Great Big Story
| Company type | Media enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media production |
| Founded | October 2015 |
| Founder | Andrew Morse, Courtney Coupe |
| Defunct | September 23, 2020 (initial shutdown) |
| Fate | Shut down in 2020; relaunched in 2023 in partnership with WhyNow and CNN |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Micro-documentaries |
Number of employees | 84 |
Great Big Story is a London-based media enterprise specializing in the production of micro-documentaries. Established in October 2015 by CNN, the company developed a library of 2,600 videos distributed across platforms such as Facebook and YouTube, focusing on distinctive and captivating topics.
The organization employed 84 individuals across three offices, with founders Andrew Morse and Courtney Coupe at the helm.
On September 23, 2020, Great Big Story communicated its shutdown through Twitter, followed by a final video posted on YouTube one week later. More than two years afterward, on January 16, 2023, the UK-based media firm WhyNow joined forces with CNN to revive Great Big Story. The relaunch was announced with a video titled "A New Chapter" released on February 15, 2023.
Founders
Chris Berend and Andrew Morse co-established the company. Berend’s media career began as director of content at ESPN, later advancing to head of video at Bloomberg Media Group and eventually serving as senior vice president of digital video at CNN. Morse spent 15 years at ABC News, rising to producer before leading Bloomberg Television. He joined CNN in 2013 and currently holds the position of Executive Vice President and General Manager of CNN Digital Worldwide.
While both were at CNN in 2015, Berend and Morse conceived the idea for Great Big Story. Berend manages strategy, operations, and audience growth, aiming to establish a brand that is "fundamentally optimistic, but not naïve." Morse focuses on delivering "remarkable feats of storytelling."
Video content
Great Big Story’s video productions are categorized into five primary themes: Human Condition, Frontiers, Planet Earth, Flavors, and Origins.
Human Condition
This segment centers on human stories and includes subcategories such as "More than a Day Job," "Defiant," "No Way!?," and "Music to my Ears."
"More than a Day Job" spotlights artisans, creators, and innovators with features like the operator of the final manual scoreboard or the first autistic actor cast in a lead theatrical role. "Defiant" highlights individuals defying societal expectations, including a bodybuilder with one arm and no legs or a blind athlete competing in Division 1 college football. "No Way!?" presents lesser-known narratives such as the high school project that inspired the design of the 50-star American flag. "Music to my Ears" shares unexpected music-related stories, including a choir formed by families of missing children who transform grief into hope.
Frontiers
The Frontiers category encompasses subcategories like "Portraits of the Artist," "Pushing Boundaries," "Wild World of Sports," and "Life in Space" featuring Leland Melvin. Portraits of the Artist showcases creators revealing their art and lifestyles, such as an artist constructing a human-sized bird’s nest or a rancher producing sculptures from scrap metal. Life in Space with Leland Melvin provides animated explorations into the experience of living and working in space. Wild World of Sports introduces audiences to unusual sports including unicycle football and varsity lumberjack contests. Pushing Boundaries covers a wide array of subjects from musicians crafting instruments out of wine glasses to slackliners balancing between mountain peaks.
Planet Earth
The Planet Earth section is organized into the subcategories "Uncharted," "That's Amazing," "Aquatic World," "On the Brink," and "Into the Outdoors." Uncharted delves into hidden structures and remote destinations, such as Yemen’s secluded Socotra Island and the Spanish fortress that served as the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella and Snow White castles. In That’s Amazing, Great Big Story collaborates with The Weather Channel to present thrilling outdoor exploits, including Mike Libecki’s journeys through isolated areas and surfers catching waves beneath the aurora borealis. On the Brink focuses on endangered species, aiming to increase awareness about their critical conservation needs. Into the Outdoors documents adventures in natural settings, ranging from underwater cave explorations to safaris tracking black rhinos across the Serengeti. Aquatic World is a two-season series centered on deep-sea discovery, featuring explorer Philippe Cousteau Jr.
Flavors
The Flavors category centers on culinary topics and is divided into the subcategories It's 5 o'clock Somewhere, Snack Attack, Ichigo Ichie, Finely Crafted Cuisine, and Food Innovations. It's 5 o'clock Somewhere presents stories related to alcoholic beverages, including distinctive aging methods such as wine matured underwater. Snack Attack investigates the origins of well-known snacks. Through a partnership with ANA Japan, Ichigo Ichie highlights Japan’s finest foods. Finely Crafted Cuisine showcases creations by expert chefs, while Food Innovations concentrates on inventive food presentation styles, including the design of Chinese takeout containers and artistic culinary arrangements.
Origins
The Origins category explores the history behind notable objects and foods via two subcategories: Highly Original and Original Grub. Highly Original shares origin tales of everyday items like the Rubik’s Cube and traces the roots of the violin. Original Grub spotlights distinctive foods along with their inventors, featuring rare delicacies such as the pasta “su filindeu” and Belgian shrimp fishermen who ride horses.