Defining the Goal: The First Step to Strategic Video Production
Imagine the moment your next brand film or product launch is met with applause and digital vigor. It’s these moments we as marketers and filmmakers strive for - affirmation that our work was accepted and worked. I had one of these moments when we premiered our film Inches to Miles with Athletic Brewing Co. As I was sitting in the theater, I couldn’t help but reflect on the beginning of the project. It also made me appreciate just how critical the first step of video production is.
Over the last few years of producing client work and recording over 200 episodes on the Backcountry Marketing Podcast, we've noticed some essential ingredients for creating effective, emotional, strategic video content and turned it into a methodology that we shepherd each project through. The first, and perhaps most crucial step, is defining the goal.
Defining the goal might sound simple—what are we trying to achieve with this video? What problem are we addressing? But it's vital. A video is a tool, or as I like to think about it - leverage to help solve a specific problem. The key is knowing what that problem is. This is where our methodology starts: defining the goal.
Many brands might not fully grasp their real goal. I like to reference the technique: "Ask why three times." Each "why" peels back another layer, revealing the core issue.
I’ll give you an example, we recently worked with a nonprofit that wanted to document its impact and to share its impact with potential donors. However, as we talked more and asked questions, it became apparent that the real challenge wasn’t highlighting the impact of the non-profit. It was understanding the mindset and hearts of the donors and crafting a story that spoke to them. Sure, the impact that the non-profit was creating was important but it was more important to understand the audience and communicate effectively to them. That subtle shift in perspective significantly impacted how we approached the video.
Defining the goal ensures a strong foundation. Without it, nothing else matters. It's the first step to producing strategic, impactful video work.
Filmmakers first, strategists by necessity. Over the last five years, we’ve learned from the best, asked tough questions on the Backcountry Marketing Podcast, and put our ideas to the test through real client work in the outdoor industry—refining a methodology that fuses emotional storytelling with strategy that actually delivers.
