Sam T.

First, control your emotions. Answer in a thoughtful and professional way. If you can, make it clear your approach is significantly better (IE humiliate them tactfully). Once the situation has passed, pull them aside and discuss rationally. Express your appreciation for their input but calmly question their decision on venue. If you can, find a process by which you can align ahead of future public settings.

As others have mentioned, pre-planning and storyboards are critical. The other key-ingredient is proper coverage. Shooting the scene with multiple cameras simultaneously gives your editor a wide variety of options to cut back-and-forth with so that the action feels authentic and natural when edited together.

How does one get data in a creative test-and-learn environment (example social media) without creativity. This is the classic marketer mistake. Creativity, my friend, comes before data and then data drives refinement of that creativity in a flywheel.

Be your authentic self. In my business, working on short-term one-off engagements, I am constantly seeking an instant connection and trust to accomplish big things over the course of a few days. This requires me to be 100% real… no BS. When you are your authentic self, it lowers people’s resistance to embracing the change you have been hired to champion. If they accept you as a partner and trusted advisor who will lead them to better outcomes, you can accomplish amazing things together.

Your story is not just the creative, but also the business rationale behind the pitch. - What are the comps? - What is the track record of cast and director / producer? - How have you thought about budget? Tax credits? General financials? - What does distribution look like? A good, tight narrative around a compelling creative piece coupled with a well developed business thesis is the way to win in a very difficult market for motion pictures.

Ditch the creative brief. Instead, focus attention on selecting the right creator who is both familiar with and a personal fan of your brand. Then challenge them to tell your story in a way that will resonate most with their audience (don’t tell them what you need, ask them what your brand needs to really connect with their audience). Then give them flexibility to create a killer video and share it with their audience… that’s the key to great content strategy in the influencer age!