Pitch Like Hollywood: What You Can Learn from the High-Stakes Film Industry

THE HOLLYWOOD PITCH

When psychologists presented information as a series of facts and told the same information in a story format, they found that the information was remembered better when embedded in a story. Information is learned deeper and recalled longer.¹ How much more effective is information presented through story? Ankit Oberoi describes a nonacademic experiment where two men used eBay as their lab.² They purchased $129 worth of knickknacks and sold them on eBay. They had a series of writers create an interesting historical false narrative for each. They were then able to sell these worthless items for close to $8,000.

Stories promote ...