Designing with Empathy/How Every Story Begins with Listening

In my previous post, I talked about just how important the listening process is.

It's in those moments—when we catch the unspoken feelings and the essence of someone’s personality—that I believe the blueprint for a video begins to take shape.

But no matter how deep or heartfelt those stories are, they won’t truly resonate if we simply line them up one after another.

There has to be a thoughtful structure—a way to deliver those stories so they reach the heart naturally and effortlessly.

I’m always thinking about how to shape what I hear during the interview so it flows smoothly and speaks to the viewer's emotions.

This time, I’d like to share a bit about that process—how I build the structure of a story.

What This Article Covers:

1. Structure Begins with Identifying the Core Message

   Clarifying the theme is the first step to creating a story that truly connects.

2. Discovering the Client’s Unique Voice Through the Hearing Sheet

   I organize subtle thoughts to reveal the client’s essence and individuality.

3. Perspective Changes Everything in Video

   One shift in viewpoint can transform the entire tone of a video.

4. How I Build Structure – A Real Example from a Local Bakery

   A case study showing how theme and perspective shape the final video.

5. To Structure a Story Is to Design for Empathy

   Structure isn’t just order—it’s a way to guide emotion and create connection.

1. Structure Begins with Identifying the Core Message

   
   

   

   
   

Once the hearing session is over, the first thing I do is identify the core theme.

Is the focus of the story a person, an object, or an event?

Clarifying that central axis is the first step in building a strong narrative structure.

If we move forward without a clear theme, the final video may feel scattered or unfocused.

Another important reason for defining the theme is to clearly determine who the audience is—the people we truly want to reach.

Of course, creating a video that satisfies the client is essential.

But beyond that, I believe it’s only when we clearly understand who the story is meant for that we can create something that truly resonates.

2. Discovering the Client’s Unique Voice Through the Hearing Sheet

   

With the theme in mind, I go back and review my original hearing sheet—the one I used during the session.

This sheet captures the client’s own words about their values, background, and their perceived strengths and weaknesses.

But I don’t just focus on the surface-level information.

I pay close attention to the subtle, unconscious elements that appeared in our conversation—pauses, shifts in tone, changes in atmosphere, and the nuances between the lines.

By carefully revisiting these layers, the client’s unique qualities—often things even they hadn’t fully recognized—begin to emerge.

And as those hidden truths come into focus, the structure of the story begins to take shape naturally.

3. Perspective Changes Everything in Video

   
   

   

Another important element I consider is how the story should be told on screen.

I often ask myself whether the theme should be expressed in an active or passive way.

For example, one approach is to let the subject speak openly about their thoughts and feelings, delivering the message in a clear and direct manner.

On the other hand, I might intentionally avoid dialogue, allowing their gestures, pauses, and presence to quietly reveal what lies beneath.

Which approach brings out their true essence more naturally?

That decision ultimately shapes the tone and emotional impact of the entire video.

4. How I Build Structure – A Real Example from a Local Bakery

   
   

   

Let’s take the example of a small bakery tucked away in an old-fashioned shopping street.

Its sign is modest, and it’s a little hard to find—but locals know it fondly as “the place with the classic koppepan.”

Their traditional Japanese milk buns have long-time fans who keep coming back.

But in recent years, rising costs have forced them to raise prices, and now they’re struggling to attract new customers.

If a business like this reached out for a video, here are some of the possible narrative directions I would consider:

• Focusing on the product—the koppepan itself

• Highlighting the craftsmanship of the staff who bake bread each day

• Centering the owner’s story, values, and the shop’s history

• Telling the story from the viewpoint of loyal local customers, emphasizing the shop’s place in the community

  
  

There are many ways the story could be structured.

To determine which direction is most effective, I rely heavily on the insights from the hearing session and my own hearing sheet analysis.

Sometimes, a single offhand remark from the owner becomes the emotional core of the video.

Other times, a staff member’s quiet morning routine turns out to be the perfect way to open the story.

By weaving together these elements, I design a structure that connects what the client wants to express with the people they want to reach.

5. To Structure a Story Is to Design for Empathy

If needed, I’ll adjust the interview itself—what questions to ask or whether to include an interview at all.

I also consider whether the story should unfold as a raw, documentary-style piece　or if it would benefit from a more structured, intentionally directed approach to make the message clearer.

For me, building a structure isn’t just about deciding the order of scenes.

It’s about crafting an emotional flow—a design process that leads to empathy.

I take the unspoken feelings I receive during the hearing, and I translate them into something that gently reaches someone’s heart through the medium of video.

That’s the style—and the belief—that guides how I structure every story.

If you have something you want to share but aren’t quite sure how to shape it, I’d be happy to talk with you.

Even just a casual inquiry is more than welcome.

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