Developing a Story Scenario

Buying the latest in video camera technology will give you the quality footage you need for your own TV show or DVD but it will not make it sell.

It's no secret that humans have been attached to stories since the beginning as a way to pass down history as well as a way to entertain. Once print came along people started writing down the stories and it was the words that brought the story to life in our imaginations. Then film came along and took those stories on paper and brought them to life on screen and on TV. We have come a long way with technology since the camp fire days, but one thing remains the same– the story.

Developing a story for a DVD or TV Show requires a person to have pure talent, diligence, intelligent, creativeness to bring to life the story of the hunt.

A good story is like your favorite meal. It follows a recipe with a handful of ingredients that blend together to create a great story. A story has a setting, character and a plot. To create a good story you must develop your TV personalities as characters with whom the audience will have some empathy towards. The character is usually wanting something very badly but the goal is difficult, but possible to do, get, or achieve. A story also accomplishes maximum emotional impact and audience connect. (READ MORE ABOUT DEVELOPING YOURSELF AS A CHARACTER IN OUR PREVIOUS POST) A story must also come to a satisfactory ending but not necessarily a happy one.

It is hard (not impossible) to create a story around a hunt that you filmed. It is 10000 times easier to have an idea of your story before you film. Imagine that you give a carpenter some wood and nails and tell him to build you your dream house. He might make something decent but imagine the possibilities if the carpenter have blueprints.  Sure you can take your TV Personalities and start filming but where are you going, what is at stake, what does your TV Personalities want and what are the obstacles? You need a blueprint – an organized story with a clear plot.

A story scenario outlines the
1. Who are the characters? Example: The people that will be involved in filming 
2. What is the objective of the characters? What is the Characters goal(hunter)? Example: To successfully film a hunt
3. What are the obstacles that is standing in the way of the Characters obtaining their objective? Example- The obstacles of the hunt; the weather, climate, time of day, etc.
4. How are the characters going to overcome these obstacles? Example: A great way to insert your sponsorship's products and how they will help you in this hunt.


Creating a story scenario allows the Videographers and the TV Personalities (characters) to be on the same level before they start filming. This allows the videographer to film the different clips that the editor can use to bring the story together.

Lets take an example of Jim Shockey's The Professional. Watch this video below first


1. Did you notice the quality of the video?  That can only come with a trained videographer or one with experience.
2. Check out the cut shots and the narrator's words and how the match up perfectly to the character's emotions.
Ask yourself this: Did you feel a connection with the character?
3. Listen to how the music changes to what the clips and the narrator says. The music goes on an journey through sadness, desperation, and worry to excitement, anticipation, and thrilling. Exercise: Play the video and close your eyes. Can you hear the different shifts in the music?  It is amazing how music can create a feeling without even watching the clip.
4. Did you notice the shift in the middle of the video? The feel of the video changes into one more like a Military Video Game with the red color overlay and the typing sound when each of the Characters name is displayed. This technique creates a connection with the audience because it allows the audience to feel that these characters are important for the success of the mission (the hunt)

Take a look at all these different elements when watching your favorite show. What about the show makes you want to watch it? Compile a list and see how you can work that into your filming and editing!