Artistic execs are sometimes multi-dimensional. An architect may additionally design furnishings. A author might compose music. And a performer, reminiscent of Matthew Gattozzi, founding father of Goodo Studios, might shift to pictures.
Till early 2020, Gattozzi was knowledgeable ballet dancer. A again harm compelled a profession change and the launch of his enterprise, which produces photographs 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 informed me.
He and I lately mentioned his journey. The audio of our total dialog is embedded under. The transcript is edited for size and readability.
Eric Bandholz: Inform us about Goodo Studios.
Matthew Gattozzi: We create photographs and movies for client manufacturers. We do TikToks, user-generated content material, and high-end or paid media, utilizing every part 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 photographs and movies. I lately moved from Austin to Seattle. I used to bop 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 superb eating places, however issues got here to a halt with Covid. I needed to shift and rebuild. Now I work with a staff of photographers, creatives, and editors. It’s not simply me anymore.
Many consultants within the house went to highschool and discovered brand-building expertise. I didn’t go to varsity. I used to be supposed to bop till I used to be 30 and ended up jobless at 21. I knew so much about social media, however folks weren’t focused on hiring me as a result of I didn’t have a resume. I needed to say sure to every part at first, which was onerous, but it surely was additionally good as a result of I might determine what I wished to do.
It helped me to appreciate that the folks I serve are advertising and marketing 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 discuss. Many creatives don’t try this.
We 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 in addition they have the mindset that the content material will generate earnings. So we converse to that and assist construct model methods — on natural channels, product pages, web sites. We be taught to adapt to the most recent media consumption. For instance, once I began two years in the past, TikTok wasn’t as outstanding. A lot of the movies I shot had been horizontal. Now every part is vertical.
Bandholz: How do you deal with copyrights?
Gattozzi: My method is to be as beneficiant as attainable. I inform my purchasers, “You should utilize this content material. You’re investing in these photographs and movies, and also you get unique rights, copyright makes use of, and industrial use throughout, with no licensing.”
I would 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 slightly non-traditional in that approach. Some creatives say, “It is best to know your price; 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 so much is artistic technique. It boils right 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 must create. We’re attempting to construct a content material engine for manufacturers. We provide you with concepts, check these concepts, and execute them.
We contain staff members in the whole course of. Disjointed manufacturing is frequent within the trade. A terrific photographer who isn’t a part of the planning gained’t perceive how the photographs can drive gross sales.
Bandholz: Describe a Goodo Studio engagement.
Gattozzi: Most manufacturers ought to give attention to why customers are shopping for. Typically we’ll ask purchasers that, they usually’ll checklist their product options. Okay, cool, however what do your prospects say? It’s essential to perceive your audience — discuss to them and do surveys. The concepts are limitless should you be taught your buyer psychology. Most manufacturers miss that. So I advocate for the intent behind the photographs and the movies.
We do photograph and video shoots. However we additionally do TikToks, user-generated content material, and advert modifying. We take current property, and we extract worth from them. When a model involves us, we begin with modifying earlier than we shoot something. The exception is an upcoming model or product launch.
We have 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 simply 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 check extra. Then we are able to herald creators which might be excellent prospects for that model. We provide you with the briefs and ship the product out to them. They shoot every part 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 photograph and video manufacturing with a model each month, however we do loads of modifying. That offers us time to plan these shoots. Many manufacturers are hesitant to spend the cash for intensive manufacturing for concern it’ll flop. So we attempt to check the ideas early with some low-lift artistic, then go to greater productions.
Bandholz: What makes somebody 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 depart. Asking loads 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 concept of their minds. I’ll ask them questions. How is their enterprise? The place has their advertising and marketing been? The place are they attempting to go? Why do they want a artistic associate?
Typically, after the primary name, we understand they don’t want photographs or movies. They want modifying. It can save you manufacturers hundreds of {dollars} by asking the correct questions.
Bandholz: How can listeners join with you?
Gattozzi: They will go to our website, GoodoStudios.com, and subscribe to my e-newsletter. I’m on Twitter and LinkedIn.
