Intent vs. Goal

When creating content, one of the first things you must consider is what the intent of your video is going to be. I learned this concept from Steve Stockman who wrote “How to Shoot Video that Doesn’t Suck”, an excellent resources that I use and reference all the time. Stockman describes the intent as the purpose of the video. An example of an intent is “I want to show my clients who I am and what I do in this company.” Defining a clear intent helps us coordinate your shoot and focus on the details that will help your narrative. One of the biggest issues is to confuse the intent of your video with the desired outcome, the goal. If you want to entice clients into using your services, that’s a great goal, but it gives us, your video producers, no clear direction as to what we are going to film and how we are going to present the information.

The easiest way to figure out whether you have an intent or goal is to understand which parts you control. You cannot control whether you potential clients sign on with your business. However, you can control whether you look professional in your interview and you can control which shots of your business you film and what you decide to talk about.

Defining your program’s intent is what we will help you do here at Shiny Squirrel. When we what what your intent is, then we can help you reach your goals.