5 top tricks and tips: factual storytelling
Sophie Robinson has spent the last 18 years making films driven by factual stories. Some have been serious, some funny and some have seriously changed the conversation. But what all factual documentary films can do, if done well, is bring honesty, integrity and importance to the story they are telling. In her D&AD Masterclass 'Storytelling for Brands and Advertising', she teaches creatives how to get the most out of facts. Here, she shares insights and tips on telling a compelling tale, rooted in truth.
When I was 15, I stayed up to watch a film called '14 Days in May’. It was a documentary about a 26-year-old man called Edward Earl Johnson. He was on death row and the film followed the last 14 days of his life, up to his execution. They found out weeks later he was innocent. This film caused a reaction in me so strong that I went on to make a career out of factual storytelling. This film proved to me that the power of a real story was so much stronger than any fictional film I’d ever seen.
In the last ten years factual storytelling has become an art-form in itself. Films like Blackfish, The Act of Killing, The Last Men in Aleppo, An Inconvenient Truth don’t just change the conversation, but entertain as well. A very powerful combination.
5 years ago I was offered the opportunity to bring what I’ve learned about factual storytelling into the world of brands. Frankly I was terrified. And not massively convinced that these worlds could work together. I was wrong.
Today a lot of brands are struggling to stay relevant. Today’s audiences are smart, savvy and have heard it all before. No longer does a 2-minute advert convince them to do anything they haven’t already decided to do, so the only way to get them on side is by telling them the truth in as interesting and exciting way as possible.
So what are the 5 tips I would give you to get every brand you work with to buy into factual storytelling?
1. Know the difference between content and story.
2. Don’t be afraid to make ‘factual stories’ entertaining.
3. Watch every award-winning documentary out there and learn from what they do.
4. Love and be inspired by the film you are making. If you don’t why should anyone else?
5. Be relevant. Be important. Be entertaining.
The smart brands are turning to a different kind of storytelling — beyond advertising into the worlds of editorial, documentary and entertainment. In these ‘post-truth’ times, only honesty and transparency will do. A potent combination of factual storytelling and smart strategy can therefore change the way audiences see and listen to brands.
