How to Write a Video Brief

Updated 3 November 2026

A video brief is a short document that tells a production team what you need and why. It is the cheapest part of any video project and has the biggest influence on the result. This guide explains what to put in it and gives you a template to copy.

Why a written brief matters

Without a brief, every conversation starts from scratch, quotes are hard to compare and the creative team has to guess. A written brief does three things: it forces your own team to agree on what the video is for, it lets production companies quote accurately for the same job, and it gives everyone a reference point when decisions come up during the edit.

A good brief is usually one to three pages. It does not need to be polished; it needs to be clear.

1. Background

A paragraph about your organisation: what you do, who your customers are and anything relevant happening now, such as a launch, a rebrand, an anniversary or a new location. Link to your website and any brand guidelines.

2. Purpose: the one job of the video

State what the video should achieve, in one sentence. "Explain our new booking service to existing customers" is a purpose. "Showcase the company" is not specific enough. If there are several purposes, you probably need several videos.

3. Audience

Describe who will watch it. Existing customers or new prospects? Consumers or businesses? Job seekers? People in Ireland only, or abroad? What do they already know about you, and what might stop them taking the next step? The more specific, the better the creative ideas will be.

4. Key message and call to action

Write down the one thing viewers should remember, plus no more than two or three supporting points. Then state what they should do next: visit a page, book, apply, get in touch or simply think differently about your organisation.

5. Where it will be shown

List every place the video will appear: website, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, trade show screens, presentations, internal channels or television. This decides formats, lengths and whether subtitles are needed. See social media video sizes for how each platform affects the shape of the video.

6. Style and tone

Describe the feel you want, such as warm and personal, energetic, calm and premium, or straightforward and informative. Include two or three links to videos you like, from any organisation, and say what you like about each one: the pace, the music, the interviews, the colour. Links to videos you do not like are just as useful.

7. Content and logistics

• Who could appear on camera: staff, customers, partners, a presenter?
• Locations available, and any access restrictions or busy times
• Existing assets: footage, photos, logos, animations, music
• Anything that must or must not be shown, such as confidential areas, competitors' products or people who have not agreed to appear
• Any special requirements, such as aerial shots, events or filming outside working hours

8. Deliverables

This is the section most often missed, and the one that most affects cost. List every finished output, for example:

• One main film, 1 to 2 minutes, 16:9, with subtitles
• One 30-second cut, 1:1 and 9:16
• Three 10 to 15-second vertical clips
• Selected stills from the shoot
• Raw footage, if you want it for future edits

For help with lengths, see how long a corporate video should be.

9. Budget

Many businesses hesitate to share a budget, but a range lets production companies propose the best idea for that money rather than guessing. Without it, you may receive one quote for a simple interview and another for a full production, which are impossible to compare. Our guide to what affects video production cost explains what drives the numbers.

10. Timeline and approvals

• The date the video must be live, and why (a launch, event or campaign)
• Possible shoot dates and any dates to avoid
• Who approves the script and the edit, and how many people are involved
• How many rounds of revisions you expect

Naming one person to collect feedback and give final approval avoids conflicting comments and delays.

A video brief template

1. Project name and contact: who owns the project internally
2. Background: about the organisation and why now
3. Purpose: the single job of the video
4. Audience: who, what they know, what holds them back
5. Key message: one main point, two or three supporting points
6. Call to action: what viewers should do next
7. Channels: where the video will be shown
8. Style and references: tone, plus links with notes
9. Content and logistics: people, locations, assets, restrictions
10. Deliverables: every version, length and format
11. Budget range
12. Timeline: live date, shoot window, approvals, revision rounds
13. Success measures: how you will judge whether it worked

After the brief

Expect a production team to come back with questions and ideas. That conversation is a good sign: it means they are thinking about your audience rather than just pointing a camera. Once a concept is agreed, the next stages are script or interview questions, a shooting schedule and a shot list, then filming and editing.

Examples of finished films are on the video page, and you can find more planning advice in the guides section.