A few weeks ago I was approached to film and edit a corporate video function involving company resource groups. More specifically, they wanted to have their event filmed, with an interview or two sprinkled in to use this internally to pitch to new hires to join them in their philanthropic causes.
Simple enough.
I set up an exploratory call to lock in details of the event and production: The event details like time, place, etc. The desired video length. The deadline.
Then I asked about feel and overall message and there was a long pause on the other end of the Skype-line. A few more seconds passed and I thought maybe we had been disconnected. A voice came back from this Senior Vice President, “I don’t know, I’ll leave that up to you.”
Yikes.
You see, I’ve been a student of storytelling for most of my career. I was taught early how to create a cohesive story out of a few sound bites and b-roll. In journalism, it’s a necessity to convey a story in a short amount of time and attention. It’s a gift I’ve been blessed with because, quite honestly, not everyone knows how to do that.
I can give my opinions, but in the end, it’s yours. Even I can’t guess my way into what you have in mind for your vision.
Who is the target audience? What is the theme? Is there a message you’d like to convey? Pride? Inclusiveness? Sorrow? Innovation?
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of any of that. Let me get back to you.”
No answers came. But with the contract signed, a project needed to be completed.
What came next was a mess: video of untrained workers, reading off prepared statements instead of speaking from the heart; speaking about causes that really are worth while, but in a cold, uninviting way. And trust when I say this: I can create beautiful graphics for your video, but when the video has no soul, it might as well not be created.
It’s not enough to simply have a great vision. You also need clarity if you want to truly bring it to life.
It’s a lack of clarity that creates chaos and frustration. Those emotions are poison to any living goal. ~Steve Maraboli
Who is this project for? What is the desired outcome? What do you want viewers to feel by watching this? What do you want people to think about your company after they leave out of the doors?
When you clarify these questions you’ll find that your Facebook advertisements stay on message, that your product list never strays from the heart of your core customer, and that your brand is never “muddied.”
It will also keep your mind clear to think about only the things that matter to you, your clients and your business.
And, in the end, that keeps you looking good.
Tags: Clarity, Vision, work