Three-Role Media Studio
Cover mechanics, storytelling, and brand treatment with three clear roles
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
Campbell divides a working media operation into three capabilities. The producer runs the mechanics: calls, recording, footage, and production logistics. The storyteller shapes the outline, script, pacing, and narrative, and may also serve as the writer. The graphics or brand producer creates the treatment, including the introduction, music, visual identity, and transitions. A small company can begin with a generalist who is adequate across multiple functions while a founder or marketer supplies storytelling. As output grows, the team hires specialists for the weaker roles and eventually develops a genuine studio. The framework prevents one vague “content” job from obscuring the distinct craft and operational demands of repeatable media.
Origin
Campbell described the structure ProfitWell developed while expanding from one show into a multi-show internal studio. Extracted from Marketing Against The Grain.
Core principles
- 01Production mechanics and storytelling are different capabilities
- 02A show needs a consistent audiovisual treatment
- 03Early hires may span roles, but specialization should increase over time
- 04Internal strengths should determine the first hiring gap
How to run it
- 1
Audit internal strengths
Determine who can already tell stories, manage recordings, and define the brand treatment.
Pro tip Founders and early marketing leaders often provide the first storytelling capability.
Watch out Do not assume a strong writer is automatically a strong producer.
- 2
Cover production mechanics
Assign ownership for calls, tools, recordings, footage, files, and delivery schedules.
Pro tip Choose someone comfortable with production tools and repeatable workflows.
Watch out Unowned mechanics create avoidable recording and handoff failures.
- 3
Cover storytelling
Assign someone to structure the episode, develop the outline, write scripts where needed, and preserve audience interest.
Pro tip Use scripting when contributors are not naturally comfortable on camera or microphone.
Watch out A technically clean recording can still be editorially weak.
- 4
Create the treatment
Give a brand-oriented producer responsibility for intros, music, graphics, transitions, and other repeatable presentation elements.
Pro tip Document the treatment so others can reproduce it.
Watch out Constantly reinventing presentation increases cost and inconsistency.
- 5
Specialize with scale
Begin with pragmatic generalists, then hire stronger specialists as volume and quality requirements rise.
Pro tip Hire for the most consequential uncovered role first.
Watch out Keeping one person responsible for every craft can cap quality and cause burnout.
In the wild
ProfitWell hired someone who was adequate across the production-related roles while Campbell handled storytelling and show outlines. The company later added people who were stronger in the other capabilities and eventually hired a strong storyteller.
→ The team moved from founder-supported generalism toward a specialized internal studio.
A marketing lead owns the narrative and interviews, a video hire manages Riverside and editing, and a freelance designer builds the initial treatment. As the show grows, the company hires a dedicated editorial lead.
→ All three capabilities are covered without requiring three full-time hires on day one.
Common mistakes
Hiring one undefined content owner
Combining every requirement under a vague role makes it difficult to diagnose whether mechanics, narrative, or presentation is failing.
Overvaluing charisma
Not every contributor must improvise well; thoughtful scripting can make more people effective participants.
Specializing too early
A small program can begin with overlapping roles before its output justifies a fully staffed studio.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for companies staffing an internal podcast, video series, or small creative studio.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for isolated one-off assets that an external vendor can deliver without building internal capability.
From the transcript
“So I think there's three types of people when you're doing this strategy.”
“There is the producer or like the the production person.”
“There's a storyteller, there's the producer, and then there is the like graphics producer, or like we call it the brand producer.”
From the episode
Growing Your Brand Through Inbound Media with Patrick Campbell
Patrick Campbell