The Story Spine: Pixar’s Storytelling Structure

Pixar has, over and over again, proven themselves one of the greatest storytellers in the world of filmmaking. It’s evident not only with their accolades but also the sheer amount of nostalgia people have for their iconic films. So what’s the secret to their long-term success? 

The Story Spine

The story spine structure went viral in 2011 after storyboard artist Emma Coats tweeted Pixar’s “22 Rules For Storytelling.” It was rule #4 on the list.

It is not, however, a Pixar original—they just made it famous. A playwright and improv actor named Kenn Adams created it sometime in the ’90s to demonstrate how to tell a great story to his students. Rebecca Stockley, a Pixar employee, chanced upon one of his classes and brought it back to the company. 

It’s a short and quick technique that helps you create the shape of your story while maintaining some spontaneity. And it works! Pixar went on to make commercially and culturally successful films like Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Cars.

The 7 Steps of a Story Spine

The story spine involves 7 starting sentences, each serving a different purpose. You improvise the latter parts, thus completing the story. 

Here is a breakdown of these sentences.

1. Once Upon a Time…

This is where you set the stage. As a storyteller, your first duty is to always introduce your characters and settings.

Remember, your readers will always have the same questions at the start. What’s the story about? Who are the characters? Where is it taking place?

This is your chance to quickly immerse your readers into the story you’ve created. Your readers don’t need to know everything. You just need to give them enough information for them to understand what’s happening and whether to continue.

2. And Every Day…

You’ve set the stage, now you need to set the scene. This is where you flesh out the world they are living in. What is life like in this world?

Introduce your characters’ daily lives, circumstances, obstacles, and relationships. This information not only adds to your readers’ understanding but also gives them hints of the changes that are about to come.

3. Until One day…

Whether your characters are doing well or not, something happens that throws their world off balance. It forces them to do something, make changes, achieve goals, and experience something new.

In other story structures, this is your inciting incident. You’re introducing the pivotal event that raises the stakes and launches the story.

4. And Because of That…

This is where you explore the consequences and effects of your inciting incident. Your characters begin to pursue their goals and face challenges. Build tension to keep your readers invested and the story interesting.

5. And Because of That…

As your characters progress, their actions create a ripple effect—for good or bad. This part sees them facing additional challenges and achieving some goals. 

But the story isn’t over yet. Things escalate as they progress, eventually leading to the climax of the story. Depending on your story, you might even add a few more “because of that” to your structure. 

6. Until Finally…

This part is your climax. The emotions and stakes are at their highest. Your characters must finally confront their greatest obstacles.

This is where your characters need to make big decisions. They must undergo significant growth and face their fears to overcome the conflict and set the resolution into motion.

7. And Ever Since That Day…

This part brings your story to a close. The conflict is resolved and you inform your audience on what this means for your characters. This could be a sad ending or a happy one.

Show how your characters have changed and how these changes affect the world. If the story has a moral, this is the time to share it. 

Examples

Here are two stories outlined using the story spine. 

A Bug’s Life

Once upon a time, there was a worker ant. And every day, he would think of different ways to collect food for his colony. Until one day, his invention breaks and destroys the food meant for the colony’s grasshopper bullies. 

Because of that, the grasshoppers demand more food. Because of that, the worker ant left to find help and save his colony. Because of that, he found a group of circus insects willing to help. 

Until finally, they defeat the grasshoppers. And ever since that day, the ants lived happily. 

Wall-E

Once upon a time, Earth was covered in garbage, the humans have left the planet, and only a robot called Wall-E is left behind. And every day, Wall-E cleaned up trash and collected interesting stuff he found. Until one day, another robot named Eve arrives, seeking signs of life.

Because of that, Wall-E shows her his most recent discovery: a seedling. Because of that, Eve takes the plant and returns to its mothership full of humans. Because of that, the humans prepare to return to Earth but are stopped by the ship’s autopilot, Auto.

Until finally, the robots outsmart Auto and bring the humans back to Earth. And ever since that day, humans and robots have worked to turn the ravaged planet into a paradise.

Should You Use the Story Spine?

The story spine is an excellent tool to use when you’re dealing with writer’s block or choice paralysis. It simplifies your storytelling process, breaking down your story into its most important elements.

And because it is simple, it allows you to quickly change or improvise details. You get the benefits of a structure without stifling your creativity. 

The next time you’re in a slump, try forming a story using these seven steps. They might get you where you want to go or point you to an unexpected but amazing new direction. 

What’s your opinion on Pixar’s story spine? Share your thoughts below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• Using the Seven-Point Story Structure To Build Your Narratives
• Using a Short Story Structure to Write a Great Story
• Using the Dan Harmon Story Circle to Structure Your Narrative
• Writing Structure: Definition and Examples