Welcome to the AP Creative Community Newsletter!
Every other week, I share actionable tips, honest answers, and valuable insights to help you on your creative journey—no fluff, just real talk. This newsletter is here to support your journey, spark ideas, and build a community of creatives. 🗺 When I’m not sharing tips, I feature creatives from the community through the Creator Spotlight.
New issues hit your inbox every Sunday. Glad you’re here. 🤝
We recently hosted a live Zoom session with the APCC community about writing better stories, and I wanted to share the recording with you. 🫡
In this session I break down the exact storytelling structure I’ve learned from making over 2,000 videos and spending 15+ years behind the camera. 🎥 Because great content isn’t about the fanciest gear. It’s about understanding how to structure a story so people actually care.
#1 — The Core Story Arc 📖
Every good story follows the same structure: setup, conflict, resolution.
The setup gives context. It answers the question: where are we and why should we care? The conflict introduces a challenge, a problem, or even just something unusual that makes the viewer curious. And the resolution closes the loop and delivers the payoff. 😌
A lot of creators skip one of these steps. They jump straight into action without context, avoid conflict because they think it needs drama, or forget to close the loop at the end.
But when you hit all three, even the most ordinary moment can become interesting to watch. 📺
#2 — Emotion Is the Real Hook 🎭
If story is the structure, emotion is the fuel.
People don’t remember every detail of what they watched. They remember how it made them feel. Some of my most shared videos weren’t the ones with the best production. They were the ones where people commented things like “I felt this” or “this is exactly me.” 🪞
Before you film, ask yourself one simple question: What do I want the viewer to feel?
Once you know that, your pacing, tone, music, and editing should all support that emotion. When the feeling lands, the story sticks. 🤝
#3 — Stakes & Tension 🫣
If structure organizes the story and emotion hooks the viewer, stakes are what keep people watching.
There has to be something on the line. It doesn’t need to be dramatic. It can be something small, like wondering if something will work, if you’ll finish in time, or what the outcome will be. 👀
The moment someone thinks, “Wait… what’s going to happen next?” you’ve created tension. And that tension needs a payoff. Because the difference between a video people scroll past and a video they stay for usually comes down to one thing. They care about the outcome. 🎯
If you want to go deeper into storytelling, I recently hosted a live Zoom session where I break down this structure step by step and answer questions about writing better content. I’ve included the full recording below so you can watch it whenever you have a few minutes. 🎥
Click the button below to watch the full recording! And don’t forget to enter the passcode to access.
Passcode: 5W%h8y*1
If you enjoyed this and want to go even more in depth, Content College is where I teach the full system. How to write your story, editing, color, structure, and so much more —built for creators who want to level up.
How to Use Relight: A Step-by-Step Guide
Upload your image: Open Relight and load the photo you want to enhance.
Navigate through the Relight tab: Notice the control panel on the sidebar.
Set your direction: Start by clicking Front to illuminate the subject, or drag the manually control the pad to find a unique angle.
Refine the mood: Toggle between Soft and Hard light depending on the vibe you want.
Generate: Once you are happy with the settings, click the yellow Generate button. In just a few seconds, Higgsfield’s AI will re-render your image with your new lighting setup.
Have a question about cameras/editing/technical skills? Ask me anonymously HERE!
Question of the Week:
Hi Adrian, I would like to ask how you navigate through creative blocks and if you’ve ever created something to the end, only to scrap it because it didn’t align with you anymore and why? PS - love your work, thank you for doing what you do🙏🏽
Submitted by: Jennifer
From Adrian 💬
Great question. And yes, I’ve definitely finished projects only to scrap them at the end.
Creative blocks usually happen for one of two reasons. Either forcing an idea that isn’t fully formed yet, or you’re trying to create something that doesn’t actually excite me anymore.
When that happens, I don’t try to push harder. I usually step away for a bit and let my brain and idea breathe. Go outside, watch something inspiring, or just live life a little. A lot of times clarity comes when you stop staring directly at the problem.
Sometimes an idea felt right when I started, but by the time I finished it no longer aligned with where I was creatively.
That’s part of the process. Sometimes the project simply helped you get better. It doesn’t all have to be masterpieces
Remember y’all, real storytelling drives strong content. Check out the live Zoom session recording to dive deeper into storytelling! Thanks for being a part of APCC. Take care and as always, happy creating. ✌️
