Wait, can you actually become a better writer
just by binge watching your favorite Netflix shows?
Yup.
Here's how.
(upbeat music)
From reading fiction novels
to listening to true crime podcasts
to binge watching your favorite movies on Netflix,
creative inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes.
But when it comes to TV,
doesn't it just rot your brain and destroy your creativity?
No, mom!
There's this massive misconception going around
that creatives should never watch TV,
or that we should spend all of our free time
doing something productive,
like reading a business book or studying a program,
or taking an online course.
But here's the thing.
Storytellers learn how to tell better stories
by consuming great stories, period.
Reading, listening, or watching,
the way you consume a story doesn't really matter.
And in fact, when done correctly, watching TV
can massively improve your writing and marketing skills.
But it's not as simple as just plopping in front of the TV
with a big old bucket of popcorn and a pint of ice cream.
Although, I really do love that from time to time as well.
There are actually five elements of the cinematic experience
that you need to pay special attention to,
that is, if you wanna gain a massive creative edge
while watching TV.
And in today's video, we'll go over all five elements,
and as a little fun bonus at the end of this video,
The Copy Posse team and I have compiled a list
of our absolute favorite TV shows and movies on Netflix.
From romcoms to animated series to thrillers
and everything in between,
these are 10 shows and movies you can take inspiration from.
Hey Posse, what's up, it's Alex coming at you this week
with another unconventional method
for improving your copywriting skills.
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Now, the explosion of streaming apps
like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+,
and countless others
has been both a blessing and a curse for us creatives,
because like all things in life,
it comes down to how you choose to use or abuse it,
everything in moderation, as they say.
And I'll tell you right now
that zoning out in front of the TV
for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours on end
will do you absolutely zero favors,
unless the new season of Drag Race is on
and then you are absolutely forgiven.
If you wanna actually benefit from the films, shows,
and performances you enjoy watching most,
then you need to learn how to become an active participant
in the experience.
Or in other words, you need to start watching TV
through the eyes of a writer.
And there are five elements
of the cinematic experience in particular
that when observed carefully
can enhance your storytelling, improve your copywriting,
and explode your creativity.
The first thing you need to pay special attention to
is number one, the log line.
A log line is that juicy one-liner
that describes what a movie or show is about.
The log line is to film what the hook is to copywriting.
It is everything.
As a copywriter, you know that your hook is the single most
important element of your entire piece, right?
I mean, if you can nail your hook,
the rest of your copy practically writes itself.
Well, not really, but you get the idea.
So it goes without saying that as copywriters,
we can learn a lot from the log lines
of movies and TV shows.
Each and every log line is carefully crafted
with one purpose in mind, to hook the viewer into watching.
But in screenwriting, a log line
isn't just about getting a viewer to click, to push play,
it's also the deciding factor as to whether or not
a producer will actually pick up a film at all.
According to Blake Snyder, in his book, "Save the Cat!"
a good log line answers the "What is it?" question
clearly and enticingly.
Most well-crafted log lines
will state the central conflict of the story
and provide some sort of an emotional hook
to stimulate interest,
like this one from my favorite, Schitt's Creek.
"Suddenly broke, the formerly filthy-rich Rose family
is reduced to living in a ramshackle motel
in a town they bought as a joke: Schitt's Creek."
Now, Netflix is literally a smorgasbord of amazing.
Did I say that right, smorgasbord,
of amazing hooks and titles
for you to study and learn from,
like this one and this one and this one,
you get the motion picture, get it?
So start setting the titles and descriptions
that catch your interest.
See if you can pinpoint why it captivated you
and remember to use those same attention-grabbing methods
in your own hooks and headline.
Alright, next up, number two, the open loop, aha!
We are all familiar with those dang cliffhangers
at the end of our favorite TV shows.
Wait, Rachel's still in love with Ross
and is flying to London to tell him?
Oh my God, will she make it before the wedding?
Wait, John Snow was killed, what will happen now?
He was supposed to save the North and winter is here.
But regardless of how frustrating
and antsy we all might feel,
there is a powerful lesson that we can learn as copywriters,
which is how to craft an effective open loop.
In marketing, an open loop is any concept or idea
that forces the brain to seek out some sort of conclusion.
It piques curiosity, and you just can't help but click
or continue watching in order to close that loop
that's been opened in your brain.
I mean, this is why so many people
end up binge watching their favorite series
in a single weekend.
We need answers!
And as copywriters, we can and should be using open loops
in our headlines, as well as closing and opening new loops
continuously throughout the body of our copy.
In other words,
if you wanna keep people interested in reading,
then you need to give them a reason or motivation to do so.
Here's an example from numerologist.com,
and you can push pause if you wanna read this in full.
This email is basically one open loop after another.
As soon as one loop is closed, another one is opened,
all the way to the end of the email
where you have to click in order to close that final loop.
So, while you're watching your favorite TV shows,
take a mental note of the open loops
that are strategically placed
before each and every commercial break
or at the end of each episode.
What exactly is it that's keeping you watching?
What loop are you looking to close in your mind?
Alright, now, next on my list is gonna be
especially useful for strengthening your copywriting skills.
Number three, descriptive storytelling.
What do really great TV shows and movies have in common?
They have all mastered the art of transporting you
out of your living room
and into an entirely different world that they've created.
And they do this through extremely thorough sensory detail
and descriptive storytelling.
The lighting, the music, the dialogue,
the carefully designed costumes and landscaping,
they all play a pivotal role in your cinematic experience.
But all of this can be replicated just as well
if not better, through great writing.
I mean, think about it.
There's a reason that books turned into movies
can often fall flat in the eyes of their fans.
And that's because great storytelling
evokes all of your senses,
smells, the sights, the taste, the sounds.
If something impacts you, consider why?
What was it about that scene
that made you feel sad, happy, or angry?
What elements of the movie made you feel transported
to a different time and place?
Sometimes, I even re-watch certain scenes
to really break down what it was
that left such an impression on me.
Once you start appreciating the descriptive detail
in the shows and movies you watch,
your writing will naturally begin to improve as a result.
And bonus, this can even be a super fun way
of performing some research for a project.
Writing a sales page for an exotic spa
located on a beautiful tropical island?
What better way to really nail your descriptive storytelling
than by watching a movie that takes place
in a similar setting?
Or better yet, just go on vacation somewhere.
Alright, now all ad writers can learn a thing or two
from this next one on the list.
Number four, teasers and trailers, my favorite.
Movie teasers and trailers are a great way
to improve your marketing skills.
I mean, think about it.
Trailers are literally trying to sell you on something,
which is watching the full show or movie.
So they need to evoke our curiosity
and get us invested in the story they're selling
without giving away too much
or closing any loops in our minds,
like the famous trailer from the 1975 horror film, Jaws.
This trailer is so powerful.
I mean, in just 35 seconds, I was completely hooked.
And aside from the moody scene and visuals,
the biggest impact is being made through the narrative.
If you simply just extracted the words being said
and used that as a hook and an ad or an upsell email,
just think of how captivating that would be.
And you can find tons more ad writing inspiration
everywhere you look.
So think, which movie trailers
have really captured your attention?
Which ones made you add to your watch next list?
Stop playing these things off as simply good movie-making
and start appreciating them
for the great ads that they really are.
Maybe even take down some notes to use as inspiration
in your own ad writing.
And speaking of note-taking,
that brings me to my last
and probably my favorite tip on the list.
Number five, stop working and start recharging.
I know, I know, I know, you can't stop working,
like all the time,
and I specifically said not to zone out
in front of the TV for hours on end,
and I do stand by that statement,
but hey, I'm also not trying to make your movie watching
or TV watching into another chore or task
to add to your to-do list.
At the end of the day,
watching your favorite shows and movies
should really be a treat that you thoroughly enjoy doing.
So please don't take this video as an excuse
to overanalyze anything and everything you watch.
Sometimes, the best way a movie night
can improve your writing skills
is by simply giving you some time to turn off your brain,
unwind, and recharge your batteries,
and there is absolutely no shame in that.
So the next time you go to watch your favorite show,
lose the guilt, drop the expectations,
and allow yourself to fully enjoy the experience.
Now I am super curious.
What is your favorite movie of all time?
Drop a comment below to let me know,
and as promised here's our list of 10 faves
directly from the members of The Copy Posse team.
Number one.
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.
Number two.
Italian Job.
Number three.
Love, Death, and Robots.
Number four.
He's Just Not That Into You.
Number five.
Arrival.
Number six.
Promising Young Woman.
Number seven.
The Holiday.
Number eight.
Anything from the Ocean's series.
Number nine.
Lupin.
And number 10, Before.
So, the next time someone criticizes you for watching TV,
just tell them you're doing research and enjoy.
Until next time, I'm Alex, ciao for now.
Alright, guys, if you enjoyed that video,
make sure to check out the next one from me right here,
and you can click right here to get a free gift.
No, there are no magic words that you can use
to instantly hypnotize your audience
to get them to automatically take out their credit card
and give you money,
but there are some proven psychological truths
based on the study of us weird humans
to help make your copywriting exponentially more persuasive.
So keep watching.