How to write a video production brief
A guide on what to include when writing a video production brief.
Most video projects start with a brief. However, not all briefs are the same: some are long, others are short; some are heavy on detail and logistics, others paint a more conceptual picture of what you want to create. But writing a good video brief matters.
Why is writing a video brief important?
The video brief is a crucial part of the pre-production process and the starting point for your working relationship with a videographer. It will be the key reference point when thinking about and planning the making of your film(s); the basis on which the videographer quotes for the cost of the work (read more about that here); and their prompt for making suggestions to improve the end results based on their experience.
Writing a video brief can also be a really helpful process for you – the client – in focussing your thoughts on exactly what you want to create, making for a more successful video.
I like to follow up a brief with either a phone call or face-to-face meeting to make sure that everyone is on exactly the same page in their understanding of the project.
Writing a video brief:
These are the things I find most helpful when receiving a brief from a potential client looking to create video content.
1. Summary and background
Give the videographer a brief overview of what you want to create, what the purpose and key messages of the videos are, and what you hope they will achieve.
2. The brief and vision
Describe the film(s) you want to make! What do they consist of? How will they look? What sort of feel do you want the films to have? What tone of voice are you aiming for, and do you want them to be filmed and edited in a particular style? What is your target audience?
Example videos are really useful here too. Have you seen similar videos you really like the style of? Will the videos you are commissioning form part of a larger marketing strategy, and they need to fit in alongside content you have already produced? Include a link! Watching these videos can be really helpful.
If your project has a fixed budget, you should list it here. If you’re asking for quotes then your videographer will be able to provide one based in the information in the brief.
3. Timeline, deadlines, locations
When do you need filming to take place? When do you need to see first drafts of the edits? When do you need the final finished deliverables? Have you secured locations for filming, or does this need to be arranged?
4. What are the outputs and how will they be used?
What do you need your videographer to provide you with and where do you plan to use them? Will they be used on social media and on your website? Are you creating a short film to be screened in a cinema as part of an event? Are you making an explainer video that will be published on YouTube?
The key things to include here are where each video will be used and how long that edit needs to be.
For example, you may want a two-minute edit in 16:9 (landscape) for use on YouTube and your website; a 30-second edit in 1:1 (square) for sharing on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter; and three 10-second teasers in 9:16 (upright) for Instagram stories.
This section is especially important because different publishing platforms (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo) recommend different technical specifications to achieve the best results when you upload your content. Different aspect ratios may also require extra filming during your shoot. For example, if you have asked for an edit to be posted to Instagram Reels or Stories, your videographer may want to film this separately with the camera flipped on its side rather than attempt to cut the upright framing out of existing landscape footage.
5. Anything else?
The more detail you can provide to your videographer the better, so if you can think of any other information that might be useful, add it in. I would always rather receive more information than less, even if some of it isn’t strictly related to the video.
I hope this short template on how to write a brief for video has been helpful. If you're working on a brief and want input and a quote, you can find more information about my video production services here.
