How to Create Mission-Advancing Videos for Your Catholic Org Without Dropping All Your Other Commitments

I know you’re wearing a lot of hats. You’re probably responsible for the entire public face of your organization, not to mention keeping up relationships with members and supporters, managing the day-to-day social media outreach and - let’s not forget - making sure your organization stays afloat with enough donations and support. 

You know that video outreach is important but you just don’t have time for one more project - especially one that seems so complex.

I’m here to tell you that creating impactful, mission-advancing videos can be done, it has been done by others just like you and you don’t have to drop everything else in the meantime.

A decade of experience has taught me that the most time-consuming part of video production is not the shoot and it’s not even the editing. It’s communication. 

It’s the handholding that you have to do for a videographer to make sure that they portray your mission or, at the very least, don’t offend your president. It’s getting the board, well, on board, with every step of the process. It’s getting a schedule from the participants.

The solution? A plan and a process that you follow for each video. That way, everyone, from the president to your on-camera subject, knows what to expect before the shoot begins. Those check-ins, lengthy emails and mid-project meetings are unnecessary. The machine is built, and you just need to hit start and let the magic happen.

Sounds pretty good, right? But how do you build that plan?

Start by writing down the goal of your video - specifically, who you want to reach, and what you want them to do. Get really detailed on this, don’t just write down ages and demographics, but write out your audience’s hopes and fears, their pain points and their preferences. Don’t try to boil the ocean, dig down deep to get as many details as possible about the perfect individual that you want to reach. It helps if you already have a few perfect prospects so you can keep these people in mind as you brainstorm.

Next, what do you want them to do? What specific action do you want them to take? To donate? To reach out to your vocation director? The clearer, the better. 

Now, you can use this information to decide what topics and visuals should be included in your video. You know who you want to speak to and what you want them to do, so what would they want to see or hear before taking that action? How can you alleviate their fears or hesitations and inspire their confidence? So if you want them to donate, maybe you need to tell them how donations will be spent. Or if you want them to contact your vocation director, maybe you need to assure them that it will be a no-pressure, informational conversation. Write your ideas down, and how best to visualize these topics.

At this stage you can reach out to a video production company and request a proposal. Your plan and detailed communication will shortcut the lengthy conversations that these companies usually have to host to arrive at this information. It will also allow them a framework to build an accurate quote and aesthetic plans that will accomplish your goals. You have communicated what is most important, now they can build on that plan while you focus on something else.

Once you have that proposal, and not a moment earlier, you can present your goals and plans to the board or powers that be. You now have clear details that will inspire their trust, invite their comments, alleviate their fears, and pave the way for a green light. You have also, consequently, minimized the meetings and back-and-forths that typically accompany these types of projects. Once you have that green light, and because they already know exactly what to expect from the video, you will only need to ask for their feedback and approval once more, when you have a draft of the edit for them to review, which will greatly simplify the process. 

As those wheels are turning, you can turn to the physical needs of the video. Who needs to be available, and where will you be filming? If multiple schedules are involved, use a booking software like Calendly or Doodle to find a date that works for everyone and eliminate more back-and-forths.

After the filming date is set, you can leave the rest of the process in the hands of the video production company and rest assured that your video will advance your mission. You will greet them on the day of the filming, but don’t feel like you need to stay for the whole production. They will also handle all the editing and simply circle back to you once a draft is ready for you and board to review.

With advanced planning and streamlined communication, you truly can create an impactful, mission-advancing video for your organization – without dropping everything else you have on your plate. 

For more mission-driven marketing tips like this one, subscribe to our newsletter at thinginapot.com. And let us help you to grow with video.

 Katie Rutter is the COO of Thing in a Pot Productions. She has received multiple awards for her work, including a nomination for a Chicago/Midwest Emmy in 2021 and being declared Video Producer of the Year in 2018 by the Catholic Press Association. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our video ProTips in your inbox every month!