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Hey legend,
Earlier this week, I shared a few messages with @thecalrichards, a talented Melbourne-based digital creator who sparked the idea for this newsletter (note: it started as a few DM rants, but we’ve since refined the message)
As fellow video editors, we shared our honest thoughts on the current culture of seeing other editors imitating the video editing styles popularised by top creators, like Alex Hormozi and Mr. Beast, and how it’s resulted in our newsfeeds being saturated with an endless stream of “copycat content”.
^I was stoked to see Cal use our exchange as the backbone of a video script he produced and published the next day (if you’re interested in his take, tap to watch it on Instagram)
“You’ll never go viral trying to be somebody else”
– Eric “The Hip Hop Preacher” Thomas, Ph.D.
Imitation Is A Stepping Stone
Imitating or copying others is the right approach…only at the start of your creative journey. In CWC 016: Let’s Steal Like An Artist, I openly shared (and promoted) that you start your creative journey by copying those you admire or consider the best in your field.
BUT this isn’t your final destination.
It’s merely a stepping stone, or prerequisite, to eventually evolving into your own unique style. It’s the process of learning the fundamental skills while accumulating enough repetitions and practice to evolve from copying the art of others (external) to creating art by yourself (internal).
“Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy, you will find your self”
– Yohji Yamamot
Imitation ➡️ Emulation
A definition of imitation is:
“The action of using someone or something as a model”
Whereas a definition of emulation is:
“The process of copying something achieved by someone else and trying to do it as well as they have”
A subtle difference.
The former (imitation) is about modelling the output (outcome/result) of others as a point of reference.
The latter (emulation) is about modelling the input (process/effort) of others to achieve the equivalent for yourself.
So whenever you’re modelling a successful artist, athlete or role model, focus on emulating their process as that’s what drives the results you’re also seeking to achieve yourself.
Even though it may not be the sexy, ground-breaking “hack” or silver bullet that our #ShortCutCulture craves that is what you should endeavour to emulate in your own life and in a way that’s uniquely suited to you.
💡Mamba’s Pro-Tip
Listen to long-form podcasts of your role models, or read their autobiographies because they’re often littered with endless nuggets on their philosophy, mindset and approach towards their creative process.
So you might be wondering what’s the secret sauce that leads to the disproportionate success of certain content creators or artists that become memorable in the minds of millions of followers versus others that just imitate the “look” of their content.
Well @thecalrichards has the answer…
How to Become Memorable (it’s not your editing)
I’ve felt the temptation and pressure to adopt similar video editing styles into the content I create for my clients and my own. But it overlooks the fundamental reason why the top content creators outperform everyone else.
It has nothing to do with their editing.
It has everything to do with their STORYTELLING.
And compelling, remarkable and memorable storytelling comes from YEARS of:
- Cultivating a unique perspective; or
- Mastering your creative craft or gift; or
- Accumulating battle scars & insights from experience
Style can be copied; stories can’t.
👉🏽 Learn how to tell memorable stories from your experiences
Stories that elicit emotions
Stories that are unique to you.
Stories that make you relatable.
Stories that help people understand you.
Stories that share the highs and lows of a journey
Stories that sell an idea, argument, product or service.
Stories that no-one else could possibly tell because they’re yours.
Storytelling is, and will always remain, the most effective format of communication.
Why?
Because it helps your audience connect information in a structured, cohesive and engaging sequence that makes it easier to remember.
If you’d like to level up your storytelling, you can use the simple Three-Act Story Structure for your stories, used for decades in Hollywood scripts, iconic speeches, popular music and most modern stories you’d enjoy!
Act 1: Setup
In the setup, your audience is introduced to the main character, the challenge (or “inciting incident”) they face, and the tension it creates. The aim is to be relatable and “hook” your audience with their own self-interest, as they see themselves in you or your struggle.
Act 2: Confrontation
Then the main character commences their journey to overcome their challenge, conflict is heightened and obstacles are faced.
Act 3: Resolution
And in the final part (outro or “CTA”), the challenge or tension is resolved and the story reaches its conclusion.
📚 Voila – you’re now a storyteller!
👇🏽 And if you’re interested in continuing to level up your storytelling, here are a few of my favourite storytelling resources that I re-reference regularly.
Building a Storybrand – Donald Miller
Read this if
- You’re a business owner
- You’re unclear on your marketing message (and as a result, so are your potential customers)
- You want a proven framework to identify their target audience, understand their needs and desires, and craft a clear and compelling message that positions your business as the solution to their problems.
Storynomics – Robert McKee & Thomas Gerace
Read this if:
- You want a research-driven approach towards storytelling
- You want to stop feeling pushy or promotional in your marketing
- You want people to feeling like they’re buying from (and you’re not selling to them)
The Art of Storytelling – Sun Yi
Do this if:
- You’re a freelancer, creator or solopreneur
- You want to boost your brand presence and become memorable
- You want a no-BS, simple video course with guided exercises on storytelling
So in summary
- Start Imitating: Copy your heroes to accumulate the reps and practice of your specific skills
- Evolve into Emulating: Embody your heroes’ process, mindset and approach until you’ve intuitively developed your own craft.
- Tell Memorable Stories: Share the lessons, ups and downs, of your journey mastering or applying your craft with others using the 3-Act Structure.
And while you’re levelling up your storytelling this month, slap on the MambaFM – August 2023 Spotify playlist as your soundtrack to get your creative juices moving’n’grooving.
See you in the next one, legend,
🕺🏽 Mamba