Strategic Plan

While there may be other films about the issue your film explores, your film is nevertheless unique, and your impact campaign strategy should be as well. It should reflect the distinctive way in which your film approaches its story — the “characters” you centered, the emotions with which you left your audience — as well as what you heard in your conversations with stakeholders about their priorities and perceived opportunities.

Based on the work you have done up to this point, ask yourself these questions:

Who are your likely audiences?
What do they think and feel about the issue now?
How will they think and feel when they watch your film?
What additional information or guidance could your campaign provide them to lead them to believe or act in a way that could contribute to social or policy change?
What do campaigners who work on the issue need most?
What can you realistically achieve with your reach and resources?

Essentially, what is your theory of change?

The strategic plan is designed to be a living document, a constant work in progress. Anticipate that you will iterate throughout the project as you learn new information, develop new relationships, the issue landscape potentially shifts, or opportunities arise.

Name your vision.

This is an expression of the BIG change you want to see. It can and should be lofty. It’s a statement of your team’s values, the world in which you want to live and to which the impact campaign could contribute.

List your film’s messages.

These are the takeaways, the problems you have identified and conveyed. What are the systemic issues that need to be dismantled? How are people’s lives affected? Who needs to stop what they are doing — or to start doing something to change things?

Define your goals.

Now that you have named the problems, what are the solutions? In defining your goals, try to be specific. While your vision should be lofty, your goals should be clear, specific, attainable, and measurable. This does not mean that you need to achieve them alone, but that you will have a milestone by which you can measure your progress.

Specify the key agents.

Who can make your goals happen? For example, who can pass the legislation? Rally supporters? Broaden the message? Correct misinformation? Again, try to be as specific as possible. If you don’t know, go back to the stakeholders and ask.

Identify the primary impact dynamic.

Which of the five impact dynamics will be the focus of your campaign?

HEAD BACK UP TO THE IMPACT DYNAMICS SECTION IF YOU NEED A REFRESHER

List your tactics.

What activities will you undertake in service of your goal and with your key agents in mind? Don’t go it alone; arrange for a brainstorm with others and be open to anything.