EPISODE
54
Season 2, Episode 14: 12 Part Series - The Creative Process - Strategy
EPISODE LINKS.
SHOW NOTES.
Creative Process Step 4: Strategy for Video Content (Platforms, Repurposing, and BTS)
In McFarland Minutes (Soft Launch to Monday), episode 15 of season two, Natalie and Ryan cover step four—strategy—in their 12-stop creative process series focused on video. Building on earlier steps (problem, ideation, and goal determination), they discuss deciding in advance where content will live (website, YouTube, social, TV, theaters, trade shows, and even vertical screens like elevators), selecting fewer platforms for higher quality, and planning formats (horizontal/vertical, multiple cuts) to avoid postproduction limitations. They emphasize considering display type (e.g., projectors affect color/contrast), maximizing ROI through extensive content repurposing and distribution, and creating high-quality assets that can serve as long-term company legacy. They also highlight behind-the-scenes content as a strategic engagement and value driver. Next month’s step is storyboarding.
00:00 Welcome and Series Recap
00:59 Step Four Strategy Overview
01:40 Pick the Right Platforms
03:56 Plan Formats Before Shooting
04:35 Design for the Screen
05:46 Repurpose for Maximum ROI
10:50 Evergreen Content and Legacy
14:56 Attention Spans and Funnels
17:40 Behind the Scenes Strategy
23:39 Wrap Up and Next Step
ABOUT THIS EPISODE.
Navigating the Creative Process: The Art of Strategy in Video Production
Introduction
Welcome to another edition of McFarland Minutes! In this episode, Natalie and Ryan dive deep into the fourth step of their creative journey, focusing on Strategy—a crucial component of the 12-stop creative process. Here’s a breakdown of the discussion, offering insights into how strategy propels your projects forward, particularly in video production.
Understanding the Role of Strategy
A well-thought-out strategy is essential for executing a project successfully. Strategy meetings are vital to discuss not just goals, but the platforms where the content will live and thrive. Natalie and Ryan highlight the importance of choosing platforms wisely, rather than spreading too thin across every possible outlet.
Identifying the Right Platforms
Ryan emphasizes the necessity of selecting quality over quantity when it comes to platforms. Instead of diluting your content across several platforms, identify the ones that align best with your brand strategy. As Natalie notes, understanding whether your video will live on traditional platforms like YouTube or on social media sites like Instagram is critical.
The Misconception of ‘Fixing it in Post’
There’s a common misconception that strategy can be an afterthought, something to tweak in post-production. However, Natalie warns against this, stressing the importance of knowing where your content will live before filming begins to avoid compatibility issues down the road.
Emphasizing Content Repurposing
Repurposing content is about maximizing your investment and reaching as many people as possible. From using podcast segments as social media content to creating blog posts from discussions, the possibilities are endless. Movies like “Deadpool,” as an example, brilliantly demonstrate the effectiveness of this strategy—leveraging memes, interviews, and more to build their narrative.
Considering Longevity in Strategy
Natalie and Ryan discuss the long-term benefits of creating content with longevity in mind. Whether it’s for anniversaries or future promotions, having quality content readily available can be a tremendous asset for any organization. This approach not only helps maintain a brand’s legacy but also enriches its present-day relevance.
Behind-the-Scenes: A Strategic Asset
The value of behind-the-scenes (BTS) content is another key point Ryan and Natalie discuss. Sharing the process behind the production can significantly elevate audience engagement and appreciation for the work involved. This content not only offers transparency but also highlights the effort, creativity, and expertise involved, further endearing audiences to the final product.
Conclusion
Strategically planning content is not just about immediate visibility; it’s about creating a tapestry that audiences return to time and again. From ensuring a coherent message across platforms to repurposing content for sustained engagement, every choice should weave into the narrative you’re crafting.
As Natalie concluded, while the strategy discussion is extensive enough for twelve episodes, the central lesson remains: Plan proactively, and strategically use every tool at your disposal to reach your audience.
Stay tuned for the next episode in this creative series, focusing on storyboarding, where imagination meets blueprint!
Join Us Next Month
Thank you for joining us on this strategic journey. The conversation continues with storyboarding next month—a session you won’t want to miss! For our regular podcast episodes beyond this series, tune in next week.
IN THIS EPISODE.
Ryan Lee
Creative Content Manager, McFarland Productions
Starting as the Intern in 2023, Ryan is now the Post-Production Editor and has joined the team full time. His creativity and organization play a crucial role in quickly creating unique content all across the board, however with a core focus on video production. Ryan grew up in Gladstone, OR, where he spent time playing sports, on the water, and in the mountains. He attended Oregon State University where he got his Bachelors Degree in Digital Communication Arts. Although Oregon will always be his home, he spent previous years in Tennessee, and now lives in Connecticut. In his free time he enjoys cooking just as much as eating, and if you can do both outside, all is good in the world.
After spending time filming and editing countless events, sports, adventures and more, Ryan’s main action in the company is to organize, edit, and export content. Whether it’s 30 minutes and horizontal or 30 seconds and vertical, moving or still, he’ll take care of it.
ABOUT YOUR HOSTS.
NATALIE MCFARLAND
PRESIDENT, FOUNDER
MCFARLAND PRODUCTIONS
After freelancing her way through college, Natalie established McFarland Productions in 2014, which has continued to grow rapidly over the last few years. Her passion and focus have always remained the same; capturing, understanding, preserving and promoting Ranching, Farming, Western Lifestyle and AgriBusiness. She has always had a love for the western culture and even at a young age it was unmistakably clear she would someday find a career serving the industry.
Natalie grew up on a small ranch, rodeoed, showed horses in a variety of disciplines, showed livestock, and participated in 4H and Oregon High School Equestrian Teams. She has trained herding dogs and started colts, worked with sheep and cattle and has had the experience of racing to finish up a hayfield before a rainstorm hit. She understands the joys, sorrows, wins, losses and hard work of ranchers and farmers. That’s why McFarland Productions can produce authentic marketing campaigns for the businesses, organizations, events, and brands of the western and agriculture industry – it’s who she is.
With a passion for building community surrounding brands, Natalie focuses on building real connections between companies/brands and the people that make up their community. Telling the stories of your customers and making them apart of the brand’s story is her main focus. Creating real, human, meaningful connections and strengthening community within the western and agriculture industry through strategic marketing services.
SCOUT FOSTER
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC STORYTELLING
MCFARLAND PRODUCTIONS
Scout’s faithfulness to the agriculture and western sports industry is rooted in tradition. Growing up in Central Florida, she stood by her family as they supported different sectors of the industry, including raising beef cattle, bucking bulls for local rodeos, and spending weekends with her grandparents who lived on Disney’s Wilderness Preserve.
Moving away from The Mouse, Scout graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Nation’s top agricultural communications college at Texas Tech University in 2022.
Now residing in Crockett, she and her husband, Lane, keep busy raising beef cattle and bucking bulls with her family. Scout also loves gardening, raising chickens, reading, and her two dogs: Rue and Dill.
