During the pre-release phase of the impact campaign, we engage with the filmmaking team, distributor, and any other key players to develop the impact strategy for the project, both short and long-term. This will include a research brief, key actions and campaign activities, target campaign events, key partnerships, impact and social justice press strategy (to go alongside traditional PR), marketing overview, and educational outreach plan. It will also include a comprehensive schedule outlining the various targets and activities.

In addition to developing an impact campaign strategy, we oversee the entire impact campaign, beginning with pre-release and film development, leading up to the release of the film, and developing a post-release strategy. We engage with the filmmaking team, distributors, studios/streamers, and others to execute the goals outlined in the initial impact strategy.

After the strategy has been approved, the first and most important aspect of the campaign to initiate will be partnership development. These conversations will happen pre-release for optimal campaign implementation. In this phase, we will build NGO, CBO and constituency bases and liaise directly with coalition partners for coordinated support of the film.

As part of this phase of the project, we will also do targeted outreach to issue-area communities that are already highly engaged in the topics addressed in the film. It is important to connect with these communities prior to the wide release of the project (theatrical / streaming) so that there is a groundswell of support at the time of release that continues throughout the campaign.

The external-facing communications for an impact campaign are crucial to building awareness and engagement around the project. As part of that, GSD manages social and digital media during our engagement. Beginning with a content strategy that is approved by the filmmakers, distributors, etc., we develop key messaging, draft and distribute monthly or weekly content across social media platforms, design graphics/templates for this content, engage with the audience (commenting, interacting with influencers, reposting, etc), and oversee social media ads.

In addition to social media engagement, filmmakers can choose to have GSD develop digital and social media toolkits that contain information and resources to amplify and streamline an impact campaign on social media platforms.

An integral part of an impact campaign, a film website provides relevant information on both how and where to watch the film/series and how to support the efforts of the campaign.

We build customized websites for clients, from wireframes and design through development and testing.

GSD develops a variety of target campaign events, including: Congressional screenings, partner screening series, coordinated nation-wide university screenings, conversations with high-profile organizations like RFK Human Rights / ACLU / Human Rights Watch, aligning with key UN agencies around their activities for internationally recognized days (ex: International Human Rights Day or International Women’s Day), and more. We also work closely with events and PR teams to plan screenings and panels for campaigns during awards seasons.

Both of these tools are designed to encourage audiences to reflect on the issues raised in the film or series, inspire individuals to engage with these themes/issues in their daily lives, and get involved with the subject matter of the project. Both discussion guides and film curricula can be tailored to particular audiences and are often used in high school and university classrooms, by NGOs and other film partners, or by the filmmaking team.

GSD works closely with the filmmaking team to curate the content and design and package these tools to be sent directly to educational institutions or to NGOs and CBOs that can use the guides in their everyday operations.

Impact messaging and press differs from traditional messaging around a film. Due to our experience in the impact space, we have cultivated an extensive network of journalists, partner networks, and NGOs that we partner with to strategize the release of a film or campaign.

GSD has consulted on numerous awards campaigns, including Emmy, Golden Globe, and Academy Awards campaigns. We utilize a variety of strategies to engage voters with the messaging of the film or series, from ad buys, mailers, private industry screenings and high-profile events, and social media marketing. We oversee or advise this campaign at all stages, from before nominations up to the voting deadline, though it is best to commit to an awards campaign as early as possible for the most visibility. Successful awards campaigns we have taken part in recently include: American Factory, Roma, Crip Camp, My Octopus Teacher, The Breadwinner, The Hunting Ground, and more.