Bill McCullough is an award-winning senior executive, Emmy-winning director, and content expert with over three decades of experience in content creation, including more than a decade in the digital space. He is widely recognized for his expertise in documentary storytelling, original content development and architecting digital ecosystems.
New York Festivals TV & Film Awards: Nine of your 11 Emmy Awards are in the documentary space, showcasing your strength in this genre. You have also earned Emmys as a Director, Creative Director, Composer, and Editor. Share your thoughts about the future of storytelling.
The Future of Content: A Perspective from the Forefront of Storytelling
Bill McCullough: As someone who has navigated the evolving landscape of content creation—from the golden age of traditional television at HBO, NBC, ESPN, and NFL to the fast-paced digital realm of GoPro, Faze Clan, and the XFL — one truth remains constant: great storytelling is at the heart of everything we do. The platforms may have changed, and the audience behaviors may have evolved, but the essence of a compelling story has not. At its core, storytelling is about emotion and connection. It’s about crafting experiences that resonate on a deeply human level.
In the world of traditional television, where I honed my craft directing and editing Emmy-winning documentaries, programs and campaigns, the focus was on long-form narratives with the luxury of time to immerse viewers. In contrast, my work in digital spaces, where content can be as short as 15 seconds or as interactive as a livestream, challenged me to adapt that same level of emotional resonance to vastly different formats. The key has always been understanding the audience—what drives them, what they care about, and how to make them feel something real.
Good stories, whether told in a two-hour documentary or a 20-second TikTok, share universal components: authenticity, a sense of purpose, and an emotional arc that stays with the audience long after the screen goes dark. These are the anchors of great content, and they are timeless. As we move into a future where AI, immersive technology, and new platforms reshape how stories are told, it’s essential to remember that tools and trends will come and go, but the human need for connection will remain unchanged.
The future of content lies not in chasing every new technology but in mastering the art of evoking emotion. Whether it’s inspiring hope, provoking thought, or sparking joy, our role as creators is to bridge the gap between medium and meaning, ensuring that no matter how the content landscape evolves, the story always comes first.
NYF: Recently, you launched a YouTube channel with former NFL coach Jon Gruden, accumulating over 60,000 subscribers and 10 million impressions in its first week. Could you talk about the development process involved? Any backstories you can share?
Gruden Loves Football: A YouTube Sensation That’s Changing the Game
Bill McCullough: Launching Gruden Loves Football with the legendary Jon Gruden has been an incredible venture, blending the art of storytelling with the science of building a scalable, multi-platform business. The idea was sparked by my dear friend Jay Rothman, the visionary producer of Monday Night Football, who brought Gruden into the broadcast booth years ago. Together, with our incredibly lean and powerful team, we set out to create something more than just a show—a fan-first platform where Coach Gruden could share his unfiltered insights and unmatched passion for football.
The results have exceeded our expectations. In the first two weeks, the channel surpassed 100,000 subscribers—a milestone few achieve so quickly—and over the first eight weeks, it generated more than 50 million impressions. These numbers aren’t just metrics; they’re proof of the audience’s hunger for authentic, dynamic content. By focusing on Gruden’s unique voice and leveraging the immediacy of YouTube, we connected directly with fans in a way that traditional platforms often can’t.
The success of Gruden Loves Football lies in its ability to transcend being just a show and evolve into a fully realized ecosystem. By focusing on authentic storytelling and leveraging multiple platforms, we’ve created something that connects deeply with fans while opening doors to sustainable growth. The strategy blends content, distribution, and monetization in a way that allows the brand to flourish across mediums. It’s about building more than an audience—it’s about creating a foundation for something lasting, adaptable, and impactful, with endless possibilities for where it can go next.
NYF: What are the most profound changes you’ve noticed in the art of storytelling in the past 5 years?
Bill McCullough: Having spent decades at the forefront of storytelling across documentaries, sports media, and digital platforms, I’ve witnessed an unprecedented revolution in the past five years. Audiences are consuming content in entirely new ways, and it’s reshaping how we, as creators, approach the craft of storytelling.
The 2020 pandemic brought one of the most profound shifts in the art of storytelling: the normalization of lower-quality visuals. As the world pivoted to Zoom calls, homegrown content, and self-shot productions, audiences quickly became desensitized to traditional notions of production quality. What mattered most was the authenticity and connection of the story being told, not the sharpness of the image or the lighting perfection. For example, late-night television shows aired segments filmed on smartphones, and even major studios released content shot entirely from home. While it was incredible to see how creators adapted to deliver entertainment under challenging circumstances, it also underscored a significant shift—audiences prioritized the quality of the narrative over the quality of the image.
At FaZe Clan, we embraced another key change: the rise of community-driven narratives. The esports and gaming audience thrives on interactivity and participation. They don’t want to just watch—they want to engage, comment, and even influence the direction of the story. Our content leaned heavily into this. We didn’t just create content for the audience; we created it with them, pulling insights from live-stream chats or leaning into trends born from the community itself. This collaborative storytelling approach made every piece of content feel personal, relevant, and alive.
The diversification of platforms has also been a game-changer. In my work with Dude Perfect at the NFL, we created unique content tailored to each platform. On YouTube, we leaned into longer, episodic content that showcased the guys’ incredible trick shots and humor, blending seamlessly with the NFL’s larger-than-life brand. Meanwhile, for Instagram and TikTok, we focused on fast, shareable clips that highlighted those jaw-dropping moments and instantly went viral. The key was understanding that each platform demanded a different kind of story, designed specifically for how audiences engaged with it.
And most recently, another transformative force in storytelling is artificial intelligence (AI), which is still in its infancy yet already redefining how stories are created, distributed, and consumed. From generative AI tools that can write scripts, create visuals, and compose music, to personalized content algorithms that tailor experiences to individual viewers, we are only beginning to scratch the surface of what this technology can do.
Storytelling today is not just about adapting to these changes but embracing them. We’re no longer just creators—we’re architects of ecosystems where stories are told, retold, and co-created across platforms. As someone who’s worked in this space—from traditional sports media with HBO and the NFL to the cutting-edge digital worlds of GoPro and FaZe Clan—I’ve seen the power of this evolution. It’s not about simply telling a story anymore; it’s about crafting an experience that meets audiences where they are, on their terms, and in formats they crave.
For those of us in the entertainment and storytelling business, this is our moment to innovate. The tools are there, the audiences are ready, and the opportunities are endless. The question is: Are we ready to evolve our stories to match the times?