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Paul “Triple H” Levesque embeds a human element in his storytelling.
As WWE’s Head of Creative, Levesque is in the midst of an especially strong stretch of booking Raw and SmackDown. He has integrated multiple storylines into this Saturday’s WarGames matches at Survivor Series, but also has stories for talent outside off the card and away from the title picture.
The product of a long, storied career, Levesque had a 25-year run in WWE where he was often at the very top of the company. Yet there were also stretches where he operated far away from the main event, back when he was hungry just to consistently appear on the card.
“I started at zero and saw all the various stages of it,” said Levesque. “I’ve worked in front of basically no people, and I’ve worked the biggest shows in the world. I understand the process–the successes and the failures. Even when you get an opportunity to move up the card, then you’re moved back down and you’re not sure if you’re going to get that opportunity again–I’ve been there.”
Surrounded by a legion of writers and thinkers, Levesque is now in a position where he has been emboldened by parent company Endeavor to lead WWE creative. This means there is less interference from Vince McMahon, which is not to imply McMahon is entirely removed from the process. After parts of five decades spent as the company’s be-all, end-all, McMahon’s fingerprints remain all across the company.
“Vince taught me years ago, you put yourself in the seats and you’ll never go wrong,” said Levesque. “You’ve always got to maintain that perspective. I started out as a fan. Book what people want to feel and see.”
Levesque revealed his creative philosophy, sharing that his goal is to make people think and feel in every story.
“Writing this stuff is a feel,” said Levesque. “You can analyze stories and how they come together, but how does it make you feel? If you can make people feel those stories, they’re going to be invested in the product. That’s how we try to approach, find that ultimate emotional place for the talent and the characters and the stories they’re in.”
Respect for the fan base is also visible in Levesque’s creative approach. As someone who grew up relishing the chance to watch pro wrestling, he has a deep understanding of the importance of giving back to the fan base.
“We don’t take our fan base for granted,” said Levesque. “And the way our talent operates is different from other generations. They want to go out there and put on the best possible show they can.
“A lot of these kids are already invested–they grew up wanting to do this. And if they didn’t, they fell in love with it by learning from people who grew up wanting to be in this business, and that’s how they learned the respect for it. To me, that’s what makes you successful. That connection with our fan base, that’s a big part of our core.”
www.si.com
As WWE’s Head of Creative, Levesque is in the midst of an especially strong stretch of booking Raw and SmackDown. He has integrated multiple storylines into this Saturday’s WarGames matches at Survivor Series, but also has stories for talent outside off the card and away from the title picture.
The product of a long, storied career, Levesque had a 25-year run in WWE where he was often at the very top of the company. Yet there were also stretches where he operated far away from the main event, back when he was hungry just to consistently appear on the card.
“I started at zero and saw all the various stages of it,” said Levesque. “I’ve worked in front of basically no people, and I’ve worked the biggest shows in the world. I understand the process–the successes and the failures. Even when you get an opportunity to move up the card, then you’re moved back down and you’re not sure if you’re going to get that opportunity again–I’ve been there.”
Surrounded by a legion of writers and thinkers, Levesque is now in a position where he has been emboldened by parent company Endeavor to lead WWE creative. This means there is less interference from Vince McMahon, which is not to imply McMahon is entirely removed from the process. After parts of five decades spent as the company’s be-all, end-all, McMahon’s fingerprints remain all across the company.
“Vince taught me years ago, you put yourself in the seats and you’ll never go wrong,” said Levesque. “You’ve always got to maintain that perspective. I started out as a fan. Book what people want to feel and see.”
Levesque revealed his creative philosophy, sharing that his goal is to make people think and feel in every story.
“Writing this stuff is a feel,” said Levesque. “You can analyze stories and how they come together, but how does it make you feel? If you can make people feel those stories, they’re going to be invested in the product. That’s how we try to approach, find that ultimate emotional place for the talent and the characters and the stories they’re in.”
Respect for the fan base is also visible in Levesque’s creative approach. As someone who grew up relishing the chance to watch pro wrestling, he has a deep understanding of the importance of giving back to the fan base.
“We don’t take our fan base for granted,” said Levesque. “And the way our talent operates is different from other generations. They want to go out there and put on the best possible show they can.
“A lot of these kids are already invested–they grew up wanting to do this. And if they didn’t, they fell in love with it by learning from people who grew up wanting to be in this business, and that’s how they learned the respect for it. To me, that’s what makes you successful. That connection with our fan base, that’s a big part of our core.”
Paul “Triple H” Levesque Offers Inside Look At WWE Storytelling - Sports Illustrated Wrestling News, Analysis and More
“Book what people want to feel and see”
www.si.com
