Want to know what we get up to at StrategyStory?
Join us behind the scenes as our Graduate Content Developer Lewis MacFarlane as he reflects on his time so far…
Seven months with StrategyStory. Seven months filled with countless photos, videos, audio recordings, transcripts, blog posts, and just about any other way you can think of telling a story…
Painting! We haven’t done painting yet. However, given our current location at Wasps Creative Academy in Inverness, it’s perhaps something that I shouldn’t be too hasty to rule out.
While there might be consistent principles across these different forms of storytelling; the subtle intricacies of each person or organisation’s story means that no two days are ever really the same.
From taking photos to helping facilitate workshops, to editing videos for an American multi-national that get to the heart of what matters; one thing is for certain – it’s been a fascinating challenge to mould and shape my skillset around different clients’ needs.
Variety is the Spice of Life
While the work that crosses my desk – or camera lens – is unbelievably varied; there is one constant throughout everything… and that’s the people. Whether it’s someone in financial innovation, life sciences, energy, healthcare, engineering, academia (the list goes on), but at the heart of everything, regardless of the industry, size or scope of the organisation; it’s about connection – people needing to reach other people. ‘To drive people to action’ – to borrow a phrase from Kate.
This remains true across all of my role, and even as I work to integrate AI into our processes, where there is enormous scope for development and some very exciting things coming down the line. The human voice remains at the heart of everything we do, and I very much view AI as a tool to facilitate human creativity, not replace it.
‘Driving people to action’ has perhaps been the biggest aspect of my learning here at StrategyStory. My background is intertwined with storytelling, whether that’s photography or studying and making films. There, things could be a little more open to interpretation – allowing your audience to fill in the gaps.
Bringing the creativity of filmmaking – the capturing of hearts, minds and imaginations – to a business setting is a challenge, but at the same time also offers a unique opportunity to create really purposeful storytelling. Where human emotion and creativity can meet ambition and purpose.
Storytelling with Ambition
With StrategyStory, the desired outcome can be several-fold. Whether it be increasing people’s understanding of complex issues or ambitions; driving engagement through social media channels; increasing productivity and cohesion within workplaces through internal messaging, or all of the above.
The approach to storytelling is journalistic by nature. Stories have to be drawn out through interviews and research, before being woven into something that can both engage and drive people to action. This is perhaps where my skills best align with the work that StrategyStory does. To engage people and drive them to action means your work must elicit emotion. This is the essence of storytelling and a constant across all of its many forms.
Thus, my approach to storytelling hasn’t really changed, as it’s now simply being woven into a different creative tapestry where the goal remains the same…
Make your audience feel something.
If you’d like to find out how StrategyStory can help you, book a call to speak to one of the team.
