How to Write a Video Production Brief That Nails It

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You’ve just had one of those brilliant lightbulb moments – the kind that wakes you in the night – with an idea for a video that could transform your brand or tell your story in a powerful way. Before you race ahead though, pause. A solid video production brief will be your roadmap – directing your team, guiding your message, keeping your project on budget & schedule, and giving production companies and similar suppliers the information they need to create a relevant proposal and prepare an accurate quote.

Let’s break down how to craft a brief that gives everyone clarity, sets expectations, and helps you create a video that really works.

1. Pick Your “Why” First: What’s the Purpose?

What are you trying to achieve? Increase sales, raise brand awareness, educate employees, launch a new product or service, entertain?
Where will people see this video—your website, social media, an event, internal training, etc.? The distribution channel heavily influences format, length, style.
Having a sharp, narrow purpose keeps your message strong and the production focused.

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2. Who Exactly Are You Speaking To?

Be precise. Is your target audience current customers, prospective clients, investors, regulators, staff, or the general public?
Think about demographics, attitudes, what they know already, what they care about.
The audience shapes tone, visuals, pacing, even the “voice” of the video (formal vs casual, storytelling vs direct info etc.).

3. Clarify the Message: One or Two Key Ideas

What’s the single – most important thing you want viewers to take away?
Avoid overloading with too many themes – simplicity helps retention.
If you have supporting messages, make sure they feed into the main idea cleanly.

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4. Runtime: How Long Should It Be?

Keep your audience’s attention span in mind.
For web/sales/promotional videos, 2–3 minutes is usually ideal.
Exhibitions, product or conference trailers tend to be shorter—maybe 1 to 1.5 minutes.
Training or educational content can be longer but often works better when broken into shorter modules (4–7 minutes each) so people can absorb it gradually.

5. Style: How Should It Feel?

Are you imagining live action (actors, presenter), animation, motion graphics, interviews, or a mix?
What visual style—cinematic, documentary, corporate, quirky, polished? Do you have examples of videos you like?
The style choice will shape many downstream decisions—crew, equipment, locations, post-production requirements.

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6. Where Will Filming Happen?

What locations do you already have in mind (on-site, outdoors, studio, multiple places)?
Are there any special lighting, access, permit or logistical issues?
Travel and location costs can eat a big chunk of the budget – don’t leave this vague if you can help it.

7. Timing – When Do You Need It?

Deadlines are essential. Is there a product launch, event, campaign, trade show or seasonal cycle you’re aiming for? If so, tell everyone up front!
Include key dates: when you need proposals, when you pick a production company, when filming starts, middle and end milestones and final delivery.
Factor in time for concept development, filming, editing, revisions – slick video work rarely happens in “rush mode” without compromising quality.

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8. The Budget: Let’s Break It Down

Even if you don’t know the exact number, give a budget range. This helps production companies tailor ideas that are realistic.

Ask for a full breakdown:

days of filming / locations
crew size / roles
special equipment (drones, tracking rigs, etc.)
editing, post-production, graphics, sound design
revisions and client review cycles

Clarify what is included vs what could cost extra (e.g. extra crew, overtime, additional edits, new location).

Why a Great Brief Matters

It ensures everyone – the client, the production company, your internal team – is on the same page from the get-go.
It allows you to compare proposals fairly – not apples vs oranges when one company includes a drone but another doesn’t, or one promises multiple revision rounds but another gives just one.

It saves time, money, and stress down the road.

Your Brief Checklist

Section	What You Should Include
Purpose	What you want the video to achieve & where it’ll be used
Audience	Who you’re speaking to; their mindset, needs, expectations
Key Message(s)	The main point(s) you want viewers to walk away with
Style & Tone	Live, animation, formal, quirky… visual & emotional feel
Length	Runtime expectations; module breakdown if needed
Locations & Logistics	Filming locations, access, travel, permissions etc.
Timeline	Key dates from proposals > delivery
Budget	Range; detailed budget breakdown; what’s included & what’s extra

Final Thoughts

Putting in the time to build a strong production brief is as important as the creative idea itself. It might feel tedious, but it’s one of the smartest investments you can make. A clear, well-thought-out brief helps you avoid “scope creep,” ensures you get what you really want, and that the finished video truly does what you need it to do.

If you ever want help structuring a brief, getting feedback on one, or even just chatting through what’s possible, feel free to reach out. When done right, video doesn’t just tell a story – it moves people, builds trust, and delivers results.