Vancouver Filmmaker Takes 'High Impact Storytelling' to Social Media Space
Written by: Inder Nirwan, Founder Kahani Films
I've been a filmmaker for as long as I could hold a camera. My dad brought home an old VHS camcorder. I was floored at the idea of making movies like the ones on T.V. I gathered my friends to recreate scenes from GoldenEye. My elementary school was the Russian bunker that I, James Bond, and friends raided. I realized that a wide shot without audio, lighting, or editing, filmed on a 1998 VHS camera, looked nothing like a real movie.
But the fun was real. I was in love with making movies.
Having graduated from Vancouver Film School in 2006, I followed my dreams to become a Hollywood director. My first job was at Bodog Fight TV show. Hot-headed producers contrasted with my romantic idea of movie sets, and this was a rude awakening. My next job was assistant editor with EA Games; an educational experience.
I felt I belonged on movie sets. I enlisted in a camera trainee program and landed on set. My camera career showed me the inner workings of films including Diary of Wimpy Kid 2,Night at the Museum 2, and T.V. shows, including Supernatural. The whimsical feeling from creating magic quickly became a tiring routine of long shifts and laborious physical work. My heart wasn't invested.
Soon, I was distraught and unemployed. The dream of making beautiful films was fading.
On Craigslist, I and found a post that read, “Do you dream of being the next Steven Spielberg?". I called and secured an interview, not knowing the employer; Lush Cosmetics.
Lush was exploding across North America. They needed a videographer to meet the emerging demand for digital content. I had no boss or direction. I was tasked with making videos to post online.
Lush’s “ethical campaigns" allocated company resources to support social impact imperatives. My first campaign was an anti-pipeline agenda. Enbridge had released a T.V. commercial promising economic prosperity via their pipeline. I was confident that I could create something powerful. I did. With a cheeky take, it fit Lush's brand personality. We posted the video on YouTube, and it went viral.
I was thrust into action with a globally recognized brand, freedom and unlimited camera gear. YouTube was now a professional category, and Facebook had recently purchased Instagram. Social media was emerging but still scoffed at by most companies. Lush's core audience was all over it. This was how I learned to navigate the changing culture around content marketing on social media.
Each video generated data for me to create successful frameworks. We experimented with storytelling. A highlight was the protest of grizzly bear game hunting in BC. At the time, it was legal to shoot bears for sport, at the detest of local citizens, scientists, and Coastal First Nations. I envisioned a meaningful documentary. I spent time in Bella Bella observing grizzlies alongside the legendary bear whisperer, Charlie Russel. We premiered the film at the VIFF Theatre and screened in rural communities across B.C. Six months later, the trophy hunt was banned.
I spent years chasing the romantic idea of moviemaking. Most of it was commerce, dressed up in craft. Here was a film that ended trophy hunting. Something clicked.
I left Lush and founded Kahani Pictures. Kahani is the Punjabi word for story. If one company was willing to pay me to make impact films, maybe other purpose-driven companies would too. The early days were humbling. I cold-called nonprofits that could barely afford a tripod, but the work kept proving itself.
The landscape for impact storytelling had shifted; audiences were skeptical.
Those who saw the value in our relationship-based approach gave us the leeway to prove that our approach to storytelling works. A Kickstarter campaign we supported hit 1300% of its goal. A nonprofit we filmed unlocked millions in grant funding.
We learned that any story, regardless of the audience, can be told in a way that moves people. While the work grew, I was repeatedly asked by business owners if we could help with social media. We could.
I dusted off frameworks I invented at Lush and applied them to my personal Instagram. In two weeks, I gained 20K followers on a cold account. That experiment became Social Studios at Kahani.
Social media works when you stop selling and start sharing. Our framework for scroll-stopping content is simple. We focus on three things: a relatable character, a predictable format, and a unique perspective.
Let's break it down.
A relatable character is a multifaceted individual who shares the same passions, experiences, and viewpoints as the target audience. The more genuine this character comes across through the content, the more people feel they're engaging with a friend.
Practically, this means letting down one's guard and showing more of their lived experience. Weave your passions, hobbies, interests, and insecurities into the tapestry of stories to build trust.
A predictable format is the most effective way to build loyalty with viewers. For example, despite countless options on Netflix, viewers are often most excited when an old show pops up with "“new episodes". There's comfort in familiarity.
The best practice is to establish a look and feel to your content and serialize it. Treat your content like a recurring T.V. show where format, structure, and values become an expectation that viewers enthusiastically anticipate.
Finally, you need a unique perspective. This is your secret sauce. It’s the expertise, or behind-the-scenes access, that viewers can't get elsewhere. Think of Lush’s, “How It's Made" videos. This builds credibility, establishing you as the expert in your field.
Most businesses are failing on social because they're saying the wrong things in the wrong order. The content exists but story architecture doesn't. Online communities feel that absence even when they can't name it.
What we bring to Social Studios clients is the same methodology we use in our documentary work. We find the tension in what they do, build a voice around it, and create a content program providing audiences reasons to keep showing up. The results often surprise people who have spent years grinding with posting schedules with little to show for it.
I still manage my own Instagram channel alongside client work. I enjoy it and it keeps me honest. If the frameworks stop working, I'll know before I find out the hard way, with a client.
Twenty years into this journey, I'm still the kid who dragged his friends to the schoolyard with a VHS camera.
I just finally know what I'm trying to say.
Inder Nirwan is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of Kahani Pictures, whose impact films have helped purpose-led organizations connect deeply with the communities they serve.
