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Case Study: Managing Unrealistic Expectations

Case Study: Working with Creative Clients in Film Production

Show First, Then Tell

In my experience working with creative teams, particularly bringing dynamic and fast-paced film scripts and publicity campaigns, to life.

To manage unconventional project demands, that changed instantly, my team needed to be involved in early planning. Clients often needed to visualize concepts before fully committing. To support their process I needed to enable smart early stage tools to minimize the likelihood of changing directions at late stages.

Common Traps we Avoided.

with these project management-equivalent tools: Agile methodologies, visual communication, scope management, flexibility, client engagement, change management.

Clients unsure of their requirements

Creative visionaries wanted to “see it” before communicating their needs.

We aimed to show, not tell

An early-stage discovery was used to answer questions, and separate needs from wants. The team then provided three (not two) design options that tested the vision. An Illustrator ensured a mock up was as realistic and detailed as our budget allowed to shake out what was not wanted as much as what was.

Late-stage changes to project scope

Our clients needed complete confidence in their choice or it WOULD change.

A prototype was provided

And the client was encouraged to see, touch, move, or “try out” ideas at early stages, when cost of change was the lowest. If a change was requested, the consequences could be communicated here, before the final creative product was made.

Inflexibility towards trade-offs and prioritization

Once a decision was made, and if production found supply or functional problems with the deign it was nearly impossible to reshape the clients vision.

We choose full transparency

In these cases, designers were responsible to demo their alternatives, briefly describing the solutions they discovered. Providing choices was an essential step. Clients would entertain trade offs if they were given the autonomy to choose among them.

CONSTRAINTS

Strict Timelines

TACTIC

Indecision lowers team moral, and this is an enemy to a fixed timeline. As a facilitator, I can provide the tools to move decisions along.

LEADERSHIP STYLE

Part visionary, part facilitator

TACTIC

I feel it’s important to acknowledge the partnership and celebrate a client’s desire to get it right, but also provide them the tools they need to validate their decisions.

RESULTS

Successful creative products reflect the collaboration between clients and the teams. to produce shared sense of pride.

TACTIC

Clients given insight into the process are equipped to flow with changes, should they be required and move creative projects forward.

A 2011 talk to indie film makers about the visual tools used in Professional Art Departments. Video by GeoffMobile

Runs 34minutes: “Show don’t tell” 26:26min. “Late Stage Changes” 0:58min. “Trade offs & Consequences” 5:09 min.

I was looking for someone to work alongside me to take my publicity company to the highest level of service. One year later we are producing digital and social media work that no one else is doing largely due to Stephanie's incredible level of creativity, her devotion to storytelling, her knowledge of her craft and her unwillingness to do anything less than over-deliver.-

Holly Carinci

Principal, HwP Relations

Project Highlights

Business Goal: To make the client vision, real.

Development Approach: Film Production (A true Hybrid)

Software: (no standard, I’ve seen the following used) Visualization and Prototyping, Slack, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite

Constraints: Fixed Schedule

Takeaways: Indecision, or fixation on one truth, is just a symptom of wanting to get it right. Recognizing this, and helping to shifting attitudes to an environment of support is the only way forward.

Where would you like to go next?

Rates:

Project Management is a natural next step to 15 yrs in content strategy and 10 yrs in content development.

Rates are industry standard. Please contact me to discuss your needs.

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Book a discovery call: steph@wildfireeffect.com