How to Write a Video Brief in 2025: A Complete Guide for Businesses & Creators

I’ve dealt with many different customers through my video post production agency and I can tell you one thing. The majority of our customers don’t have a proper video brief drafted when they reach out to us.

And I’m not talking about YouTube creators, start-ups, or small-sized businesses.

No — I’ve worked with publicly listed companies, including those on the NASDAQ, that still don’t supply a detailed brief when we begin a video project with them.

Now, depending on the size of the project, you might or might not need a video brief. I won’t argue with that. Maybe a short video script or a storyboard (if your video is highly animated) is more than enough.

But there are many situations where both parties – the client and the video production team – will be much better off if they draft and agree on a thorough list of requirements from the start.

What is a video brief?

I’ve looked through the web and noticed that many times we throw this word around in videos, articles and in conversation, expecting that it should be obvious that the other party understands what a video brief is all about.

have come across people (including myself, in earlier days) who had absolutely no idea what a video brief really was. Common sense would then look at the two words and think, “A video brief… it’s a brief about a video?” But sadly, I misfired or misunderstood the term quite thoroughly.

An uneducated guess I had was that a video brief…. It’s a brief about a video? Does it like give a summary of what your video will contain – kind of like a movie plot?

But a video brief goes well beyond “a summary of what your video is all about.”

A video brief is a documented, personalised plan — a blueprint from the moment you decide to create a video right through to when you publish it. It acts as the first real step of communication with your likely production team (because submitting a video brief to them doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve already agreed to work together).

We have created a video brief template (you should check it out), that shows you how to write your own video brief without being crippled by the fear of “not knowing how”.

Download it below.

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The brief shows them:

• Who you are
• Why do you want to produce and distribute this video
• What kind of audience would you like to reach
• What kind of message do you want to share
• How do you want the message portrayed
• Where would you like the production done
• What your budget looks like
• What is your timeline for the entire video production process
• What media channels will you use to publish the finished work
• Additional activities (e.g., social-media cut-downs, UGC, vertical formats) after the main video production

This saves you the headache of moving through the whole process in an uncoordinated fashion with little to no direction — which inevitably creates complications. [UPDATED]

Let me share with you why I encourage you to write a video brief, if you’re making a video for a specific purpose: [UPDATED]

• The brief clearly communicates with your would be production team about your vision, plans and the scope within which you’ll operate. This smoothes the entire process of video production.
• You get to double check your intentions for pursuing the project.
• It’ll be your road map from start to finish, no need to get lost in the thicket when you can have a clear highway. Call it your blueprint.
• It minimises on any conflicts that could have occurred as a result of vague/poor communication.
• It saves you time, because you force yourself to know what you’re going to do before you start. You have already formed a mental picture and won’t be easily swayed by distractions or “scope creep”.
• It’s the ultimate checklist you can use to assess the success of your video towards your cause and targeted audience!

I believe that companies or people who use briefs are often more successful in getting the best results from their video projects than those who don’t take the time to prepare one.

Let’s get started with items you’ll find in a video brief and the simple ways through which you can actually write up your own!

What comes to mind first is:

1. Who are you?

Here, you’ll give a summary about yourself as a supplier be it an individual or company. Think of it as an intro section of your video.

Consider it as a short “About us” section: who you are, what you do, why you do it, what your values are — especially as it may relate to the video.

2. Why do you want to make this video?

Here you define the reason — is it for brand awareness, lead generation, internal training, or social media short-form? What’s the inspiration or business goal?

You can define it as your goal or purpose for making the video.

Are you simply looking to gain more views for your travel vlog? Do you need more customers for your coffee brand? Are you a restaurant launching a new menu item and want to promote it via vertical social videos?

Or do you want to start a non-profit awareness campaign on social media and employee engagement because you care about community safety and growth? It all starts here.

Decisions will keep bouncing back to this goal, trying to find the perfect fit that showcases your intentions in the best light possible.

You want your production team sold over to you and your cause so this is a good way of starting the journey.

3. What kind of audience are you trying to reach?

Defining your audience here could be the difference between a successfully sold out product/service and a miserably failing one. The difference between a vlog/blog site having many frequent subscribers and the lesser side.

In today’s marketing world, we know there are three general brackets of human beings: the young, the middle age and the old.

You’ll want to define demographic, psychographic, and behavioural elements, and include platform usage: e.g., “18-34 on TikTok and Instagram Reels who show interest in crypto startups” or “C-level execs on LinkedIn for B2B SaaS.”

In previous years, I used a broad three-bracket system (young, middle-aged, older). That’s now too simplistic.

In 2025, we need to dig deeper: what devices do they use, what content format they prefer (short vertical clips vs 16:9 long-form), what platforms they frequent, and what kind of tone resonates with them.

However in each of these brackets is another layer that needs to be peeled back so as to neatly, precisely define the kind of people you are looking for.

The majority of young people will enjoy a video that is funny, witty yet knowledgeable, practical, simple and helpful. Some would love videos that have some emotion in there or some may just want pure information.

The middle age are not above having humour expressed in a way that connects with their everyday challenges in their lives.

So a video can be made to solve a problem and yet keep a light humorous side of things so that no one feels like they’re about to die!

I think the old are about enjoying a certain quality of life – especially the dream of simply living comfortably with minimal irritations getting in the way.

I’m not very familiar with this bracket:) but in case there was a service I was offering that made their lives so much better, say a pair of comfy walking shoes which don’t give you joint pains, I’d want to understand the kind of audience I’m trying to sell them to.

Selecting the right target audience for your project therefore depends on the kind of plans you have for your product or service.

4. What kind of message do you want to share?

Now that we know the people we want watching our video, we can draw closely into the message and content you can offer in the video.

We know that already, you have a mental picture on some of the core things you want portrayed in your video. Let your team know.

If you’re trying to get more traffic to your travel blog, you know it’s important that the message you share in your video reflects that adventurous spirit in all ages, young and old.

You want people to think about and follow you through your travel and to engage with you wherever you are.

If it’s for a travel blog, maybe the message is “freedom, family bonding, nature immersion”. Share specific outcomes: “Since starting this lifestyle, I now spend more quality time with family and am less stressed” — that kind of authenticity resonates.

The more precise you are with your message, the easier it is for your viewers to relate. Avoid crowding the video with too many messages and risk losing focus.

You’ll for example, mention  how much better your life has become since starting this kind of lifestyle – it could be that now, you’re able to spend more quality time with your family unlike before, or you’ve been able to conquer your fear of forest camping and as a result you’re less afraid of some new changes in your life.

The more specific you are in sharing your message, the easier it is for your viewers to relate to what you’re sharing. Watch out not to crowd the video with too many messages and risk them losing sight.

5. How do you want the message portrayed?

Once you know what you’ll be sharing in the video, it’s time to think about the format in which the video will be shot.

Once you know what you’ll share, decide how you’ll share it.

Place yourself in the audience’s shoes. What format will best deliver your message now? A cinematic documentary style? Talking heads? Fast-cut social montage? 360° VR? Live streaming?

Do you need high production value, or is a raw, authentic user-generated style better (especially for TikTok/Instagram)?

A good production team should advise you on format and why it works — so include this as a discussion point.

6. What geographical locations and settings do you have in mind for the video?

You may or may not know the exact location you want your video shot in — but if you have preferences, mention them.

E.g., “We’d like an urban rooftop in Bucharest, drone shots of the Carpathians, or studio green-screen in Bucharest”.

Discuss the setting, motion graphics, animation vs live action, remote filming vs in-studio. Be open to new suggestions (the team might propose better options).

7. What does your budget look like?

This is critical. Be very clear about how much you are willing to spend, and whether that budget covers multi-platform adaptation, short-form spin-offs, and future repurposing.

A good production team should tell you what they can deliver at your budget. If the budget is vague, there’ll be conflict later.

Assigning a particular amount to the project will save you plenty of conflict between you and your team.

The process involves more than one moving part, and every part will have its requirements, which could exceed the budget if the money boundaries are vague.

After you have started to engage with your chosen video production team, they should be more than able to advise you on what they can achieve with the budget you’ve put forward.

8. What is your timeline for the entire video production process?

Timeframes are a smart way of preventing yourself from getting too caught up in the process and failing to complete the production within a specific timeline.

In 2025, it’s no longer just “shoot and edit”, you’ll want to factor in pre-production (scripting, storyboarding), production (shooting, remote sessions, multi-cam live streaming), post-production (editing, motion graphics, subtitles, metadata for platforms like YouTube and TikTok), plus distribution and analytics.

Interestingly, while shooting the video takes some time, post-production/ editing can take 5-10x more than the shooting.

For example, shooting may take a day, but post-production/editing for social verticals can take 3-5x more time.

So the entire process, pre-production, which involves planning, production, which involves shooting, and post-production, which includes editing and distribution, must be factored into the timeline.

9. What media will you use to air the finished work?

There are a number of ways through which a video can be aired. It could be through TV, uploading to channels like youtube, showcasing the video at a trade show, or sharing the video at a conference.

It seems the options are many but at least you get to have your pick on what will work best for your project.

There doesn’t have to be one specific media used; you can have your video aired on TV, shared at conferences, and uploaded to your YouTube channel! And it will still work.

This all still depends on the audience you have determined to share your message with.

Keep in mind that whichever media you choose to use will also have its own impact on your budget and production process.

The extra… because it comes in way after your video has been produced – the litmus test

10. What’s the reaction I got from the mock audience, and what changes need to be made?

I know that it’s not common practice for production agencies or even the expert individual to showcase videos to a small group of people, especially for low budget videos.

But what if you can actually pull this off? Wouldn’t you want to do it?

In case you’re struggling with a small budget and can’t afford to spend any more than you’ve already incurred, there are ways of getting this mock category of people.

It can be random selection through friends and family, but only the ones who don’t mind giving you an honest, unfiltered opinion about how the video makes them feel! No need for an entire clan.

The mock trial gives you a chance to assess their reactions towards your video before you officially publicise it.

Does it spark off the kind of vibe or emotion you’re looking for?

Such emotions can include hunger, pity, joy, worry, caution, excitement, feelings of mellowness, fatigue, concern, bravery, confidence, insecurity, laughter,and the list goes on.

The video does not need to express only one emotion; after all, predominantly, you’re telling a story to an audience to get just the right reaction from them! And I bet you’ll know when you have that video.

Lastly

Creating a video brief doesn’t have to be a hectic, painstaking process. With the right kind of help and guidance, this is an easy process that anyone can do, regardless of their background.

PS: If you should need any advice on how to get through this task, just reach out and our team will be delighted to engage you through the process!