A great video starts long before the cameras roll.
Most projects go off the rails because the production team is guessing what the client wants. A clear, detailed video production brief eliminates the guesswork. It aligns creative direction, budget, messaging, timeline, locations, and deliverables, and it gives your video production company everything they need to execute at a high level.
Whether you’re planning a brand story video, corporate video, advertising campaign, or social media content, this guide shows you how to build a brief that gets results.
Below, you’ll find:
- A 10-part video production brief template
- Real examples and prompts
- Guidance for teams who have never written a brief before
- Internal links to help you plan your entire video strategy
- Insights from Unreal Media’s experience producing hundreds of videos across Australia
Why a Strong Video Production Brief Actually Matters
Most businesses underestimate how much a well-written video production brief influences the success of a project. Whether you’re producing a brand story, a corporate video, or a simple social clip, the brief becomes the source of truth that guides every creative and technical decision. Here’s why it’s more important than people think:
It Protects Your Budget (and Prevents Scope Creep)
Poor briefs are one of the biggest reasons video projects blow out financially. When the objectives, messaging, talent, locations or deliverables aren’t clearly defined, you end up with:
- Unplanned reshoots
- Extended editing timelines
- Creative rework
- Multiple stakeholder revisions
- Misaligned expectations between the business and the production team
A strong video production brief gives your team (and your production company) a clear framework so everyone knows exactly what’s being delivered, before a camera is even picked up.
It Dramatically Speeds Up Production
A complete brief allows your video team to move straight from briefing into structured pre-production. Instead of chasing missing details or waiting on internal approvals, your agency can immediately begin:
- Developing the storyboard
- Preparing the shot list
- Locking in locations
- Organising talent
- Scheduling the shoot
- Preparing equipment
This reduces wasted time and increases efficiency, which matters a lot in corporate environments where deadlines, availability and internal demands shift constantly.
It Increases the Quality of the Final Video
High-performing videos, the kind that convert, get watched, and build trust, don’t happen by accident. They come from clarity. A detailed brief ensures:
- The narrative aligns with your brand positioning
- The messaging supports your marketing and sales strategy
- The visuals match your industry, tone and audience
- The entire video feels intentional rather than generic
When the strategy is clear, the creative becomes sharper. That’s why companies with strong briefs consistently produce better corporate videos, brand story videos and video marketing content.
It Keeps Stakeholders Aligned and Reduces Bottlenecks
Internal disconnect is the #1 killer of video projects. A well-structured brief removes confusion by providing:
- A single reference document that everyone signs off on
- Clear ownership of responsibilities
- Agreed-upon messaging
- Unified goals across marketing, leadership and production teams
This alignment prevents last-minute changes and ensures everyone is working toward the same outcome, not their own interpretation of the project.
It Makes Your Production Company More Effective
Agencies perform at their best when they have clarity. A strong brief helps your video partner:
- Understand your brand deeply
- Tailor creative decisions to your goals
- Avoid assumptions
- Solve problems proactively instead of reactively
- Produce a video that aligns with business outcomes, not just visuals
A production brief is not paperwork. It’s a strategic asset. When done properly, it transforms your entire video production workflow and ensures every dollar, every shot, and every decision drives results.
Before You Write Anything: Align on Your Video Strategy
A video brief only works when it sits on top of a clear strategy. If the business doesn’t actually know why it’s making the video, who it’s for, or where it’s going, even the best-written brief will send your production team in the wrong direction.
Before you start writing, make sure your strategic foundations are locked in.
If you don’t already have a plan, start with these guides:
For a wider strategic framework, businesses can also refer to the Australian Government’s marketing plan guide, which breaks down how to structure goals, audiences, and messaging before moving into content creation.
These two articles give you clarity on:
What types of video your business actually needs
Brand story? Corporate video? Monthly content? Recruitment? Sales enablement?
The brief should reflect the wider system you’re building, not a one-off idea.
Which platforms you’ll be publishing on
Scripts, aspect ratios, pacing and editing vary massively between:
- YouTube
- LinkedIn
- Instagram
- Websites
- Internal comms
- Paid campaigns
Your brief should point the production company toward the right format and tone.
How often you need to produce content
If you’re planning weekly short-form videos or quarterly corporate productions, the brief should outline the expected cadence. This prevents mismatched quotes and unrealistic timelines.
What ROI you’re aiming for
Your goals will dictate your messaging.
A brand story is different from a lead-gen video.
A recruitment piece is different from a case study.
A brief without a defined business outcome is just guesswork.
Once you’ve aligned internally, strategy, stakeholders, messaging and objectives, you’re finally ready to write a strong video production brief that your team (and your production partner) can actually execute on.
THE ULTIMATE VIDEO PRODUCTION BRIEF TEMPLATE
| Section | What to Include | Prompts to Help You Fill It In |
|---|
| 1. Project Overview | What the video is, why you’re making it, the problem it solves, what success looks like. | “If someone knew nothing about us, what should this video help them understand?” |
| 2. Target Audience | Demographics, mindset, pain points, buying stage. | “Who is this video really for? What do they care about right now?” |
| 3. Key Messages | 3–5 core points the viewer must remember. Proof, value, difference. | “What MUST they understand after watching?” |
| 4. Call to Action | One primary CTA: book, enquire, visit website, download resource. | “What single action matters most?” |
| 5. Distribution Plan | Where the video will be used: website, YouTube, LinkedIn, social, email, events. | “Where will people actually see this?” |
| 6. Visual Style & Creative Direction | Tone, energy, filming style, branding, colour, references. | “What should this video feel like? What examples do we like or dislike?” |
| 7. Script & Interview Direction | Scriptwriting needs, interview subjects, talking points, tone. | “Is this scripted, interview-led, or mixed?” |
| 8. Locations & Logistics | Filming locations, permits, access, noise concerns, talent availability. | “Where are we filming? Any rules, limits, or special requirements?” |
| 9. Deliverables | All outputs you expect: main edit, cutdowns, social ratios, subtitles, raw footage. | “What EXACT files do we want at the end?” |
| 10. Timeline & Budget | Launch date, filming windows, approval deadlines, budget range. | “When does this need to be ready, and what is the investment range?” |
This is a simple, powerful, 10-step brief your team can fill out and send directly to your video production company.
It removes confusion, speeds up production, and helps your final video turn out stronger.
Project Overview – “What Are We Making and Why?”
This section is the foundation of the entire project.
It tells your production team what you want, why you want it, and what success looks like.
Keep it short, clear, and focused on the business outcome.
Include:
- What the video is (brand story, case study, explainer, recruitment, etc.)
- Why you’re making it (build trust, increase conversions, educate clients, promote a launch)
- The problem it solves
- What success should look like (more bookings, better leads, higher engagement, stronger brand presence)
Example:
“We are making a 60–90 second brand story video to show who we are, build trust, and increase conversions on our website.”
Simple internal prompt:
“If someone knew nothing about us, what should this video teach them in the first 10 seconds?”
Target Audience – “Who Are We Speaking To?”
Good videos speak directly to the right people.
If the audience is unclear, the message will be weak.
Define:
- Demographics (age range, location, job role, industry)
- Mindset (what they care about, what they worry about)
- Pain points
- Buying stage (cold, warm, ready to purchase, comparing options)
Why this matters:
Your production team doesn’t need a 20-page persona document, but they must know who the video is meant to resonate with, so they can adjust tone, visuals, and structure.
Key Messages – “What Should Viewers Remember?”
These are the 3–5 points the viewer must walk away with.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Strong examples:
Weak examples:
Long paragraphs full of marketing jargon.
Why this matters:
Clear, distilled messaging improves audience retention and increases trust. Search engines also favour content where the main ideas are easy to understand.
If you need help defining this, see: Brand Story Video Guide (included in our strategy article).
Call to Action – “What Do You Want Viewers to Do?”
Most videos fail because the CTA is unclear.
Choose ONE primary action:
- Visit your website
- Book a call
- Request a quote
- Download a guide
- Follow your social pages
- Learn more about your service
A video with multiple CTAs confuses viewers, so pick one clear outcome.
Distribution Plan – “Where Will the Video Be Used?”
This shapes the entire production process, including:
• framing • aspect ratio • pacing • scripting • editing • subtitles
Tell your production company if the video will be used on:
- Website landing pages
- LinkedIn
- Instagram or Facebook
- YouTube
- Internal training
- Sales decks
- Email campaigns
- Event screens
- Online ads (Meta, YouTube)
If the video will be repurposed into short clips, mention that here.
Why this matters:
Platform affects everything, duration, tone, captions, transitions, music style, and visual layout.
Visual Style & Creative Direction
This section guides the creative vision so your production partner fully understands the look, tone, and emotion you want.
Clarify:
Visual approach
- Real customer interviews
- Talking-head with B-roll
- Documentary style
- Energetic montage
- Office walkthrough
- Cinematic storytelling
- Clean corporate visuals
Tone
- Warm and human
- Confident and expert
- Calm and trustworthy
- Energetic and upbeat
- Inspirational
- Modern and minimal
Branding needs
- Brand colours
- Lower thirds
- Logo animations
- On-screen text
- Font preferences
Reference videos (very helpful)
Provide 2–5 examples you like.
Explain:
what you like ( pacing, music, tone )
what you don’t like ( too corporate, too slow, too salesy )
This removes confusion and speeds up pre-production.
Colour & branding
Do you require brand colours?
Lower thirds?
Logo animations?
Reference videos
This is extremely helpful.
Provide 2–5 links of videos you like and explain:
What you like
What you don’t like
This removes a LOT of back-and-forth.
Script & Interview Direction
If scripted:
Include:
- Do you want the script fully written or co-written?
- Any key phrases to include?
- Length of script needed?
- Narration style (story, facts, conversational, inspirational)?
If interview-based:
Include:
- Who will be interviewed
- Their job titles
- Tone expected
- Any must-ask questions
- Topics to avoid
- Proof points you want captured
Example interview questions Unreal Media often uses:
- “What problem were you trying to solve when you found us?”
- “What changed after working with us?”
- “What results have you seen since using this solution?”
EEAT angle:
Interview planning improves authority and accuracy, both crucial for credible content.
Locations & Logistics
This section makes the biggest difference for operational planning.
Include:
- Primary filming location(s)
- Whether you need permits
- Access to site
- Parking availability
- Any noise concerns
- Any specific rooms or spaces required
- Business hours / filming windows
- Whether talent will be present
If you need ideas for outdoor locations, see:
👉 Brisbane Filming Locations Guide
Why this matters:
Good logistics reduce delays, cut costs, and ensure your shoot runs smoothly.
Deliverables – “Exactly What Are We Receiving?”
Break down everything you want delivered.
Include:
Primary deliverables
- 60–90s brand story video
- 30s cutdowns
- 15s versions
- Square / vertical edits
- Subtitled versions
- Raw footage
- Photography add-ons
Formats
The more specific you are, the smoother post-production will be.
Timeline & Budget
Be as transparent as possible here.
Timeline
Include:
- Your desired launch date
- Filming availability
- Deadlines for feedback & approvals
- Hard deadlines (events, campaigns, conferences)
Budget
If you’re unsure how much to allocate, read:
👉 How to Budget for Video Production
Even a range like $5k–$15k is enough for your production partner to recommend the right solution.
Why this matters:
Transparent timelines and budgets help your video partner build a realistic production plan, avoid delays, and deliver higher-quality work.
The Real Cost of a Bad Video Brief
Most businesses underestimate how much a weak brief actually costs. It’s not just the video team who struggles, the entire marketing and leadership chain feels the impact.
Here’s what really happens when a brief is unclear:
Wasted filming days
Crews show up without certainty on locations, talent or messaging. This leads to guesswork, re-blocking shots, and trying to “figure it out on the fly.”
Bloated editing hours
Editors aren’t mind readers. If the messaging, tone or outcome isn’t defined, the edit becomes a long cycle of trial and error. That means slow delivery and extra cost.
Internal arguments
Teams disagree about what the video should say. One stakeholder wants a story. One wants hard facts. One wants you to “add more energy.”
All of this comes from not agreeing upfront.
Performance drop
Videos with unclear goals don’t convert well. They get low watch time, low clicks, and low engagement, not because the video is bad, but because the strategy was missing.
A strong brief prevents all of this. It’s not paperwork, it’s production insurance.
How a Good Brief Improves Storytelling
Great storytelling isn’t about having the most expensive camera, it’s about clarity.
A well-written brief helps your production team understand:
- Who the hero of the story is (your customer or your company)
- What problem the hero is struggling with
- What transformation you guide them through
- How the viewer should feel after watching
When these four elements are locked in early, everything becomes easier:
- Interviews are sharper
- B-roll is more intentional
- Editing is tighter
- Viewers stay longer
- The message lands
The best videos don’t happen by accident. They happen because the strategy is clear before anyone presses record.
Common Mistakes Businesses Make When Writing a Brief
Most businesses only write a brief when they’re forced to. And when they do, these are the mistakes that cost them the most:
Too much jargon
Saying “We want a video that captures the essence of our innovative, full-service, customer-centric workflow” tells the video team nothing.
Confusing goals
A video can’t be a brand story, testimonial, recruitment ad, and product walkthrough all at once.
No examples
Production teams need reference videos to understand tone and pacing. Even two YouTube links save hours of translation.
Too many decision-makers
If five managers must approve the video, you’ll get five different visions. Pick one final decision-maker before production begins.
Fix these, and your videos immediately become stronger, faster, and more aligned.
Production Tips Most Companies Overlook
Businesses often miss small details that make a big difference to production quality:
Lighting changes fast
Brisbane’s afternoon storms roll in suddenly. Outdoor shots after 2:30pm are risky in summer.
CBD noise can ruin audio
Eagle Street, Fortitude Valley and South Bank get loud during peak hours. Good briefs include quiet time windows.
Parking and access matter
If your office is in the inner city, crews need loading docks or freight lifts. This must be noted in the brief.
Brand consistency
In Australia’s competitive landscape, especially in finance, real estate, tech and construction, your colours, tone and visual identity must stay consistent across all videos. The brief ensures that.
These aren’t big changes, but they make production smoother and prevent delays.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to write a brief for video production?
To write a strong video production brief, start by clearly outlining what the video is about and why you’re making it. Describe who the audience is, what they care about, and what you want them to think or do after watching.
Include the key messages your video must communicate, the style or mood you want, and where the video will be used, such as your website, social media, or paid ads. Add your deliverables, timeline, and budget so your production team knows exactly what to plan for.
A good brief is simple, structured, and aligned with your overall business goals, which helps your video company move faster and create a better final product.
How to create a good creative brief?
A good creative brief is clear, specific, and focused on outcomes. It explains what the project is, who it is for, and what the final piece needs to achieve.
It also outlines the tone, visual style, and main messages so the creative team understands the direction before they start. A strong creative brief also includes practical details such as size, format, distribution channels, deadlines, and any must-include elements.
The goal is to reduce confusion and make sure everyone, from marketing to leadership to production, is on the same page about what success looks like.
How to make a film brief?
A film brief includes the story you want to tell, the emotional tone, the main characters, the filming locations, and the visual mood. It outlines the key scenes or shots needed, the narrative arc, and the intended audience.
A film brief also covers practical details such as shoot days, talent availability, logistics, and the final deliverables you expect.
It acts as a roadmap for the entire production team, helping everyone understand the creative direction while staying aligned with the message you want the audience to feel.
What seven details should be included in a creative brief?
A strong creative brief always includes seven core details, no matter the type of video. You need a clear project overview, a defined target audience, and a set of key messages that explain what the viewer should take away.
You also need a single call to action so the video leads to a measurable result. From there, the brief should outline where the video will be used, what the visual style should look and feel like, and what deliverables you expect at the end.
When these seven elements are documented upfront, the production team can move faster, avoid guesswork, and create a final video that stays aligned with your strategy, brand, and business goals.
Conclusion: A Strong Video Production Brief Is the Secret to Better Videos
A clear video brief is one of the most valuable tools your business can use.
It keeps your team aligned, saves money, removes confusion, and helps your video production company deliver work that actually moves the needle.
Brands that plan their videos properly:
- Get faster turnaround times
- Avoid costly reshoots
- Produce stronger creative
- Build more trust with their audience
- See much better results from their video strategy
Whether you’re creating a brand story video, a corporate video, or a full content series, the brief acts like your roadmap. When everyone understands the goals, the message, the audience, and the timeline, the final video will always be stronger.
As video continues to grow across Google, YouTube, AI search, LinkedIn, and social platforms, businesses with clear communication and well-structured briefs will stay ahead. The companies that take video seriously now will own more visibility, more authority, and more leads over the next few years.
If you want support writing your brief or need help planning a full strategy, Unreal Media works with businesses across Brisbane, Gold Coast, and beyond to create high-quality videos built on real storytelling and clear business outcomes.
The stronger your brief, the stronger your content.
And the stronger your content, the faster your business grows.
