‘Save The Cat’ is a classic book about storytelling for film, and well-known amongst good YT storytellers.
I re-listened to the audiobook for myself. Here are specific ways some insights can be applied to YouTube.
🧵/ 12-ish
1a. The hero must have a ‘Save the Cat’ moment.
I re-listened to the audiobook for myself. Here are specific ways some insights can be applied to YouTube.
🧵/ 12-ish
1a. The hero must have a ‘Save the Cat’ moment.
1b. In order for the viewer to want to watch the main character — often yourself in the case of YT — they have to like the main character.
In Squid Game, this is done literally. Protag is really unlikeable: a poorly tempered gambler and unreliable guy.
So he saves a cat.
In Squid Game, this is done literally. Protag is really unlikeable: a poorly tempered gambler and unreliable guy.
So he saves a cat.
1c. You don’t necessarily have to be a superhero or moral pillar of society.
But yourself as an character means emphasising some likeable authentic part of yourself, ideally something cool.
One of @AliAbdaal’s vids that blew up his channel did exactly this in the title:
But yourself as an character means emphasising some likeable authentic part of yourself, ideally something cool.
One of @AliAbdaal’s vids that blew up his channel did exactly this in the title:
2a. *Use a storyboard to plot out emotional beats and see the whole picture.*
So, YouTube is super interesting because there’s actually this spectrum that goes from fully pre-structured videos, to completely organic videos.
However, where people can go wrong is…
So, YouTube is super interesting because there’s actually this spectrum that goes from fully pre-structured videos, to completely organic videos.
However, where people can go wrong is…
2b.
- When they don’t plot out the story whatsoever, as is sometimes the case with livestreams.
- When they go the other way and plot things so rigidly that organic content seems like a skit and emotions aren’t genuine.
Solution? You might think of trying a Ludwig approach:
- When they don’t plot out the story whatsoever, as is sometimes the case with livestreams.
- When they go the other way and plot things so rigidly that organic content seems like a skit and emotions aren’t genuine.
Solution? You might think of trying a Ludwig approach:
2c. Ludwig does livestreams, but he specifically structures livestreams in a way that he *knows* will come out nicely as a video-on-demand in post:
- Hook
- Stakes (he emphasises the importance of this a lot)
- Fun and games
vTubers/streamers should consider this.
- Hook
- Stakes (he emphasises the importance of this a lot)
- Fun and games
vTubers/streamers should consider this.
3a. Change should be happening to every main character.
One of the examples from the book was there was this movie Blake Snyder scripted that involved a boy who came home from military camp, only to find his parents went on a trip.
So he sets off on a journey of kindness…
One of the examples from the book was there was this movie Blake Snyder scripted that involved a boy who came home from military camp, only to find his parents went on a trip.
So he sets off on a journey of kindness…
3b. …but it was boring and flat.
The problem was, this nice boy doing nice things was *already* a changed kid. He was the final character, at the start of the movie.
So what you need to do is also think about whether you undergo enough change in a video or not.
The problem was, this nice boy doing nice things was *already* a changed kid. He was the final character, at the start of the movie.
So what you need to do is also think about whether you undergo enough change in a video or not.
3c. In the case of YouTube, you should really think about putting yourself into situations that are genuinely challenging.
Many of the greatest videos on the platform, for spectacles, are YouTubers legitimately didn’t know how they would turn out before they did it.
Many of the greatest videos on the platform, for spectacles, are YouTubers legitimately didn’t know how they would turn out before they did it.
3d. Examples include:
- Michelle Khare (any of her vids)
- Ryan Trahan (many, but especially Penny Series)
- MrBeast (I Didn’t Eat Food for 30 Days)
- Airrack (many vids)
But one caveat…
- Michelle Khare (any of her vids)
- Ryan Trahan (many, but especially Penny Series)
- MrBeast (I Didn’t Eat Food for 30 Days)
- Airrack (many vids)
But one caveat…
3e. YouTube is NOT traditional media.
As a YouTuber, viewers care much more about authenticity than anywhere else.
You don’t have to verbalise “I feel like I’ve completely changed as a person!” as it’s inauthentic.
Show, don’t tell. The audience is smarter than you think.
As a YouTuber, viewers care much more about authenticity than anywhere else.
You don’t have to verbalise “I feel like I’ve completely changed as a person!” as it’s inauthentic.
Show, don’t tell. The audience is smarter than you think.
There’s a billion other things to say about Save The Cat and how it applies to YT, but as you can see by the blue text on my posts…I’m typing this on my iPhone. 😩
So I’ll save those for later, when I use my comp.
Feel free to RT/ follow @dabidoYT if you’d like to see it. :)
So I’ll save those for later, when I use my comp.
Feel free to RT/ follow @dabidoYT if you’d like to see it. :)
Oh, and here’s a tweet about how to generate YouTube ideas quickly, if you wanted to read that:
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