Understanding the story arc in explainer videos: From conflict to resolution

Unlike a story designed for training, where things are okay at the beginning, conflicts accumulate and the story ends at the height of tension, explainers are the opposite:

• The story begins at the height of the conflict.

• It ends in resolution.

This video is no exception. Notice how the characters demonstrate the message of the story: Their actions and expressions are in conflict with the principle of business storytelling. But as the video progresses, these conflicts are resolved one by one, ending with a scene where things are working well. Conflict > Resolution.

Also, notice that the characters and objects within the video are designed to show the action of the message. There’s very little “telling” and a lot of “showing”. Enjoy the video!