# writing the story Story is the foundation of all animation. It is the plan for what is going to happen. It is the narrative that guides the [story arc](https://thewritepractice.com/story-arcs/) from start to finish. In an animated cartoon, the story can be about the characters and their interactions. It can be about their motivations and actions. Story can also be about feelings and the nuances of tone and emotion. In other types of animation, such as motion graphics, story can be as simple as notes on the sequence of events. For example, logo fades in from top followed by text sliding in from the side. Usually, the story is text-based, such as a formal script or a short story treatment or even just written notes. The point here is to establish the overall narrative flow. Here are [Pixar’s rules for great storytelling](https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/pixars-rules-for-great-storytelling/) as a guide for what you can do to create a compelling story. The [Periodic Table of Storytelling](https://jamesharris.design/periodic/) is a great dive into the tropes and patterns in how stories are told. It is an organized front end for the wonderfully deep [TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org) site. --- Learn more… - [Pixar storytelling formula](https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/the-pixar-storytelling-formula-an-inside-look/) - [Pixar in a box: storytelling](https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/pixar/storytelling/we-are-all-storytellers/v/storytelling-introb) --- tags: #animation #resources home: [[! animation]]