The secrets to shadow dance group's amazing animated stories

Two years after winning series seven of Britain's Got Talent, Hungarian shadow dancers Attraction have been signed to star in another multi-million pound TV advertising campaign. Understanding why the group's animated routines are still so popular can help us create better scribes.

An amazing animation starts with a super story

Attraction's performers work together to create a stunning animation effect, telling a narrative story by forming a series of silhouette scenes with their bodies.

In their BGT semi-final routine, we're shown all the joy and pain of one man's journey from birth to fatherhood. Just like a great scribe, the routine relies on a powerful story.

Suspense and emotion are powerful storytelling tools

Two things make Attraction's 'animated' dance stories so popular:

1. Suspense - Waiting for the dancers to assemble and reveal each new scene is exciting. Seeing something unexpected is a happy surprise. The suspense is what grabs and keeps our attention.
2. Emotion - We become passengers on our hero's journey to adulthood via adventure, heartbreak and joy. We experience these emotions too and this makes the story far more memorable for us.

Tips for your next scribe

Add more emotive language to your next video script. Emotional content - even something simple such as 'we were delighted' - triggers an emotional response in your viewer. This emotional connection makes them more likely to remember and re-tell your story.

Use visual metaphor to make your animation more surprising. Bring your words to life with images that the viewer wouldn't have expected - try not to rely on the obvious illustration of an idea. Read our illustrator Kate's top tips for making powerful visual metaphors.