A useful brief does not need to be long or technical. It needs to give both sides a shared understanding of what will be produced, who it is for, which materials are available and where the boundaries lie.
Start with the objective
“We need a video” describes a format, not a need. Explain what should happen after someone watches it: understand a process, discover a product, recap an event, train a team or become interested in a campaign.
Identify the audience and viewing context too. An internal presentation is not built like a vertical video that must work without sound in its first seconds.
Define the piece and its versions
State the approximate duration, channels and aspect ratios. If these are not decided, say where the piece will be published. That is enough to turn the requirement into concrete deliverables: a main horizontal version, a social cut, subtitles or reusable project files when they are part of the scope.
Take stock of the material
Explain what already exists: interviews, camera footage, photography, decks, logos, music, voice-over or previous versions. The volume of footage compared with the final duration affects the work significantly.
Mention anything that is still missing. Licensed music, stock footage, voice-over or newly generated material should be included from the start.
Share references with context
A reference helps when you explain what matters about it: rhythm, structure, typography or interview treatment. The aim is not to copy another film, but to align expectations around specific decisions.
Clarify approvals and revisions
Share the available brand guidelines and name the person who will consolidate feedback. One timecoded review document prevents contradictory comments and unnecessary rounds. Agree who approves the final version before structural changes become expensive.
Build a realistic schedule
Include material delivery, first version, review windows and final export. A publication date alone is not a production schedule.
Before contacting an editor, answer seven questions: objective, audience, available material, deliverables, target date, approver and approximate budget. With that foundation, you can send a brief even if some decisions remain open.
