notes
Beginning |   Middle |   End
Struggle,
  Base           Complication,      New
 Reality,        Higher Stakes,    Reality,
 Setup           Development      Resolution


Beginning |            Middle |       End

            Change/           Climax
            Conflict        /Resolution
            Inciting        Moment of
             Event            Truth
Context
Character
 Change
Challenge
Credible
Concrete
Connect
A Retail Story
Customer | Employee | Company
Story Spine
Once upon a time...
Everyday...
But one day...
Because of that...
And then…
Until finally...
Ever since then...
Once upon a time...        Base
                          Reality
Everyday...
                         Change/
But one day...           Conflict
Because of that...
                         Struggle
And then…
                      Climax /Conflict
Until finally...         Resolved
                        New Reality
Ever since then...
Retail Story Exercise
Introduce the New
Connect with Customers
   Pitch to Investor
  Engage Employees
          …
Who I Am / Why I Am Here
 The Vision / Leading to the Future
     Sparking Action / Change
  Teaching / Sharing Knowledge
         Values-in-Action
Communicating Who the Company is
  I Know What You Are Thinking
Talk
   Image
Text & Image
Talk & Image
 Role Play
   Video
Solve the            Build the          Develop the                Tell the
  Problem              Message              Story                     Story




• Define problem      • Structure         • Apply story spine    • Develop the story
• Develop               thoughts            /pyramid principle     /visual
  hypotheses          • Develop message   • Develop              • Practice - Retell
• Collect facts       • Map audience        storyboard             and Relive
• Conduct analysis    • Understand        • Mock-up story        • Revisit the output
• Synthesize output     outcome             and visual
Allows the         Builds on
       User to            Users’
                         Builds on
       Allows the
       Engage           Perspective
                          Users’
     User to Engage
                            Perspective
                 ‘Killer’
Makes the       Elements
                 ‘Killer’       Shows the
  Insight
 Makes the       Elements
                                   Data
                                 Shows the
Jump Out
Insight Jump
                                    Data
    Out
                Focuses on
                Substance,
                 Focuses on
                not Graphic
               Substance, not
                  Graphic
Tablet Case Example
Device Installed Base in 2015 by OS and Device Format
                                                      (In million units, estimates for 2015)

                                                                                         2
                           Others          147                                           47               Others    18

                     Blackberry            282
                                                                                                  Windows Legacy   805
                                                                                        206


                         Android          1,143                                                             OS X    101



                                                                                        334

                               iOS         423                                                         Windows 8   1,027


              WindowsPhone                 388
                                                                                         54
                    Smartphones                                                      Tablets                       PCs
                    (2383 M units)                                                (643 M units)               (1851 M units)


Notes: Windows 8 from 2013, Lifecycle for Tablets – 4 yrs, PCs – 5 yrs and Smartphone – 3yrs
Source: IDC, Gartner, Morgan Stanley, Amit’s Analysis
Synthesizing
Disciplined
  Creative
 Respectful
  Ethical
Amit Kapoor


www.amitkaps.com
me@amitkaps.com

Story Structure and Modern Storytelling

  • 1.
    Story Structure and ModernStorytelling Amit Kapoor
  • 2.
    argument | STORY analysis | SYNTHESIS function | DESIGN logic | EMPATHY serious | PLAY accumulation | MEANING
  • 3.
    We are allStorytellers
  • 4.
  • 5.
    Choose a story Outline your story Use five post-it notes
  • 6.
    Beginning | Middle | End
  • 7.
    Struggle, Base Complication, New Reality, Higher Stakes, Reality, Setup Development Resolution Beginning | Middle | End Change/ Climax Conflict /Resolution Inciting Moment of Event Truth
  • 8.
  • 9.
  • 10.
  • 11.
  • 12.
    Once upon atime... Everyday... But one day... Because of that... And then… Until finally... Ever since then...
  • 13.
    Once upon atime... Base Reality Everyday... Change/ But one day... Conflict Because of that... Struggle And then… Climax /Conflict Until finally... Resolved New Reality Ever since then...
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Introduce the New Connectwith Customers Pitch to Investor Engage Employees …
  • 16.
    Who I Am/ Why I Am Here The Vision / Leading to the Future Sparking Action / Change Teaching / Sharing Knowledge Values-in-Action Communicating Who the Company is I Know What You Are Thinking
  • 17.
    Talk Image Text & Image Talk & Image Role Play Video
  • 19.
    Solve the Build the Develop the Tell the Problem Message Story Story • Define problem • Structure • Apply story spine • Develop the story • Develop thoughts /pyramid principle /visual hypotheses • Develop message • Develop • Practice - Retell • Collect facts • Map audience storyboard and Relive • Conduct analysis • Understand • Mock-up story • Revisit the output • Synthesize output outcome and visual
  • 20.
    Allows the Builds on User to Users’ Builds on Allows the Engage Perspective Users’ User to Engage Perspective ‘Killer’ Makes the Elements ‘Killer’ Shows the Insight Makes the Elements Data Shows the Jump Out Insight Jump Data Out Focuses on Substance, Focuses on not Graphic Substance, not Graphic
  • 21.
  • 22.
    Device Installed Basein 2015 by OS and Device Format (In million units, estimates for 2015) 2 Others 147 47 Others 18 Blackberry 282 Windows Legacy 805 206 Android 1,143 OS X 101 334 iOS 423 Windows 8 1,027 WindowsPhone 388 54 Smartphones Tablets PCs (2383 M units) (643 M units) (1851 M units) Notes: Windows 8 from 2013, Lifecycle for Tablets – 4 yrs, PCs – 5 yrs and Smartphone – 3yrs Source: IDC, Gartner, Morgan Stanley, Amit’s Analysis
  • 23.
  • 24.

Editor's Notes

  • #20 Let me start by setting the context here. I am going to talk about three skills for the future - which are very important. The Synthesizing Mind - There is an information overload. Your ability to synthesize and bring coherence to these facts is very important in the coming future. What facts / information makes sense, what to keep and what not to keep. And synthesize not only for yourself but also how you communicate that synthesis - through mindmaps, storytelling, analogies, system thinking etc.The Disciplined Mind - the practice of doing something and you become good at it, Mastering a new way of thinking (and I am not talking subject matter) but really skills that can be applied. A lens that you can use to view a problem from. It requires ten years to become good anything.The Creative Mind - Out of box thinking - which requires mastery of where you know - then only you can go out of the box. It requires the ability to take chance, take the risk, be not afraid to fail and say "what can I learn from this".  It requires you come up with work that changes how other people think or behave - then only you can call it creative - make the change happen
  • #21 Let me start by setting the context here. I am going to talk about three skills for the future - which are very important. The Synthesizing Mind - There is an information overload. Your ability to synthesize and bring coherence to these facts is very important in the coming future. What facts / information makes sense, what to keep and what not to keep. And synthesize not only for yourself but also how you communicate that synthesis - through mindmaps, storytelling, analogies, system thinking etc.The Disciplined Mind - the practice of doing something and you become good at it, Mastering a new way of thinking (and I am not talking subject matter) but really skills that can be applied. A lens that you can use to view a problem from. It requires ten years to become good anything.The Creative Mind - Out of box thinking - which requires mastery of where you know - then only you can go out of the box. It requires the ability to take chance, take the risk, be not afraid to fail and say "what can I learn from this".  It requires you come up with work that changes how other people think or behave - then only you can call it creative - make the change happen
  • #22 Let me start by setting the context here. I am going to talk about three skills for the future - which are very important. The Synthesizing Mind - There is an information overload. Your ability to synthesize and bring coherence to these facts is very important in the coming future. What facts / information makes sense, what to keep and what not to keep. And synthesize not only for yourself but also how you communicate that synthesis - through mindmaps, storytelling, analogies, system thinking etc.The Disciplined Mind - the practice of doing something and you become good at it, Mastering a new way of thinking (and I am not talking subject matter) but really skills that can be applied. A lens that you can use to view a problem from. It requires ten years to become good anything.The Creative Mind - Out of box thinking - which requires mastery of where you know - then only you can go out of the box. It requires the ability to take chance, take the risk, be not afraid to fail and say "what can I learn from this".  It requires you come up with work that changes how other people think or behave - then only you can call it creative - make the change happen
  • #24 Let me start by setting the context here. I am going to talk about three skills for the future - which are very important. The Synthesizing Mind - There is an information overload. Your ability to synthesize and bring coherence to these facts is very important in the coming future. What facts / information makes sense, what to keep and what not to keep. And synthesize not only for yourself but also how you communicate that synthesis - through mindmaps, storytelling, analogies, system thinking etc.The Disciplined Mind - the practice of doing something and you become good at it, Mastering a new way of thinking (and I am not talking subject matter) but really skills that can be applied. A lens that you can use to view a problem from. It requires ten years to become good anything.The Creative Mind - Out of box thinking - which requires mastery of where you know - then only you can go out of the box. It requires the ability to take chance, take the risk, be not afraid to fail and say "what can I learn from this".  It requires you come up with work that changes how other people think or behave - then only you can call it creative - make the change happen