💡What Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) can show us about storytelling?

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A glorious Friday to all you, Inbox Hackers. Today, I’m breaking down how the best storyteller (maybe the last one that’s any count) in Hollywood makes shows that audiences love. This should help you take your storytelling up a notch.

Then, we’ll wrap this week up like a figure-4 leglock with this Week’s Marketing Wrap-Up (several cool tools included).  

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How Does Taylor Sheridan Do it?

This dude pumps out an insane amount of projects… in a hurry too.

I can’t tell you how to reach that level of productivity, except to say:

• Don’t listen to critics

• Write or produce only stuff that you want to consume

• Don’t look for productivity hacks - just work on one thing at a time, DAILY

Here’s how successful Sheridan’s been the past few years and doing storytelling right is how I believe he’s produced so many hits.

• Sheridan's breakthrough came with his screenplay for "Sicario" (2015) 

• He got an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay for "Hell or High Water" (2016)

• Sheridan created the hit TV series "Yellowstone," which became one of the most-watched shows on American television (despite Kevin Costner’s “acting”)

• He expanded the "Yellowstone" universe with successful spin-offs  "1883" and "1923"

• Sheridan has created and produced several other popular TV series, including "Mayor of Kingstown" and "Lioness"

• His TV projects have become so valuable Paramount reportedly spends an estimated $500 million annually on his shows

BTW, Taylor Sheridan didn’t really start his writing career until he was 40… and Wind River is prolly the best movie I’ve seen in the past 7 years - ICYMI.

Let’s break down his storytelling style. One that anybody can mimic because that’s what he did.

Taylor Sheridan’s Storytelling Techniques

 Character Depth

The guy creates complex characters shaped by their experiences and moral dilemmas, making them relatable and engaging. He loved Larry McMurtry’s characters in Lonesome Dove. It shows up in his work. Mimic the greats - the greats you love - and put your own spin on your characters.

Authentic Dialogue (plain talk)

His characters speak naturally, giving insights into their motivations and personalities. Any viewer can understand what’s happening in Yellowstone, which helps make it popular - except for critics at high-brow news outlets. 

Shifty Narratives

Sheridan often uses non-linear storytelling to keep audiences invested and add layers to the plots. Dude is so creative he could have solely written Yellowstone spinoffs and extended the main Yellowstone series to a 25-year run if he had wanted to. That tells you all you need to know about the boom of short-form content… 

Make your content epic, and it can be as long as you like — people will stay tuned in. 

Visual Storytelling

As a director, he uses visuals to establish atmosphere and advance the narrative.

Thematic Exploration

His works frequently involve themes like violence, redemption, and the complexities of the American West.

Why His Shows Resonate

1. Be real: Sheridan's background in Texas and Wyoming lends credibility to his showing off rural American life. Try to only create content you understand or at least have a personal angle on. 

2. Wide Appeal: His stories connect with different types of viewers, from rural to urban viewers.

3. Genre Change-ups: Sheridan often challenges traditional Western tropes, offering fresh perspectives.

4. Morality: His narratives explore the consequences of characters' actions and inaction.

5. Visual Style: Sheridan's productions are known for memorable visual portrayals of American landscapes.

6. Emotional Impact: He crafts stories with simple plots but intense emotional depth, drawing viewers in. Anybody in America, despite a low IQ or being hungover, can understand the feeling of a tense family dinner. They also recognize who the good guy / gal is immediately with save-the-cat type set-ups like below. 

All these storytelling techniques are available to you - and me too. 

Don’t think Taylor Sheridan has some kind of secret skill. 

He would be the first to admit he’s not that smart. I recall him saying he flunked out of college a few times.

His success came when he leaned into creating the type of stories he himself loved watching. Then, when he had success, he didn’t slow down to admire his “greatness.”

Sure, there was luck involved with him reaching superstar producer status. Any of those shows I mentioned above could have easily flopped for a variety of reasons. 

Thing is… A lackluster outcome would not have made Mayor of Kingstown any less great, though. Same goes for Wind River. 

“Thinking about the outcome of a project has no place in the creative process.” ~Rick Rubin

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Shane McLendon - Copy Kingpin

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