Of all the factors that slow down a production project, an unclear brief is number one.

Not equipment. Not weather. Not budget. The brief.

When there’s a clear brief, everyone is working on the same project. When there isn’t, everyone fills in the gaps with their own imagination - and by the end it turns out the cheese wasn’t really on the sandwich.

What Every Brief Must Include

1. What Do You Want the Viewer to Do After Watching?

This is the most important question. Not “what do we want to say” - but what the viewer actually does after they finish watching.

Examples:

  • “Click ‘Get a Quote’”
  • “Visit the branch”
  • “Feel like they want to work with us”
  • “Tell a friend ‘have you seen this?’”

“Get to know the brand” is not an answer. You need something more specific.

2. Who Is the Audience? (One, Not a List)

“Everyone” is not an audience. “Marketing managers at mid-to-large companies looking for a reliable production partner” is an audience.

The more precise the description, the more the script can speak directly to them. When you try to speak to everyone, you speak to no one.

3. What Is the One Message?

One only.

If there are three equally important messages, choose one and push it hard. The others can be secondary - but there’s a clear primary hook.

4. What Is the Tone? (With Examples)

“Warm and professional” means something different to everyone. Better to say: “Like the Airbnb video from 2022” or “Like a Volkswagen ad, not a Sprite ad.” References save thousands of words.

5. Technical Details

  • Approximate length: 30 seconds? 90? 3 minutes?
  • Platforms: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, TV, a combination?
  • Format: landscape only? Also vertical?
  • Delivery date and air date
  • Budget (a range is fine)

6. What Not to Do

This is the section most clients forget to write.

“Don’t show competitors directly,” “don’t use red,” “our team doesn’t like fast-paced editing.” Every constraint you name upfront saves a revision round at the end.

What Not to Include in the Brief

Everything. Most briefs we receive are too long.

Ten pages of company history is not a brief - it’s a book. What matters is the 6 points above, cleanly written, in short sentences.

The Format That Works

Project: [name]
Client: [company name]
Goal: [what the viewer does after watching]
Audience: [one precise description]
Primary message: [one sentence]
Tone: [3 qualities + one reference]
Details: [length / platform / format / air date]
Budget: [range]
Don't: [what not to do]

That’s it. If you can fill in this format, you have a brief that works.

Want us to review your brief before you send it? Reach out and we’ll tell you if anything critical is missing.