What to include in a video brief?
When starting a new project with a client, a video brief can help us understand your project requirements. A brief is essentially a list of answers to questions about your project that we can use to provide you with an estimate of how much time and budget will be needed to complete it.
If you’re looking to commission a video for your organisation, but not sure where to start, we’ve compiled a list of questions that will help us accurately cost and plan your project.
What type of video or videos do you want to create?
This is the first question we ask clients. The type of video you want to create, from a series of training videos, a product video, to an explainer video, will mean different things in terms of the project’s length and required budget.
What is your objective?
Once we know what type of video you want to create, we then want to know what you hope to achieve with the video. Are you looking to inform, educate, entertain, or engage with your video or videos?
Who is the target audience?
You know what type of video you want to create, but who is the video for? The audience of your video could be your staff (training videos), new or existing customers (product videos), website visitors (explainer videos) or all of these (event videos).
What key message do you want to deliver?
Now that we know what video you want to create and who the video is for, what message are you hoping to convey? For instance, if you are looking to produce a product video, what specific benefits of your product are you looking to promote?
How long should the video or videos be?
If you’re unsure how long you think your video or videos should be, we can advise on the average length of different video types. For example, the average duration of a homepage or explainer videos is no more than 90 to 120 seconds, and a case study or testimonial video is typically 2 to 3 minutes.
Where will the video or videos be hosted?
Once you video or videos are complete, where will you be hosting or sharing them? Will you be uploading the content to your website, sharing it on your social media platforms, or showing the video at an event or conference?
What information would you want to include?
Knowing what information the video should include helps us when writing the video script. This could be background information about your business, information about your products or services, or the data that you want to include in an explainer video. We ask that you provide us with as much relevant supporting documentation as possible.
Who will appear in the video or videos?
When planning the video production, it’s helpful to know who will feature in the video or videos. Are you looking to feature multiple members of staff, or will there be key interviews from one or more stakeholders? This also helps us during the scripting phase.
Where do you want the video or videos to be filmed?
Do you have an idea of which location or locations the video will be filmed in? Again, this helps us during the video production planning. The filming locations can differ depending on what type of video you’re looking to create. For example, for corporate videos we usually film on your premises, and for case study videos we film on your client’s premises. We can also provide studio space if required.
What creative elements would you like to include?
Are there any creative elements you would like to include in the video? This could be anything from drone footage, time-lapse photography, or virtual reality. The creative elements used in the video should lend themselves to the type of video you want to create and the audience you’re creating the video for. If you’re unsure what you’d like to include, we are happy to advise you on this.
Should the video or videos follow your brand guidelines?
Do you have brand guidelines that the video or videos should adhere to? If you don’t have formal brand guidelines, we can use your website or company materials for guidance around which colours or fonts to include. If you’ve created videos in the past, we can replicate the look and feel of these in the new videos we produce.
Will the video or videos include a voiceover?
If the video doesn’t feature footage of people, you may want to opt for a voiceover. If using an external voiceover artist, we will ask whether you have any preferences such as gender, age, accent and style (formal or conversational). We can source a range of samples of different voiceover artists.
What is your preferred video format?
Do you have any preference for the final video format? This is something to consider when thinking about where the video will be hosted. For reference, the default format we provide video files in a HD (1920 x 1080) mp4 format, but we can provide it in other file formats if required.
Is there a deadline for the video or videos?
Now that we have a good idea of the video you want to produce, we’ll need to know when you’ll need the project delivered. If you have a deadline for the video, such as for an upcoming event or product launch, we’ll be able to advise whether we have enough time to deliver the project.
Who is responsible for the final sign-off?
This is something that’s worth considering before the project begins. If you’re working towards a tight deadline, you’ll want to pre-empt any potential delays such as sign-off from your legal team, or senior internal stakeholders.
What is your budget?
This is the final question we ask. Once we know what you’re looking to create, we can provide you with a cost estimation. Knowing how much budget you have available allows us to know whether we can realistically deliver on your video project brief.
We hope that this has given you some insight around the things to consider when developing a video brief. If you think there’s anything we’ve missed, or if you have any questions, please contact us at info@hyperfinemedia.co.uk.