#172: The Diary of a CEO’s Director of Trailers, Anthony Smith — Storytelling Through Video and Writing: Audience Psychology, Intrigue, and Retention

Dec 15, 2025

Anthony Smith, the Director of Trailers for The Diary of a CEO, brings a wealth of experience from working with Disney and Marvel. He dives into the art of storytelling, emphasizing the crucial 3–5 seconds for capturing attention. Discover how to create compelling hooks and cliffhangers that keep audiences 'gutted' for answers. Anthony also discusses the balance of intrigue and respect in storytelling, the emotional rollercoaster in narratives, and the importance of testing titles and thumbnails. His insights bridge video storytelling and fiction writing, making it a must-listen!

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ADVICE

Win The First 3–5 Seconds

You have roughly three to five seconds to grab attention on social or in opening lines.
Craft hooks that earn attention immediately or the audience will scroll or switch off.

ANECDOTE

From Social Assets To Filming Jason Statham

Anthony started by making social assets and behind-the-scenes films for Bond and Disney and was later sent to film Jason Statham on set.
That Hollywood access trained him to craft narratives from raw footage and varied assets.

ANECDOTE

Turning Podcast Trailers Into Documentaries

Anthony joined The Diary of a CEO by chance after burnout from white-label agency work and no podcasting background.
He repurposed film and TV conventions to make podcast trailers feel like Netflix documentaries.

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The Diary of a CEO’s Director of Trailers, Anthony Smith, on capturing attention in the first few seconds, building cliffhangers and emotional momentum that keep audiences watching (or reading), and testing hooks and packaging without losing trust or story.

You'll learn:

Why you only have 3–5 seconds to earn attention, and what that changes about your opening lines and first scenes.
How to take the guesswork out of hooks by testing titles and thumbnails to see what audiences actually care about.
Ways to pull a more compelling later moment forward and work in reverse when the early material is setup.
What makes a cliffhanger work across books and videos, and how to raise the stakes so people feel “gutted” not knowing the answer.
How to build an “emotional rollercoaster” so the narrative never flatlines.
Why sound and silence can help storytelling work, creating intensity and then giving the audience space to breathe.
How to balance intrigue with respect for your audience by offering a “moment of value” instead of holding everything back.
Why giving away too much can kill curiosity, and how to protect the reason someone keeps reading or watching.

Resources and Links:

About Anthony Smith

Anthony Smith is Director of Trailers at The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, where he leads storytelling through video for one of the world’s most-watched podcasts, and his work spans Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Sky, and Netflix. Through talks and consulting, he helps creators and brands combine narrative craft with human psychology to make emotionally engaging, purposeful content.

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