A well-written brief is the single most effective thing a client can do to improve the outcome of a video production. It reduces misunderstanding, produces more accurate estimates, shortens the pre-production stage, and gives everyone a shared reference point when decisions need to be made.
The Video Production Brief Template
Use the following sections as a guide. Complete as much as you can before your first conversation with a production company.
Section 1: Communication Objective (required)
What does this video need to accomplish? Describe the specific outcome you want the video to produce. Not what it should contain, but what it should do.
Section 2: Target Audience (required)
Who is the primary audience? Be as specific as possible. Include what the audience currently knows or believes, and what you want them to know or believe after watching.
Section 3: Distribution and Publication (required)
Where will this video be published and how will it be distributed? List every channel: website, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, email, conference, intranet, broadcast, digital advertising. Note whether the audience is public or internal.
Section 4: Key Messages (required)
What are the two or three things the audience must take away from this video? Also note anything that must not be said or shown.
Section 5: Video Type and Format
What type of video are you commissioning: brand story, testimonial, explainer, promotional, commercial, event, documentary, photography, or not sure? Note preferred duration, whether social cuts are required, and whether multiple aspect ratios are needed.
Section 6: Subjects and Participants
Who will appear in the video? Note any special preparation, accommodation, or consent considerations.
Section 7: Filming Locations
Location addresses, descriptions, and access requirements. Note any access restrictions, permit requirements, or sensitive environments requiring special protocols.
Section 8: Existing Assets
Do you have existing footage, photos, graphics, or a brand guide to work within? Note any approved messaging or script.
Section 9: Tone and Style
How should the video feel? Provide reference videos where possible. Note approaches or styles to avoid.
Section 10: Accessibility Requirements
Note caption requirements, transcript requirements, audio description needs, plain language standards, and WCAG compliance requirements.
Section 11: Privacy and Confidentiality
Does the production involve patients, clients in sensitive contexts, children or youth, or content subject to privacy legislation? Note data residency requirements and whether a specific participant consent form is required.
Section 12: Procurement and Contracting
How will this production be procured? Note any specific vendor qualification requirements or procurement thresholds.
Section 13: Budget
What is the approximate budget? Disclosing the budget allows vendors to propose the best possible scope for the available resources.
Section 14: Timeline
What is the required delivery date? Is it fixed or flexible? Note any dates when key contacts will be unavailable.
Section 15: Approval Process
Who needs to approve the video before publication? Identify the single point of contact for production decisions. Note whether legal, clinical, or policy review is required.
Guidance on Key Sections
Communication Objective
Weak: We want a video that introduces our organization and explains our services.
Strong: We want prospective government clients who arrive at our procurement page to leave with enough confidence in our capacity and credentials to contact us for a conversation.
Budget
Disclosing the budget allows vendors to propose the best possible scope for the available resources and be honest when the budget is insufficient for what has been described.
Using This Brief With Greycrest Visuals
Completing this brief and sending it to info@greycrestvisuals.com is the most efficient starting point for a new project. We will review it before our first conversation and come prepared to discuss your specific project, your timeline, and what scope makes sense for your objective and your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need to complete the entire brief before contacting a production company?
No. The minimum information needed for a useful first conversation is a description of the communication objective, the intended audience, the approximate budget range, and the required delivery date.
What if we are not sure what type of video we need?
State the communication objective and the audience clearly, and let the production company recommend a format and approach. Being open to recommendations produces better outcomes than specifying a format before the brief has been developed.
