The Importance of the Semblance of Truth in Storytelling

Truth In Storytelling

The primary downfall of many film stories is the lack of verisimilitude— the semblance of truth. It’s what gives us a reason to care about the characters and their story. Verisimilitude in movies takes two forms: story logic and emotional truth.

When I headed the development department at Pixar years ago, I spoke at a conference after Finding Nemo was released. After my talk, a young woman approached me to share how much the film meant to her.

She was from San Diego and had grown up by the ocean—her life experience mirrored the fictional world of Nemo. She told me loved everything about Finding Nemo. “It was fantastic!” she blurted. “But real!”

Fantastic but real. That is the essence of successful storytelling.

In great films, we care about fictional characters and what becomes of them because they are grounded in emotional truth. In Finding Nemo, we never question Marlin’s desire to shelter his son, nor do we doubt Nemo’s yearning for independence. These motivations are emotionally true.

Great storytellers make us care deeply, feel deeply, make us laugh and feel saddened to tears because of the truth of their portrayals. It’s why we can be happily transported and transfixed by the plight of childhood toys and talking fish.

Read on here to learn the Secret to Stories that are loved by all.

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