7 Things to Remember When Writing a Video Production Brief

Matthew Watts

Industry Tips & Tricks
Oct 13, 2020
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No matter what type of video production challenge lies ahead of you, a video brief will help you conquer it. The purpose of the video production brief is to outline and detail the video production and, therefore, ensure that the client has a clear image of your plans.

A well-written video brief will keep every invested party in the project on the right track as the objectives of the video production will be specifically defined.

To write a great video production brief, you need to cover several essentials. Make sure that you included all the relevant aspects of your upcoming video production by considering the following list of things that you need to address in the brief.

1. Provide Some Background Information about Your Business

Give the client some insight into who you are and what you do. They will have a better understanding of the project if they get some information about your business.

Simply mention a few basics that make your company what it is, such as your mission, goals, your strategic positioning, what makes you different from the competitors.

2. Specify the Purpose of the Video

Why do you want to make this video? This is the most crucial question of the project. The video production brief needs to offer a clear answer to it.

The purpose of the video can be to promote a new product, to provide an explanation to employees on how to use new software, and so on.

Explaining the purpose behind the video is a great way to start off a brief and give the client motivation and a better understanding of further details about the video production.

3. Be Clear about the CTA and the Goal

Once you figure out the purpose of the video (to entertain, inform, educate, etc.), you also need to explain to the client the goal.

A video producer and contributor writer at TrustMyPaper writing service, Melanie Sovann, shared how to pinpoint the goal, “The goal can be explained by writing down what action you want the audience to take after they’ve watched the video. Will they need to pass the test on the software you presented? Should they follow the link to the website or product? That’s how you’ll define your goal.”

Simply put, give a clear explanation of what CTA you’ll include and what it should accomplish.

4. Do Detailed Research about the Target Audience

One of the main factors that influence the form of your project is the target audience. The client can’t assess whether the brief is headed in the right direction if they don’t know for whom the video is intended for

Provide details about the target audience. Include as many specifics as you can, from their demographics to their interests, likes, and dislikes.

Every part of the video, from where it will be shot to when it will be published, depends on the target audience. So do thorough research about who they are and include it in the brief.

5. Narrow It Down to One Core Message

The video can comprise various information, but it should all boil down to one core message. What is that message for your video project?

You can stretch it out to two core messages, but it is recommendable not to go past that. If you need some help with condensing the content within one message for the brief, you can always turn to best essay writing service like TopEssayWriting and GrabMyEssay for help.

Overwhelming the audience with too many core information can scatter their attention. Defining the core message will also help the video production team to keep their focus on the most relevant matter.

6. Explain How You Plan to Reach the Audience

The whole video production depends on where the video will be watched. You must share in brief which distribution channels you want to use. Content distribution is as relevant as creating a quality video. If you don't match your video with the right distribution platform, your video production won't reach its full potential.

Based on your target audience and your goals, you need to choose a channel (or more of them) where you can reach most of your target audience.

7. Give Guidance in Terms of Budget and Deadline

The production team will have a better idea of what to create if you state an estimated budget in the brief. Also, having a timeframe in mind will give the team some guidance on how to plan their work.

Even though the budget and deadline for video production are often altered due to unpredicted circumstances, you should at least have an idea of the amount of money and time it will demand.

Conclusion

With these basic elements within your video production brief, you won’t have to worry about misunderstandings. Put everything out in the open about what you want and plan to do by writing a clear and detailed brief.

Written by: Nicole Garrison

Nicole Garrison is a content strategist, writer, and contributor at a number of platforms for marketing specialists. She is a dedicated and experienced author who pays particular attention to quality research. In her free time, Nicole is a passionate runner and a curious beekeeper. Moreover, she runs her own blog LiveInspiredMagazine.