How to Brief a Video Production Company for the First Time: A Practical Guide

Writing your first video production brief can feel a bit overwhelming. You don't need a 20-page document or a fully formed creative vision before you reach out to a production company.

What you really need is a clear idea of what you want the video to achieve, who it’s for, and what limits you’re working with. That way, the production company can pitch ideas that actually fit your business, instead of just guessing.

A good brief usually decides whether a project lands well or goes off the rails. We’ve seen enough video projects to know the best ones start with a proper chat, whether that’s a detailed document, a structured email, or a phone call with some follow-up notes.

The format isn’t as important as the thinking behind it.

This guide runs through what a production company genuinely needs from you before they can do their job well. We’ll look at the purpose of the video, who it’s for, and how to plan for using it once it’s done.

You’ll get the practical details that make things smoother and help you get more for your budget.

Get clear on why you need the video

Before you start thinking about cameras or scripts, get clear on what the video should achieve. If you skip this, every choice afterwards turns into guesswork.

Define what success looks like

Your video production brief needs a single, measurable objective.

Maybe you want to raise brand awareness with new audiences. Or you’re after more engagement on social media. Some videos are for generating leads, others for internal training.

A corporate video for your team is a different beast from an explainer video for prospects.

Write your goal in one sentence. For example: "We need a 90-second explainer video that helps first-time visitors understand our product so they book a demo."

That one sentence shapes the rest. It affects length, tone, platform, call to action, and even how long people watch.

If you’re making a brand film, you might care about engagement rates on LinkedIn. For a recruitment video, maybe you want more qualified applications.

Be specific early on. Vague goals only cause problems later.

Agree your key messages

Most videos try to say too much and end up saying nothing.

Pick one core message. If viewers remember only one thing, what should it be?

Let that message be the backbone of your video brief. Everything else should support it.

If you’ve got several messages, you probably need a series, not just one video. Trying to squeeze in too much muddies the waters.

Get your stakeholders to agree on the key message before production starts. If marketing, sales, and leadership all have different priorities, those arguments will only slow things down later.

Work out who the video is for

Knowing exactly who’ll watch your video and where they’ll see it changes the whole approach. These choices shape the creative direction more than anything else.

Pin down your target audience

Saying "our customers" or "anyone interested in our brand" isn’t enough for a production company to go on. The best briefs describe a specific person in a specific situation.

We worked with a Cotswolds hotel who first said their audience was "guests". Turns out, they really wanted to reach corporate clients booking team retreats in the off-season.

That changed everything. We focused on meeting spaces and autumn landscapes, not romantic weekend breaks.

Think about age, professional setting, and what people already know about your brand when they see the video.

A recruitment film for graduates looks totally different to one for experienced hires. A product explainer for newcomers needs more context than one for loyal customers.

If you’ve got audience personas or research, share them. If not, just describe the last three real clients you won and what mattered to them.

That level of detail helps the production company make decisions about tone, pacing, and visual style that actually connect.

Choose distribution channels

Where your video appears affects how it’s shot and edited. A film for your website homepage needs a different feel from a LinkedIn video designed to grab attention mid-scroll.

List every place you plan to use the video: website, Instagram, LinkedIn, email, presentations, trade shows. Each platform has its own quirks and requirements.

LinkedIn videos work best under 90 seconds, with captions, since most people watch silently. Instagram Reels need vertical framing. Website headers often loop quietly in the background.

If you want the same story for different formats, tell your production company upfront. They'll plan the shoot to cover everything you’ll need.

Sharing reference videos from other brands helps a lot. Show examples that nail the tone or style—even if they’re from a different industry. It’s easier than trying to describe a vibe in words.

Map out the message and creative direction

Once you know your audience and your goal, you need to decide what you’ll actually say and how it should look. This is where a brief either works or falls apart.

Pick a clear call to action

Every video should nudge the viewer towards a single action. Visit a landing page. Book a demo. Download something. Watch another video.

If you’re briefing an explainer, maybe the CTA is "Start your free trial". For a brand film, it might be "See our work".

The call to action should tie directly to the business goal you set earlier.

We’ve seen briefs with three or more CTAs. That never works. People need one clear next step.

Write the CTA in your brief and say where it will appear. On screen at the end? In the description? Spoken by a presenter?

The production team will build the ending around it.

Decide on visual style and tone

Visual style shapes how the video feels. A corporate video for internal comms won’t look like a flashy motion graphics piece for social.

Start by naming the approach. Live action, animation, screen recording, stock footage, or a mix. Then describe the tone: conversational, energetic, minimal, cinematic.

If you want natural lighting, handheld camera movement, and real employees, say so. For an explainer, maybe you want clean graphics, voiceover, and upbeat music.

Say what you don’t want, too. If you hate stock footage of people in glass offices, mention it.

Include reference videos

Words can only take you so far. A good reference video says more than paragraphs of description.

Find two or three videos that match the style or pace you want. They don’t have to be from your industry.

If you only like a part of a reference, send the link with a timestamp. Point out what works: colour, editing, text on screen, or story structure.

We had a client share a reference video for a product launch. They liked the first 15 seconds but nothing else.

That single note saved days of back and forth because we knew exactly what to aim for.

Build the core of your video production brief

A proper video brief has three main parts: some background about your business and project, a clear list of what you expect to get, and a template to keep things tidy.

Project overview and background

The production company needs to know what you do and why you want this video.

Start with a short summary of your company. Two or three sentences is plenty. Say what you make or sell, who you serve, and what makes you different.

Then explain why you’re making this video. Are you launching something new, replacing an old explainer, or supporting a campaign? If it’s part of a bigger marketing push, mention that.

Attach your brand guidelines if you have them. Include logos, colours, fonts, and tone of voice. Some clients send us a neat PDF with everything, others forget to mention strict visual rules until we’re already editing.

Name one person as the final decision-maker. Projects with four people approving scripts drag on forever.

Outline your deliverables

List exactly what you want from the production company at the end.

Most briefs should say:

• Final video length (like 90 seconds)
• File format (MP4 works for most)
• Resolution (1080p for web, 4K if you need cinema or big screen)
• Aspect ratios (16:9 for YouTube and websites, 1:1 or 9:16 for Instagram and TikTok)
• If you need subtitles or captions, and whether they should be burnt in or as a separate SRT file
• How many rounds of revisions you expect

Be clear about versions. If you need the same video in three different lengths, say so at the start. Adding an Instagram cut after the main edit costs more than planning for it.

Include a video production brief template

A template keeps things consistent and makes sure you don’t miss anything important.

Here’s the structure we use for every video brief:

Section	What to include
Company overview	2-3 sentences about what you do
Project goal	The one action you want viewers to take
Target audience	Job title, industry, specific pain point
Video placement	Homepage, landing page, LinkedIn ad, email
Tone and style	3-5 reference videos that feel right
Length	Target duration in seconds
Deliverables	Formats, aspect ratios, subtitle requirements
Budget	Your available spend
Deadline	Hard date, not "as soon as possible"

Save this as a Google Doc or PDF and fill it in before you speak to a production company.

The brief helps you sort out decisions internally before anyone else gets involved.

If your team can’t agree on the goal or audience, sort it out before you send the brief. Trying to please everyone just leads to a muddled video.

Plan scripts, structure, and visual references

Your video brief needs to turn your strategy into something the production team can actually shoot. Spell out what gets said, what gets shown, and how long the finished piece should run.

Scripting and key talking points

If you’ve got a finished script, drop it in your brief. Still working on it? Share the key messages, must-say points, and the tone you want. The production team needs these to shape the words.

Most corporate videos stick to a simple structure: problem, solution, proof. If you’re planning interviews or testimonials, write out the questions and topics you want covered. Don’t leave it to chance on the day.

For talking-head videos, send over any approved messaging frameworks or positioning lines. If some phrases must appear exactly (like product names, legal bits, or value props), mark them clearly. The team can’t always tell which words they can tweak.

If you’re using a teleprompter, break up your script with short sentences and pauses. People read differently than they speak.

List your shot list and storyboard

A shot list tells the team what visuals you want. A storyboard shows how those shots fit together.

You don’t need to be a designer. A simple numbered list works: opening shot of the office, cutaway to product in use, close-up of the interface, team at desks. If you’ve got brand moments that must feature—your new packaging, a recent office refurb, key staff—flag them here.

Reference videos help too. Link to three or four examples with the pacing, framing, or style you like. Say what grabs you: “the way this cuts between interview and B-roll” or “the motion graphics at 0:34”. This clears up confusion before it starts.

Set out preferred watch time

Tell the production company your target video length. Not a range, but a number.

Different platforms like different lengths. LinkedIn works best between 30 and 90 seconds. YouTube can go longer, often two to five minutes. Paid social usually tops out at 15 seconds.

If you need more than one version (a 60-second hero, a 30-second paid edit, a 15-second teaser), list them all. Each version might need a different script or edit, so the team will plan for that on the shoot.

Preferred watch time shapes your budget too. A 15-second ad needs less footage than a three-minute explainer. Be honest about how much story fits in your timeframe.

Pin down deadlines and production logistics

A video project only works if everyone knows the timings, filming locations, and who gives sign-off. These details affect crew bookings and edit schedules.

Agree your deadlines and timeline

Tell your production company when you need the finished video. If there’s a hard deadline, a launch date, or a campaign start, say it upfront.

Production companies work backwards from your date. They’ll plan concept work, filming days, editing, revisions, and delivery. Most projects need at least two weeks for creative, a week to organise the shoot, one or two days filming, then two or three weeks for editing and feedback. Six to eight weeks is common for a professional job.

If your timing’s flexible, let them know. Some teams can move faster if the right crew is free. Others might suggest a later date if it gets you better locations or talent.

Include any seasonal issues. If you’re filming a hotel in summer but want it live by April, that changes the schedule. Outdoor shoots need to factor in the weather.

Note filming locations

Be clear about where filming will happen. Is it your office, a specific property, multiple places, or does the production company need to source locations?

If you control the site, share any access rules. Some buildings need advance notice for crew. Some have security checks or noise limits. Factories might need safety inductions or hi-vis.

Mention if you need permissions or permits. Public spaces, National Trust sites, and council land often need approval. Your production company will sort this, but they need to know early, as permits can take a while.

Time-of-day matters too. A restaurant might only be free before service. A factory might need filming outside busy hours.

Share budget and sign-off process

Give your production company a budget range, even if it’s rough. Projects can stall when expectations are miles apart.

Budget sets the crew, filming days, kit, and how many versions you get. Production companies can create great work at different prices, but they need to know what you’re thinking.

If you’re not sure about costs, ask for examples at different levels. Most will show you what £5,000, £10,000, or £20,000 buys.

Name who signs off the brief, the creative, and the final edit. Fewer people in the chain means things move faster. One decision-maker with a small team for input works better than a committee.

Set the pieces in place for distribution and engagement

A video won’t do much just by existing. Tell your production company how you’ll use it, where it’ll go, and what formats you want.

Plan cut-downs and aspect ratios

One master video rarely suits every platform. LinkedIn likes square 1:1 videos under 90 seconds. Instagram Stories and TikTok need vertical 9:16. YouTube and your website use horizontal 16:9.

Tell your production team which platforms matter most. If you’re launching a demo on LinkedIn, ask for a 60-second square version with the full horizontal edit. For a homepage brand film, you might want a 2-minute master, a 30-second teaser in three aspect ratios, and a 15-second paid ad cut.

List every format you need in your brief. Include aspect ratios, durations, and where each version will run. This helps the team frame shots and plan edits without awkward crops.

Think about subtitles and accessibility

Most people watch social video with the sound off. If your video relies on dialogue or voiceover but has no subtitles, you’ll lose viewers in the first three seconds.

Ask for burned-in subtitles for platforms where native captions aren’t reliable. For your website and YouTube, request separate subtitle files so viewers can toggle them. If you need other languages, mention them if you’re sharing across markets.

Let your production company know if you need audio descriptions or if accessibility compliance is important for your sector.

Map how you'll increase engagement on social media

Distribution channels change how you should make your video. A LinkedIn video that sends people to a landing page needs a different approach than an Instagram Story aimed at brand awareness.

Tell your production company what you want viewers to do. If you want leads, ask them to add a clear call to action and leave space for end cards with your contact details.

If you’re after awareness, focus on the first three seconds. That hook matters more than a pushy message at the end.

Let them know if you plan to boost posts. Paid social works differently to organic, so if you’re promoting the video, the team will need to tweak the pacing and messaging.