Hey friends!
Last week I popped into your inbox with invitation to something I’m really pumped about: the Film Impact Summit we’re hosting at Distant Moon (IN TWO WEEKS!) on September 12, 2025. It’s a one-day event (limited to just 50 people) where leaders from Kingdom Story Company, Hillsdale, Freethink/Big Think, and top agencies will gather to talk about where storytelling, education, and philanthropy meet.
But I didn’t want the newsletter to just be about “marketing an event.” I wanted to make sure everyone (whether you’re in the room or not) walks away with tools you can use right now. So last week, I kicked things off with two insights:
1. Audience-powered film beats blind storytelling.
Don’t wait until your project is done to invite people in. Test your ideas early, share rough cuts, ask what’s sticking. When your audience helps shape the story, they’ll champion it like it’s their own.
2. Find your niche and take bold risks.
Hillsdale College is a great example—they invested in cinematic online courses long before there was proof it would work. It felt risky at the time, but now millions watch. The big takeaway: breakthrough stories always come with risk, but that’s also where growth lives.
(If you missed it, you can check out the previous newsletter here!)
This week, I’m continuing the series with two new ideas to think about and implement:
3. True stories/Documentaries can turn your viewers into brand advocates (and)
4. The principles behind turning your story into a box-office success
Let’s dive in!
3. Use true stories to turn viewers into advocates
Data convinces the mind. Stories move the heart. But the most powerful campaigns don’t choose one or the other – they use stories first, then let the data serve as proof.
Freethink’s case studies are living proof of this:
- When they produced short films for the John Templeton Foundation, their stories didn’t just rack up hundreds of thousands of views – they led to record watch time and created new global conversations around science and spirituality.
- In their work with Turntide Technologies, they crafted human-centered stories around complex innovations in sustainable energy. The result? Inbound leads jumped 5x, fundraising became easier, and recruitment surged because people connected with the human why behind the tech.
How to apply this:
- Start with One Person: Find the individual who embodies your mission. Don’t tell us about “10,000 students.” Tell us about Maria, the first in her family to graduate, and the turning point your program created for her.
- Craft the Journey: Every story needs struggle, turning point, and resolution. Show us the pain before the triumph. That tension is what keeps viewers watching.
- Add Data Later: Once your audience’s heart is engaged, then show them the scale. Story first. Data second. This order is what transforms passive viewers into donors, volunteers, and advocates.
4. Turning Your Story into a Box Office Success
Blockbusters aren’t accidents. They succeed because they deliver on the rules audiences expect. Ignore those rules, and you don’t just risk failure: you almost guarantee it.
As my friend Bobby (an executive at Kingdom Story Company) says, “the checkboxes WANT to be checked! So check them!” (Oh, by the way, Bobby Downes is an executive at Kingdom Story Company. They’ve had tons of HUGE box office hits in theaters. He knows a thing or two about reaching audiences.)
What this means:
Audiences come with certain expectations: strong characters, real stakes, a clear arc, emotional payoff. And different audience demographics require very specific types of content or story beats. If you skip these because you think you’re “above the rules,” you’ll only confuse or bore them.
Hubris is the enemy. Storytellers often think their story is so important that the normal rules of narrative don’t apply. But storytelling isn’t about self-expression. It’s about communicating to your audience.
Something my Dad always used to say applies here: Communication requires not just projecting information. It requires the receipt of that information by the audience it’s intended for. If nobody is watching your content, you’re not communicating. You’re just shouting into the void.
How to apply this:
- Identify the Hero’s Journey: Who is the protagonist? What obstacle do they face? What’s at stake if they fail? Where’s the turning point?
- Study What Works: Watch the films and campaigns that capture attention in your space. Don’t copy them, but understand the emotional laws they’re obeying. AND invest the time to understand what YOUR specific audience demands. Christian audiences demand very different things in a movie than horror fans. People who are concerned about the water crisis in third world countries have a VERY different set of boxes they need checked than people who care about American political issues. Understand your audience and speak to them in the way they need to be addressed.
- Deliver, Then Surprise: First, give audiences the emotional beats they expect. Then, once you’ve earned their trust, surprise them with the fresh perspective that makes your story unforgettable.
Audiences decide what succeeds. Ignore the rules they live by, and your film or video dies unseen. Respect those rules, and you earn the right to innovate.
Ok, so those are a few additional weekend thoughts that I hope help you dream and change the world! I’d love to hear what you think and any insights you have! (I’ve received a handful of emails from people saying “they’re sure I don’t read the email responses,” but honestly I read every single reply that hits my inbox and try to respond to all of them! Also a little secret: replying to my newsletters actually helps teach google and other email inboxes that this newsletter isn’t spam! So lets keep the conversation rolling!
Oh, and don’t forget to join us at the Film Impact Summit in two weeks! I hope to see you there!
Here’s to Human Flourishing!
-Ian
Join Us at the Summit!
These are just starting points. At the Impact Film Summit, we’ll dive deeper into frameworks, show examples from inside campaigns, and give you tools to build films that inspire and sustain growth.
📅 Date: September 12, 2025
📍 Location: Hotel Burg, Leesburg, VA
🎟 Register Now—Limited to 50 People
👉 Want to learn more? Watch the video below!