Pixar are the masters of Story and the way they operate can bring more than just story to your career as a filmmaker.

At this point Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling may be nothing new to many people. Their list first started circulating around more than a decade ago. The 22 rules are still very much applicable to any writer, especially a writer starting out who is trying to figure out their voice. 

I am always a proponent of using rules and established structures when starting as a writer or creator. They give you a basis of knowledge that you can then use to bounce your new ideas and voice off of as you continue in your path. 

Know the rules so that you can break them. 

For those who do not know the 22 Rules of Storytelling by Pixar, I will list them below. However, there is more to take away from this than just how to write good stories like pixar. Continue on after the list of rules for more of that. 

List of rules.

1. You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.

2. You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be very different.

3. Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Now rewrite.

4. Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.

5. Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.

6. What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?

7. Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.

8. Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.

9. When you’re stuck, make a list of what WOULDN’T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.

10. Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.

11. Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.

12. Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.

13. Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.

14. Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it.

15. If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.

16. What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.

17. No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.

18. You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.

19. Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

20. Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d’you rearrange them into what you DO like?

21. You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can’t just write ‘cool’. What would make YOU act that way?

22. What’s the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.

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When Pixar started out they made a list of things they did NOT want to do, things like: no songs. The list was a way to ensure they distinguished themselves from other mainstream animation at the time. 

So they had a list of things they didn't want to do. Then eventually they made a list of how they should tell their stories. 

Anyone catching on to the theme here?

Lists. Planning. 

Yes Pixar of course is a business so for sure they should have lists and planning. Their lists are unique because they are about creativity. How to be creative, how to think creatively. That was their business. They are in the business of being creative - a creativity that audiences can connect too. 

That is where many people fail.

Side note here, nothing wrong with failure, as long as you learn and move forward from it. There are things you can do, to slow down or stop certain failures. 

Lists are a good one. Like Pixar in understanding the type of company they wanted to be and didn't want to be. Like Pixar in the types of stories they wanted to tell and how to tell them. You too should be thinking about lists. 

When you are working on your next film, make a list of the things you are hoping to accomplish from your film. But also, make a list of things you do not want to do with your film. 

For example a simple I WANT list:

• I want my film to be accepted in A, B, C, festivals. 

• I want to use my film to get me an agent. 

• I want my film to be seen by the Gen Z demographic. 

And then your do not list. Pixar understood why this is important. When you also know what to stay away from, it helps guide your choices. We all know where we want to go, but how often do we think about where we don’t want to go. 

For example a simple I DO NOT WANT list:

• I do not want to use private investment.

• I do not want to try to sell my film for theatrical release.

• I do not want a non creative producer aboard my film. 

Now with your lists you can really begin to plan out how you will achieve your goal with your film but also the areas of what you want to stay away from. It is not uncommon to just dive in and get started, then you find a producer because you are eager for a producer, but they have no creative inspiration and only see your project from the logistics point of view and you butt heads with them.  

Remember, each film, each project, will take so much from you. Time, energy, money, and emotion. You want to ensure you are fully prepared to give as much of that as you can. Lists plotting out your goals and what you want to stay away from, will help guide your time, energy, money, and emotions in the right way. 

Take a moment today and think about the project you are currently working on or are planning to work on. Make a list of where you want to end up with it. Also make a list of things you want to stay away from - things that could possibly come up along your journey but you don't want to be blindsided in making choices you’ll regret. 

When you do that, you have created your 22 rules of your story's journey from idea to revenue. 

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