11/17/2025
How to find great stories:
To me, the most difficult storytelling technique to master isn't actually telling the story. It's IDENTIFYING one.
Stories are everywhere. They're hiding in plain view, but most people aren't trained to spot them.
As a director who's often brought in to help brands tell impactful stories, I've come to realize that at least half my job is just guiding them in a process of discovery to capitalize on the ones right in front of them.
If you're struggling with finding great stories out there in the real world, I suggest three things:
🧠 Think like a filmmaker. Great films are ABOUT something, so look for big themes: love, grief, forgiveness, grace, substitution, regret. Find one of these, and you hold the keys to unlocking deep currents of human emotion.
⚒️ Ask WHY questions. The reason behind why someone does something is so much more interesting than the thing itself. Ordinary people have extraordinary stories if you know where to look. Keep drilling with more why questions until you hit bedrock. This is the emotional core of your story. Build everything around this.
📣 Figure out what YOU want to say. What's your (or your client's) point of view? Every great story has an objective, a reason for existing. What do you want to say underneath it all? With branded work, I always say: This content we're making has a job to do — what do you want it to accomplish? Knowing this on the front end makes finding your story infinitely easier.
Knowing a great story when you see one is a discipline. It can be learned. But if you need help along the way, we'd be happy to share our expertise.
Book a free discovery call here 👉
https://stonecastlepictures.com/schedule-a-call/
