The Simple Story Framework That Built Pixar’s Greatest Hits
whatshot 36 snips
Mar 24, 2025
Discover the simple yet powerful 8-step Story Spine that has shaped classics like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Explore how this structure, created in an improv class, helps storytellers craft emotionally impactful narratives. Uncover the importance of the inciting incident and climax in engaging audiences, and learn how to apply these principles to your own writing. Delve into iconic films to see how basic frameworks underpin their success, turning storytelling into an art form accessible to everyone.
15:16
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Pixar's Adoption of the Story Spine
In 1997, Pixar employee Rebecca Stockley learned the Story Spine from improv teacher Ken Adams.
She brought it to Pixar, where it became integral to their process and a key part of their legendary run.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Master the Story Spine
Learn the eight steps of the Story Spine: Once upon a time..., every day..., until one day..., etc.
Practice applying the Story Spine to movies and novels you enjoy.
question_answer ANECDOTE
The Goonies and the Story Spine
The Goonies find a treasure map and embark on an adventure to save their neighborhood.
They face the Fratellis, overcome obstacles, and ultimately escape with some treasure.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
"It's not the frame of your house that makes it a beautiful home—but without it, the house falls apart. It's the same with your story." — Rain Bennett
What if we told you that some of the best stories of all time—from Toy Story to Finding Nemo—were all built on the same simple 8-step framework?
In this episode of The Storytelling Lab, Rain breaks down the Story Spine, a storytelling structure originally developed by improv teacher Kenn Adams and later adopted by the storytelling giants at Pixar.
Rain takes us through the full arc of this framework, from its humble beginnings in a California improv class to its now-iconic place in Pixar’s creative process. He shares how this deceptively simple structure helps storytellers stay grounded while crafting emotional, impactful narratives.
You’ll also hear real movie examples (like The Goonies and Rocky) broken down with this method, and learn how to apply it to your own work—whether that’s a film, blog post, or Instagram caption. If you want to tell better stories with more clarity and impact, start with the spine.
In this episode, you will learn to:
Master the art and science of story structure by using the Story Spine to frame compelling narratives with clarity.
Unlock the key to narrative flow by linking events with causation, not coincidence.
Discover the simple strategy to show transformation with two powerful moments of change: the inciting incident and the climax.
Learn how even top storytellers like Pixar use basic structure as a foundation before adding heart, character, and color.
Apply a timeless framework to your own content—from short videos to keynote speeches to brand storytelling.
The Storytelling Lab