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Beach Shack Productions: Strategic Narrative, 39, Agnes Water (2025)

20/12/2025

Something happened recently that stopped me in my tracks.

A founder I work closely with received a letter in the mail from someone they had never met. Inside was a request to commission something deeply personal and high-stakes. No meeting. No call. No pricing discussion.

Six months earlier, that would not have happened.

What changed wasn’t persuasion or positioning. It was familiarity. Using a narrative engine, we consistently showed the same person, the same standards, and the same way of working across multiple channels. Social. Email. Radio. Television.

Not as advertising. As presence.

Over time, the work became recognisable. People understood how decisions were made. They felt confident in what the process would be like before ever reaching out.

By the time that letter arrived, the decision had already been made. The job was won without a conversation because the story had already answered the questions that matter.

This is the part most businesses miss.

Storytelling isn’t content. It’s infrastructure. When it’s built properly, it removes risk before money is ever discussed.

That’s when growth stops feeling heavy.

Not because you’re pushing harder, but because trust arrives before the conversation ever begins.

19/12/2025

One mistake I see new founders make again and again is worrying about the wrong problem at the wrong time.

I’ve spoken to several business owners recently who say they’re hesitant to tell their story, show up online, or even put themselves on their website because of this belief:

“If I make myself the face of the business now, no one will want to buy it in five years.”

That’s simply not true.

It’s a future problem, and a very good one to have.

What you’re really assuming in that moment is:
• the business will succeed
• buyers will be interested
• and the biggest issue will be you being too visible

Most businesses never get that far, not because the founder showed up too much, but because they never built enough trust early on.

Here’s how it actually works in the real world:

If a business is strong enough to attract buyers, it’s also strong enough to manage a transition.

There’s a handover period.
There’s a new leader introduced.
There are shared appearances, shared posts, and a gradual shift in visibility.

That happens after success, not instead of it.

Worrying about exit strategy before you’ve built momentum often becomes the very thing that stops momentum from happening at all.

Early on, people don’t buy from brands.They buy from clarity, confidence, and leadership.

And most of the time, that starts with the founder.

Solve today’s problem first. Let future success create future options.

Rowen Franklin
Founder, Beach Shack Productions

17/12/2025

Running a media production company taught me something I wish I’d learned earlier:

The best opportunities don’t come to you.
You have to build them.

I used to think that if I just did great work, the right doors would open.

What I’ve learned instead is this:
The work gets noticed after you solve the right problem.

The most valuable opportunities come from:
• Observing what’s happening in your community
• Identifying a real problem leaders are quietly carrying
• Mapping a solution that creates a clear return, revenue, trust, or social licence

It’s no different to hiring an employee.

You don’t hire someone just because they’re talented.
You hire them because they give you back time, reduce risk, or grow the business.

The same logic applies to media and storytelling.

At senior levels, people don’t want to do the work of:
• Diagnosing the problem
• Designing the solution
• Justifying the investment

If you can walk in with all three already done and make the ROI obvious, you stop being “a production company” and start becoming a strategic partner.

That’s how I think about running a media business now.

Not waiting for opportunities.
Actively creating them.

Rowen Franklin
Founder, Beach Shack Productions

16/12/2025

You’re thinking 2026 is the year you expand your business. Before you commit, do this first.

I was having a conversation this week with a founder considering regional expansion.

-New location.
- New market.
- Real costs.
- Real risk.

What we agreed on was simple and often overlooked:

Use content to test demand before you sign anything.

A lot of businesses create content just to stay visible.
But content should support a future decision.

If you’re planning to expand into a new town, region, or market, content becomes a low-risk way to answer one critical question:

Do people actually want this, here?

You can:

• create content targeted specifically to that region
• tell the story of why you’re expanding
• introduce the idea early
• invite expressions of interest
• build curiosity and momentum over time

If you can’t generate engagement, conversations, or even a small waitlist before committing, that’s valuable feedback.

It’s far cheaper to learn that lesson through content
than through a 12-month lease, new staff, and sunk costs.

Content isn’t just about reach. It’s about reducing uncertainty.

Used well, it gives founders confidence before they walk through what is often a one-way door.

15/12/2025

Stories don’t fail because they aren’t filmed.
They fail because no one knows which stories matter or how to connect them over time.

Most organisations don’t actually have a content problem.

They have a narrative clarity problem.

Content gets made.
Videos get commissioned.
Updates get posted.

But nothing compounds.

What I’ve learned working across multiple industries is this: without a system, content stays scattered — and scattered stories don’t build credibility, momentum, or trust.

That’s why a Narrative Engine matters.

It’s not about making more content.
It’s about turning what you already have into a cohesive narrative that builds belief over time.

And here’s the part most people miss:

It’s not about views.
It’s about who those views come from and what you want to shift as a result.

Sometimes the outcome is practical:

• learning more
• clicking a link
• starting a conversation

Other times, it’s deeper:

• changing how someone perceives your organisation
• aligning beliefs
• revealing values
• reshaping trust

That emotional shift is still an outcome.

A single story, told well, can genuinely change how someone sees the world and that’s incredibly powerful for something as simple as a piece of video content that can be watched, shared, and revisited over time.

So when you post something and it only gets 50 views, remember this:

One of those views might belong to someone with reach.
Or influence. Or decision-making power.

Narrative impact doesn’t come from chasing volume.
It comes from clarity, intention, and consistency.

And that’s how stories stop being noise and start working as infrastructure.

Rowen Franklin
Founder, Beach Shack Productions

14/12/2025

There’s a disconnect I keep noticing in regional Australia and it matters more than most organisations realise.

Heavy industry and large organisations invest millions into local communities. Jobs. Training pathways. Arts and culture. Infrastructure. Community programs.

The impact is real. The contribution is significant.

But the stories are almost invisible.

When I try to understand the real-world impact of this investment, I usually find:

• a line item buried in an annual report
• a dollar figure with no human context
• the occasional media release or news report

And that’s it.

If you try to trace those dollars back to actual outcomes — changed lives, new opportunities, restored confidence — it’s incredibly hard.
You have to actively go looking.

And here’s the issue:

Your community isn’t doing that kind of research.

Unless a program directly affects them, most people will never see it, never feel it, and never connect it back to your organisation.

Which means perception stays unchanged, even when the impact is enormous.

This is exactly why we developed the Narrative Engine at Beach Shack Productions.

Our work isn’t about producing one-off films or feel-good content.
It’s about building Narrative Infrastructure, identifying the human stories inside community investment, interviewing the people involved, and linking those stories together over time.

Because perception doesn’t shift through statistics.
It shifts through people.

When you hear from someone whose life trajectory changed because of a training program…
or a creative initiative…
or an employment pathway…

That’s when trust starts to form.That’s how social licence is actually built.

What struck me most is this:
I only found many of these programs because I was actively searching for them.

Most communities never will.

And that’s the opportunity.

If organisations want their contribution to be understood, not just recorded, the stories need to be visible, human, and ongoing.

Not hidden in reports.
Not reduced to numbers.

But told, consistently, by the people whose lives were changed.

That’s how perception shifts.
And that’s how trust compounds over time.

Rowen Franklin
Founder, Beach Shack Productions
Strategic Filmmaker & Story-Driven Growth Partner

13/12/2025

Most leaders are asking the wrong question.

“What content should we post?”
“What platform should we focus on?”
“What niche should we target?”

That’s not the real problem.

The real problem is this: People don’t remember content. They remember consistency in how you think and show up.

A niche tells people what you do.
A campaign tells people what’s new.

But Narrative Infrastructure tells people how your organisation sees the world and whether you’re worth trusting.

After years working with founders and corporate leaders across the Gladstone region, one pattern is clear:

The organisations that earn trust and keep it, aren’t louder. They’re clearer.

They return to the same ideas:

• why their work matters
• who it impacts
• what responsibility comes with their role in the community

Not once.
But repeatedly.
With intention.

That repetition isn’t noise.
It’s reassurance.

It creates familiarity.
It reduces confusion.
It builds credibility without needing to reintroduce yourself every time.

This is why I build Narrative Infrastructure through the Narrative Engine, a system that gives leaders the ability to shape, measure, and deliberately reinforce their narrative across every touchpoint with their community.

This goes beyond creating individual pieces of content even high-quality film.

Without Narrative Infrastructure, great stories remain isolated moments instead of assets that compound trust over time.

The goal isn’t volume. It’s consistency, clarity, and intention at scale.

Because whether you’re a founder solving the bottleneck of scale, or a corporate leader navigating social licence to operate, the question is the same:

If your organisation disappeared tomorrow, what idea would the community miss?

That answer isn’t a slogan. It’s not a campaign.

It’s your Narrative Infrastructure.

And when it’s built properly, you stop chasing attention, you start earning trust.

11/12/2025

Most founders don’t realise how powerful their story is… until they finally see it.

I delivered a brand story film for a client today, and I received this message straight after:

Messages like this remind me why storytelling matters so much — especially for regional businesses.

It’s never just about the visuals, the gear, or the edit.
It’s about helping the founder feel seen, and helping their audience understand the heart behind the brand.

When a business discovers the clarity inside its own story, everything shifts — confidence, communication, connection, and momentum.

To every leader who trusted me with their story this year, thank you.
This work is meaningful because of you.

If you’re building a brand that deserves to be understood, this is your reminder:

Your story is your most valuable asset.

If you’re interested in having your brand story told in a way that actually feels true to who you are, comment Brand Story below and I’ll send you an info pack.

10/12/2025

Myth: All Great Creators Are Naturally Good on Camera

(Just my take, but I’ve seen this play out hundreds of times.)

People often think their favourite creators have a gift.
-That they’re naturally confident.
-That they can talk to the camera without stumbling, pausing, or second-guessing themselves.

But here’s the truth:

Most of them sound exactly like the rest of us when the raw footage rolls.
-Ums.
-“You knows.”
-Stutters.
-Long pauses while they think.
-Losing their train of thought mid-sentence.

It’s not a flaw.
It’s what humans do when they’re talking about something that matters.

And the magic isn’t in the raw take, it’s in the craft.

-A few well-placed cuts.
-A switch between camera angles.
-B-roll layered over the moments where someone is searching for the right words.

Suddenly, what felt messy becomes clear.
What felt scattered becomes confident.
What felt uncomfortable becomes compelling.

It’s always rewarding watching someone see their own clarity and confidence on screen for the first time.

“I didn’t realise I spoke that well.”

I always smile and let them have that win,because the confidence boost is real.
And the next time they sit in front of the camera, you can see it.

-Their shoulders drop.
-Their voice settles.
-They speak with clarity because they’ve already seen themselves show up well.

So next time you film yourself and look at the raw footage and think, “I sound terrible” try this:

Cut the filler words.

-Cover the edits with a bit of B-roll.
-Add light background music.
-Just those small adjustments will surprise you.
You’ll see the version of yourself your audience sees, clear, confident, capable.

That’s the real transformation.

If you want to follow the journey of building a story-first media company from a small coastal town in regional Queensland and see what’s possible when you back authenticity over algorithms, stick around.

10/12/2025

In a world overflowing with AI-generated content, people aren’t craving more content; they’re craving authentic experiences, real people, personal service, and genuine community.

And you can feel the shift everywhere.

Even one of the biggest brands on the planet learnt this the hard way. Coca-Cola released an AI-generated Christmas ad, and the backlash was immediate. Cold. Uncanny. Soulless. Beautiful visuals, clever concept… but no humanity.

That reaction says something important:

When the story doesn’t feel real, people disconnect, no matter how big the budget is.

A lot of businesses are trying to use AI to fake authenticity: Stock avatars. Scripted “human-like” captions. Perfectly polished posts that sound like everyone and no one at the same time.

If you do that, you’re working against what your audience is actually looking for.

I’m not anti-AI. It has its place, speeding up admin, structuring ideas, organising your thinking, even accelerating the creative process. (Yes, AI helped tidy the structure here — that’s the point. I use it as a tool, not as the storyteller.)

But AI should never be the creative itself.

The moment you outsource your story to a machine, you lose the one thing your competitors can’t copy:

Your humanity.

Customers feel authenticity. Communities sense sincerity. And in 2026, trust is built by brands who sound like real people, not content engines.

Use AI as a tool — not a replacement. Because in a world full of automation, the most valuable thing you can offer is something AI cannot fabricate:

Authenticity isn’t a trend. It’s an anchor. And right now, it’s the most valuable asset your brand or organisation has.

And to the leaders who trusted me this year to help them show their true selves to the world, thank you.

Real stories only work when people are brave enough to share them.

04/12/2025

This is what it's all about.

For the Gladstone Chamber of Commerce & Industry Best in Business Awards 2025, we wanted to tell the real story of what makes our region special. It's not about a trophy; it's about the people.

It’s the story of Sherre French and Sub-Zero Treats, who took the confidence from one award and built an empire right here in our community.

It’s the story of Mark Shaw and Letia Shaw, and Deploy Workforce Solutions, and the moment a parent told them, "He's engaging with us again." That's the real victory.

And it's the story of leaders like Nikolas Stuart and SCA who don't just sponsor events, they invest in the future of our town.

So proud to have partnered with these incredible people to make sure their stories, and the story of our community, don't go unseen. This is the Gladstone Region Effect.

Rowen Franklin: Storyteller

03/11/2025

This isn't a great video because of the cinematography. It's a great video because Josh from Showcase Concrete & Polishing delivers a dream, and his client, Amber, is living in it.

My job as a strategic partner isn't to create a story from thin air. It's to find the truth of the value a leader creates and then build a narrative asset that serves as undeniable proof. This is what solving the "crisis of trust" looks like in the real world.

If you're a builder, architect, or homeowner wondering what it's like to work with a master craftsman who truly delivers on his promise, this is your answer.

Proud to have helped bring this proof to life.

Beach Shack Productions: Strategic Narrative

20/12/2025

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15/12/2025

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