“How do I create a compelling story fast?”

I went into $100,000 of debt for film school to learn this story equation.

Today, I'll teach you this proven system in 2 minutes.

Whether writing a movie or a marketing email, the glue that keeps someone engaged in a story is...

Conflict

Installing compelling conflict is the key to keeping people engaged.

This opens a loop in the viewer's brain.

"What will happen?"

And we humans have to close that loop to feel okay again.

It is a simple concept, but it can be hard to put in place.

There's an easy but powerful way to create conflict.

The Conflict Equation

Use the conflict equation to make this effortless:

• Protagonist

• Plus Action (what the protagonist wants)

• Plus, action that goes against what they want

• Plus Stakes

Example:

Protagonist: A poor artist

Action (what the protagonist wants): Wants to live free and love without constraints

Action that goes against what they want: Falls in love with a wealthy woman who is engaged to another man

Stakes: Their lives and future together as the ship sinks

Can you guess which movie this is?

11-time Academy Award-winning Titanic.

Here are a few other examples...

Star Wars

Protagonist: A young farm boy

Action (what the protagonist wants): Wants to become a Jedi and fight the Empire

Action that goes against what they want: Must kill his own father to do so

Stakes: The fate of the galaxy

The Godfather

Protagonist: A reluctant mafia heir

Action (what the protagonist wants): Wants to live a legitimate life

Action that goes against what they want: After his father is attacked, he must take over the family business.

Stakes: His soul and the safety of his family

Why movie loglines matter in film production👇

The Writing North Star

You need to create one sentence that:

• Summarizes your entire story

• Is supercharged with conflict

Having this simple but powerful north star:

• makes it easier to make decisions as you write

• It makes it easy for team members to be attracted to working on your compelling project.

Your story is compelling if a single sentence packs an intense conflict.

Writer's block is the result of a lack of clarity.

Don't dive right into writing a story.

First, come up with one sentence for your story using this method.

A North Star that makes all your decisions easier as you write.

This creates massive clarity.

Let’s get to work,

Dan

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