From idea to corporate story with the Story Circle

In his Story Circle Dan Harmon distinguishes several steps to be taken to make a film or series, or in our case a corporate story. The first is that of drawing a circle containing a horizontal line. The upper half circle represents the starting situation, the lower half circle represents the final situation. Behold, the idea for the story is born. Sounds logical, but to illustrate this with an example, in the upper circle Bruce Willis in the blockbuster Die Hard is a dull, frustrated and wandering detective, in the lower circle he is an empathic and loving father and moreover a successful terrorist fighter. In the upper circle, Volkswagen is the cheating car manufacturer and in the lower circle he is perhaps the sustainable car manufacturer as the initiator of green mobility projects.

Quitting and getting up in the Story Circle

Harmon then divides this circle into eight pie slices. The first point introduces the main character (You), who is clearly in his comfort zone. He does what he does and doesn't know any better. In the second point a dissonant situation arises (Need), which puts the actions of the main character in a different light. His comfortable world becomes unbalanced. But because this new situation does trigger, in the third point the protagonist enters unknown territory (Go). With all its consequences. In any case, he is no longer in control.

Turn-around point order and chaos Story Circle

In the fourth cake point the protagonist tries to adapt, which of course goes hand in hand with trial and error (Search). However, he is increasingly open to new experiences. In the fifth pie-tip he tries to find out what he really wants (Find). In life, however, nothing goes without a struggle and everything and everyone has its price. He pays the main character in pie point six (Take). With all the new experiences, the main character returns to familiar territory in pie point seven (Return) and can then start his new life in pie point eight (Change).

Meaning and giving

Is a corporate story nothing more or less than a simple filling in exercise? Dan Harmon: 'The theory behind the Story Circle itself is indeed not very complicated. Just like Joseph Campbell's 'The Hero's Journey' is not, in fact. But storytelling is about much more than just the structure of a story. The trick is to come up with a story that fascinates and binds. A story that is authentic and makes you experience it. But the most important thing is that a story has and gives meaning'. Or to speak with storytelling guru Robert McKee: 'A corporate story must incite the listener or reader to action. If not, the corporate story misses its target'. And it is precisely when writing such an authentic and sympathetic story with meaning that the knowledge, experience and creativity of the storyteller come into play.

Getting Started

Do you want to start storytelling right now? You can start by taking a look at our websites storytellingpeople.nl, storytellingpeople.com or corporatehistory.com.

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For more than 30 years Storytelling People has been recording corporate stories and bringing them to life with storytelling and community building.

Storytelling makes the abstract corporate story accessible in stories by and for people.

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