Explainer Movie™ Masterclass #2 of 5:

The Power Of The Plot

Why A Plot Line Is The Key To Retaining Attention (And The 3 Step Framework To Create One That Hooks, Excites, And Moves People To Action)

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“Only 1% of B2B content gets to me stop and say ‘I want to consume this in my spare time’. This is that 1%”

DEVIN REED 

HEAD OF CONTENT @ CLARI

78k followers

1643685009120 (1) (1)

“Only 1% of B2B content gets to me stop and say ‘I want to consume this in my spare time’. This is that 1%”

DEVIN REED 

HEAD OF CONTENT @ CLARI

78k followers

The Power Of The Plot

As we covered in Masterclass #1, the 3 biggest reasons why explainer videos are no longer working is because they:

  1. talk at the viewer
  2. follow a “problem to solution” structure
  3. are produced script-first

When you do these 3 things, more often than not you’re left with an asset that rationally explains what you do, but does little to evoke any emotion whatsoever.

And considering emotion is what hooks people – what gets them invested enough to watch until the end – it’s no wonder why most explainer videos are now skipped in the first 5-10 seconds.

The way to combat this is with a powerful plot.

What A Plot Actually Is

A plot is the sequence of events that make up a story. 

Nothing more, nothing less. 

But it’s the way these events are structured that makes plots so potent.

There are 5 core components of a plot:

  1. Exposition (introduction of characters and setting)
  2. Rising action (events leading to the climax)
  3. Climax (the turning point or highest point of tension)
  4. Falling action (events following the climax)
  5. Resolution (the conclusion or outcome)

Why A Plot Is So Powerful

When your Explainer Videos Movies are driven by a plot, you go from telling your audience about what you do, to having your audience experience what you do.

This is because they allow you to depict the journey of your ideal customer – the challenges they face and the transformation they go through with your product – as if they’re watching themselves.

In other words – they experience it.

Explainer Videos Miss 3 Of The 5 Core Components Of A Plot

A vast, vast majority of Explainer Videos only use 2 of the core components of a plot:

#3 – the climax
#5 – the resolution

This is because they use a 2-act narrative structure. Specifically: 

“highlight the problem (climax) –> introduce the solution (resolution)”

We’ll be diving into this in a lot more detail in the next masterclass, but for now, let’s compare this 2-act structure with an Explainer Movie™ that uses all 5 of the plot components:

If This Were An Explainer Video…

If the video above were an Explainer Video (and not an Explainer Movie™), it would probably go something like this:

“As a single Mom in college, do you find it hard to balance studying with being a parent?

What if there was an organization who could support you during this tough time?

Introducing Baby Steps!”

Notice how that wouldn’t follow the structure of a plot. 

There’d be no exposition, no rising action, no tension… none of it.

Instead, it would just go straight for the jugular, calling out the audience, calling out the problem, then introducing the magical solution.

This does little to get the viewers emotionally bought into the video, because there’s nothing to buy in to:

No character development.
No backstory.
No nada.

But because it’s an Explainer Movie™, it follows all the components of an engaging plot. 

Let’s explore how:

1. Exposition

The characters are introduced and the scene is set with a young girl dreaming of being an astronaut. We see her growing into an adult, succeeding in her life, and pursuing her dreams.

2. Rising action

She becomes unexpectedly pregnant. As she struggles to raise her baby while studying at college, her life begins to fall apart:

  • Her grades get worse.
  • Society begins to shun her.
  • She loses all hope.

3. Climax

By complete chance––as if the universe is watching out for her––she receives a pamphlet from Baby Steps. 

This is the moment her life begins to turn around; her grades start to improve, she graduates college, and finally achieves her dreams of becoming an astronaut.

4. Falling Action

Fast forward 18 years and she’s now watching her own son graduate.

5. Resolution

With her dreams of becoming an astronaut achieved thanks to the help of Baby Steps, she touches down––for the first ever time––on the moon.

How To Bring Your Video Movie To Life With A Plot

Granted, Baby Steps have a more “emotive” mission than many profit driven companies, so it’s of course easier to pull on the heartstrings with a heartfelt coming of age story.

But remember, the purpose of a plot isn’t to bring people to tears.  It’s to make them feel so absorbed in something they forget they’re watching company content.

And that can be done through many genres and emotions – be it excitement, suspense, humor, etc. – all of which are made possible when you forget the old, “script-first” way of producing B2B videos, and instead follow a movie-inspired “plot-first” way.

Here’s the exact 3 step process to do it:

Step 1: Uncover Your ‘Movie Identity’

A movie identity is taking your brand identity to an even deeper level.

If a brand identity is what your brand says, what your values are, and how you want people to feel when they interact with your company, a movie identity is knowing how to portray this through your video content.

Ask yourself, if your brand story was a movie:

  • what genre would it be?
  • what kind of protagonist(s) would portray your brand?
  • what sort of worlds would your brand be set in?

 

Once you’ve done that, it’s time to…

Step 2: Get Inspired 

Steve Jobs said that creativity is really just connecting things. 

Therefore, the easiest way to create fascinating video content isn’t to try and reinvent the wheel, it’s to look at where gobbling up attention and connecting those ideas with your own brand.

If you have a humorous brand identity, what are some comedy movies who’s plots you could tap into to portray your product?

If you’re an action-packed crypto company, what action movies could you “steal” ideas from?

Step 3: Map out your plot

As we covered, when you approach your video content plot-first instead of script-first, you avoid being left with the dreaded Franken-video of doom.

Therefore, taking your inspiration from Step 2, it’s time to combine all of your ideas and map out each of the 5 core components of an engaging plot:

  • Exposition
  • Rising Action
  • Climax
  • Falling Action
  • Resolution

Summary

Explainer videos often fall short in captivating audiences due to their lack of emotional engagement.

By embracing interesting plot lines, brands can transform their content into immersive experiences.

Understanding the five core components of a plot—exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution—and weaving them into a customer centric story line will make viewers feel more engaged in a mini-movie, driving deeper engagement.