Inventive execs are sometimes multi-dimensional. An architect may also design furnishings. A author may compose music. And a performer, resembling Matthew Gattozzi, founding father of Goodo Studios, may shift to pictures.

Till early 2020, Gattozzi was knowledgeable ballet dancer. A again harm pressured a profession change and the launch of his enterprise, which produces pictures and movies for ecommerce firms. “We work with established and up-and-coming manufacturers by understanding learn how to use and leverage content material for income,” he advised me.

He and I lately mentioned his journey. The audio of our whole dialog is embedded beneath. The transcript is edited for size and readability.

Eric Bandholz: Inform us about Goodo Studios.

Matthew Gattozzi: We create pictures and movies for client manufacturers. We do TikToks, user-generated content material, and high-end or paid media, utilizing all the things from cinema cameras to iPhones.

Earlier than Goodo I used to be knowledgeable ballet dancer. I danced all through the U.S. and Europe. I used to be dancing at Ballet Austin and injured my again. So I needed to cease that a part of my profession and shift to pictures and movies. I lately moved from Austin to Seattle. I used to bounce there, and I met my spouse there.

I based my firm in early 2020. It was simply me, and I didn’t begin in ecommerce. I labored domestically in Austin with many wonderful eating places, however issues got here to a halt with Covid. I needed to shift and rebuild. Now I work with a workforce of photographers, creatives, and editors. It’s not simply me anymore.

Many consultants within the house went to high school and realized brand-building abilities. I didn’t go to school. I used to be supposed to bounce till I used to be 30 and ended up jobless at 21. I knew lots about social media, however individuals weren’t considering hiring me as a result of I didn’t have a resume. I needed to say sure to all the things at first, which was arduous, however it was additionally good as a result of I may work out what I needed to do.

It helped me to comprehend that the individuals I serve are advertising managers and paid media professionals. I tailored my communication to talk to them. I began taking what I do as a artistic and translating it into how they speak. Many creatives don’t try this.

I work with established and up-and-coming manufacturers by understanding learn how to use and leverage content material for income. Manufacturers put money into content material, however additionally they have the mindset that the content material will generate earnings. So we communicate to that and assist construct model methods — on natural channels, product pages, web sites. We be taught to adapt to the newest media consumption. For instance, after I began two years in the past, TikTok wasn’t as outstanding. A lot of the movies I shot had been horizontal. Now all the things is vertical.

Bandholz: How do you deal with copyrights?

Gattozzi: My strategy is to be as beneficiant as attainable. I inform my shoppers, “You should utilize this content material. You’re investing in these pictures and movies, and also you get unique rights, copyright makes use of, and business use right through, with no licensing.”

I’d lose out as a result of I’m not nickeling-and-diming the model, however I’m attempting to ascertain a long-term relationship. I’m a little bit non-traditional in that means. Some creatives say, “You must know your value; put your foot down.” However I need to change how we produce content material. I need to work with main manufacturers. I’m not going to get there except I do one thing completely different.

A buzzword you’ll hear lots is artistic technique. It boils all the way down to content material creation. Creatives for giant advertisers are lacking out by not adapting to how briskly media strikes and the way rapidly manufacturers have to create. We’re attempting to construct a content material engine for manufacturers. We provide you with concepts, take a look at these concepts, and execute them.

We contain workforce members in your complete course of. Disjointed manufacturing is frequent within the trade. An incredible photographer who isn’t a part of the planning gained’t perceive how the pictures can drive gross sales.

Bandholz: Describe a Goodo Studio engagement.

Gattozzi:  Most manufacturers ought to deal with why shoppers are shopping for. Generally we’ll ask shoppers that, and so they’ll record their product options. Okay, cool, however what do your prospects say? You must perceive your audience — speak to them and do surveys. The concepts are infinite in the event you be taught your buyer psychology. Most manufacturers miss that. So I advocate for the intent behind the pictures and the movies.

We do picture and video shoots. However we additionally do TikToks, user-generated content material, and advert enhancing. We take current belongings, and we extract worth from them. When a model involves us, we begin with enhancing earlier than we shoot something. The exception is an upcoming model or product launch.

We take a look at why prospects purchase and undergo a course of to determine that out. Most manufacturers have a backlog of nice content material. They only haven’t remixed it sufficient as a result of they don’t have the sources or the crew.

As soon as we’ve confirmed some ideas and generated concepts, we double down and scale these ideas and take a look at extra. Then we will usher in creators which are superb prospects for that model. We provide you with the briefs and ship the product out to them. They shoot all the things and ship it again to us. We edit all of it.

We’ll rent a crew, whether or not it’s in Seattle or in Austin, to work on the manufacturing. That’s how we flip round. We don’t do picture and video manufacturing with a model each month, however we do quite a lot of enhancing. That offers us time to plan these shoots. Many manufacturers are hesitant to spend the cash for in depth manufacturing for worry it’s going to flop. So we attempt to take a look at the ideas early with some low-lift artistic, then go to greater productions.

Bandholz:  What makes somebody a great artistic?

Gattozzi: A superb artistic asks nice questions, interprets the solutions, and uncovers what the shopper needs. A awful artistic will say, “Okay, acquired it,” and go away. Asking quite a lot of questions helps the model pinpoint an issue. Some come to us and clarify what they want. It may be difficult for people to explain an thought of their minds. I’ll ask them questions. How is their enterprise? The place has their advertising been? The place are they attempting to go? Why do they want a artistic companion?

Generally, after the primary name, we understand they don’t want pictures or movies. They want enhancing. It can save you manufacturers 1000’s of {dollars} by asking the precise questions.

Bandholz: How can listeners join with you?

Gattozzi: They will go to our web site, GoodoStudios.com, and subscribe to my publication. I’m on Twitter and LinkedIn.