Your audience is human. Tell them a story.
StoryHOW

How to Find and Tell a Story That W.O.R.K.S.

The 50 Pictures Process
What's The Problem?
StorySTRATEGY
Before you tell a story, you need to name the problem you're trying to solve and who you're trying to solve it for.

Who are you trying to reach?
What do you want them to think?
What do you want them to feel?
What do you want them to do?
What's getting in the way?
J.K. Rowling
"Good stories start with good characters - characters we care about, characters we believe in."
StoryFINDING
The Input Phase

You can't output a story without first inputting multiple thoughts and ideas.

So a great storyteller has to be a great listener – someone with burning curiosity (a Columbo type) who just won't let things go and keeps asking challenging questions.

1. Mapping Your Story World

First, we explore the space where your story will take place:


  • your team, customers, partners
  • your industry
  • your day-to-day work
  • your products and services
  • your unique approach
  • your hidden gems
2. Character Snapshots
Compelling stories are driven by compelling characters with strong motivations.

Who's got skin in the game?
Who has something different to say?

3. Archetypal Inspiration

Story Archetypes are a great starting point for finding a story that feels specific but resonates far and wide. We draw on seven archetypes that can be adapted to any story situation.

4. W.O.R.K.S. Q&A
We zoom in on the most powerful story ideas by generating five Focus Words for every option that's taking shape.
We hate acronyms as much as you do, but...
...when you need to find a story that works, our W.O.R.K.S. Q&A sessions deliver.

Here's the gist:

1. We gather as much information as we can.
2. We tune into the story ideas that emerge.
3. We test every idea against your objectives until the strongest idea pops out.
We do this by asking five key questions...
  • Wonder Question
    What's most inspiring about this story?
    W
  • Originality Question
    What makes this story different?
    O
  • Reach Question
    Who cares?
    R
  • Kindle Question
    What emotions will this story stir?
    K
  • Shift Question
    What actions will this story prompt?
    S
Your answers help to reveal your strongest story ideas and guide every creative decision in the StoryTELLING phase.
StoryTELLING
The Output Phase

StoryTELLING is where it all comes together – zooming in on the key characters and conflicts, playing with creative possibilities, and delivering your finished story to the world.

1. The Process Ps

We choose a story's central characters and the protagonist:


  • a motivated PERSON
  • with a clear PURPOSE
  • striving to solve a PROBLEM
  • in a particular PLACE
2. Shaping Your Story

We trace a unique through-line of peaks, troughs, and wiggly bits, linking five key plot points:


  • HOOK
  • CATALYST
  • STRUGGLE
  • BREAKTHROUGH
  • PAYOFF

3. Exploring Story Stuff

Time to probe, poke, and play with:


  • unexpected angles
  • quirky connections
  • recurring themes
  • emerging tones
  • deeper meanings
  • coincidences
  • subtle clues and signals
  • What If scenarios
  • underlying patterns
4. Scripts, Mockups, Storyboards
This is where we write, sketch and shape the idea until everyone can see how it will work on screen.

The test here is: can you tell the story to someone and hold their attention?

If not, we re-write until we keep the person hooked all the way to the end.

5. Production & Post Production

Filming, editing - shaping every element into a single story or campaign.

6. Delivery and Optimisation
Measuring what matters: attention, retention, real-world response.

Adjusting and refining so every new story builds on the last.
Who Are 50 Pictures?
To find out more about us and how we partner with organisations like yours, click the button below.
Meet the team
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
Maya Angelou
Poet and Civil Rights Activist
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