The Template
| Section | Fill in |
|---|---|
| Background | Who you are, in two lines |
| Objective | What should happen after people watch |
| Audience | Who, where, what they care about |
| Key message | One sentence |
| Call to action | The single next step |
| Deliverables | Lengths, formats, languages |
| Tone | Three adjectives |
| References | Videos you like and dislike |
| Mandatories | Logos, legal lines, people |
| Budget and deadline | Range and launch date |
Tips for a Strong Brief
- One objective, not five
- Explain why you dislike a reference
- Give a budget range; it shapes ideas
- Name the final decision-maker
Common Brief Mistakes
For idea starters, see video production ideas, and for the quote you'll receive back, a sample quotation.
Why a Good Brief Saves Time and Money
A brief is the foundation of every video project. It shapes the ideas a production team proposes, the quote they prepare, and the decisions made throughout production. A vague brief leads to vague proposals, multiple rounds of concept changes, and videos that miss the point. A clear brief gets everyone pointing in the same direction from day one.
Writing a brief also forces internal clarity. Many organisations discover, while writing one, that different departments want different things from the same video. Resolving that before involving a production company saves money, because changing direction after filming is far more expensive than changing a document.
Writing a Useful Objective
The objective should describe what changes after people watch. Good objectives are specific: increase demo requests from the pricing page, help new employees understand safety procedures in their first week, or encourage donors to set up monthly giving. Weak objectives describe the video rather than its effect, such as make a brand video or show our capabilities.
If you have several objectives, rank them. A video can support secondary goals, but it needs one primary purpose to guide decisions about length, tone, and calls to action.
Describing Your Audience
Describe the audience as people, not demographics alone. What do they already know about you? What problem are they trying to solve? What objections might they have? Where and when will they watch, on a phone during a commute or on a laptop at work? A description such as operations managers at mid-sized manufacturers who are sceptical of new software and watch on laptops during working hours gives a production team far more to work with than businesses aged thirty to fifty.
Distilling the Key Message
The key message is the one thing viewers should remember. Writing it as a single sentence is difficult, which is exactly why it is valuable. If you cannot express the message in a sentence, the video will struggle to communicate it in two minutes. Supporting points can be listed separately, but they should all serve the main message.
Choosing One Call to Action
A video should ask viewers to do one thing next: visit a page, book a call, register, buy, or share. Multiple calls to action compete and reduce response. Choose the action that best serves the objective, and make sure the destination, such as a landing page, is ready and works well on mobile devices.
Listing Deliverables in the Brief
List every version you expect: main video length and format, cut-downs, aspect ratios, languages, captions, thumbnails, and stills. Mention platforms, since each has its own preferences. Planning deliverables early lets the production team design the shoot and edit efficiently. Adding versions after delivery usually costs more and may be limited by how the footage was captured.
Defining Tone With Three Adjectives
Tone words help teams make countless small decisions about music, pacing, colour, and performance. Choose three adjectives, such as warm, confident, and modern, or energetic, playful, and bold. Avoid generic words like professional, which every video aims for. Pair the adjectives with references so that everyone interprets them the same way.
Using References Effectively
References are videos, images, or music that illustrate what you have in mind. Share a few examples and explain what you like about each: the pacing of one, the colour of another, the interview style of a third. Also share examples you dislike, with reasons. Production teams use references as guidance, not templates, so explain the qualities you want rather than asking for a copy.
Mandatory Elements and Constraints
Mandatories are things the video must include or avoid: logos, taglines, legal disclaimers, specific people, product features, or brand colours. Constraints might include locations that cannot be filmed, topics to avoid, or approval requirements from legal or compliance teams. Listing these upfront prevents creative work that cannot be used.
Sharing Budget and Deadline
Include a budget range and the final deadline, along with any fixed dates such as an event or launch. A range allows production teams to propose realistic approaches; without it, quotes may vary wildly and be hard to compare. If the deadline is fixed, say so clearly, as it affects how teams plan resources.
Naming Decision-Makers
State who will approve the script, the edit, and the final video. If several stakeholders are involved, explain how feedback will be consolidated. Production teams plan revision rounds around this information, and clarity here prevents last-minute surprises when a senior person sees the video for the first time just before launch.
A Short Sample Brief
Background: A regional bakery chain with twelve stores. Objective: Increase pre-orders for festive cakes through the website. Audience: Families in the city planning celebrations, watching on phones in the evening. Key message: Order fresh festive cakes online and collect them from your nearest store. Call to action: Pre-order on the website. Deliverables: One thirty-second vertical video and two fifteen-second versions. Tone: Warm, joyful, homely. Deadline: Live two weeks before the festival.
This example is illustrative, but it shows how a few clear sentences give a production team everything they need to start.
What Happens After You Send the Brief
A good production team will reply with questions. This is a positive sign: it shows they are thinking about your goals rather than simply quoting. Expect questions about audience, distribution, budget, and deadlines. After clarification, you will usually receive a proposal with an approach and a quote. Compare proposals on how well they address your objective, not just on price.
More Brief Mistakes to Avoid
Other common mistakes include asking for too many messages in one video, leaving out the audience, providing no references, and failing to mention fixed dates. Some briefs also describe the solution rather than the problem, for example asking for an animated video when the real need is to explain a process clearly. Describe the problem and let the production team suggest the best solution.
Getting Internal Agreement Before Briefing
Before a brief goes to any production company, circulate a draft internally. Ask marketing, sales, leadership, and any department featured in the video to comment. This surfaces conflicting expectations early, when they are cheap to resolve. One department may want a recruitment message while another wants a sales message; a short internal meeting can decide which takes priority or whether two videos are needed.
Once agreed, treat the brief as a reference point throughout the project. When new ideas emerge during production, check them against the objective and audience. Ideas that serve the brief can be welcomed; ideas that pull in a different direction can be saved for a future video rather than diluting the current one.
Briefing a Series Rather Than a Single Video
If you need several videos, brief them together. Describe the series objective, the audience for each episode, the common format, and how episodes connect. A series brief lets the production team plan shared shoot days, consistent graphics, and a recognisable structure, which reduces cost per video and builds audience familiarity. Include a list of planned episode topics, even if some may change later.
Format and Length of the Brief Itself
A brief does not need special software. A shared document or a simple form works well, provided it is easy to edit and comment on. Keep it to one or two pages, using headings for each section so readers can scan it quickly. Attach supporting materials, such as brand guidelines, product sheets, or previous videos, rather than pasting them into the brief itself.
Send Us Your Brief
When a brief reaches our video production company in India, we reply with questions within a day. A video production agency in India should push back if objectives are vague. Any video production company can quote faster with this template. Marketers who consider us the best video production company in Bangalore often send briefs in this format, and brand teams brief us as a top video production agency in India for campaigns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a video production brief include?
Background, objective, audience, message, CTA, deliverables, tone, references, mandatories, budget, and deadline.
How long should a brief be?
One page is usually enough.
Should I include a budget in my brief?
Yes, a range helps teams propose realistic ideas.
Why include videos I dislike?
They show what to avoid as clearly as likes show what to aim for.
What makes a good video objective?
A specific change in behaviour or understanding after viewing, not a description of the video.
Should a brief describe the solution?
Better to describe the problem and let the production team propose solutions.
How long should a video brief be?
One or two pages, with supporting materials attached separately.
Who should approve a video brief internally?
Everyone whose opinion will matter at the end, including senior stakeholders and featured departments.
Brief Once, Brief Well
A clear brief leads to better ideas and fairer quotes. Fill in the template and send it to our video production company.
Ready to plan your next video?
Tell us about your project, timeline, and goals, and the Editatease team will suggest the right approach.
Contact Editatease