Blog / Guide
Corporate video brief: what to include before you start shooting
The questions to answer before the shoot: objectives, tone, distribution channel and deadlines. The short document that prevents long problems.
Before the camera is switched on, it should already be clear what we want the video to achieve, who it's for and what tone it needs. That groundwork is the brief, and when it's missing or half-done, the shoot gets complicated.
I've seen projects slip by weeks, not because of technical problems, but because nobody had decided beforehand whether the video was meant to win clients or to strengthen internal communication. A half-hour brief prevents that kind of conversation from happening too late.
What a video brief is and why it matters
A video brief is a short document that sets out the project's objectives, who the video is for, the tone it should have, what must not appear and what the real deadlines are. It isn't a script or a proposal. It's the shared working foundation between the company and the director.
Its main job is to cut down on assumptions. Without it, everyone on the team works from their own interpretation of what's needed. With it, the important decisions are made before anyone gets to set.
On one-day shoots, the brief can be a 30-minute call documented in a summary email. On larger projects, a 2- or 3-page document is worthwhile. In no case does it need to be an elaborate presentation.
How to prepare it properly
Objectives and audience
The first thing the brief has to answer is what the video is for. To attract new clients? To present the company at an event? To onboard new employees? Each answer changes the structure, the length and the tone. You also need to define who will watch it: whether it's aimed at B2B decision-makers or end users, the language and what you show change quite a lot.
Tone and references
Tone is one of the areas where the most time is lost if it isn't defined upfront. Asking for something modern, or corporate but approachable, is too vague. What works well is sharing three reference videos, from any brand, sector or country, and explaining what you like about each one. Not whether they're good or bad in general, but which specific element is of interest: the editing pace, the music, how the interviews are set up.
Logistics and deadlines
The brief also needs to include the estimated shoot date, the real delivery deadline, not the ideal one but the one that has consequences if it's missed, and who approves the final version. That last point is key: if several people have veto power, the revision process can drag on indefinitely. Agreeing from the start who has the final say saves a lot of friction.
Common briefing mistakes
- Giving contradictory tone instructions such as serious but fun, or short but comprehensive, without clarifying which carries more weight.
- Not defining the distribution channel: a video for LinkedIn has a different length and format from one for the website or a reception screen.
- Changing the objectives after the script has been approved, which forces you to reshoot parts that are already in the can.
- Confusing the core message with the list of things the company wants to mention. A 90-second video can carry one clear message.
- Leaving out restrictions: people who must not appear, confidential facilities, phrases that can't be said.
- Putting the brief off until there's time, which usually means starting the shoot without one.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to write a brief?
A 30-minute session with the key people is usually enough for one-day shoots. What matters isn't the length but that the decisions are written down. A summary email after the call does the job without any need for formal documents.
What if we're not clear on the video's objective?
That's more common than it seems. If there's no clarity about what the video is for, the problem isn't technical but strategic. In that case, the most useful thing is to start the conversation from the problem the company wants to solve, not from the format. The objective usually emerges from there.
Should the director be involved in the brief?
Yes, whenever possible. At that stage I can flag feasibility issues, suggest alternatives and ask questions the client hadn't considered. If the brief is put together between internal departments and the director receives it already closed, it loses part of its value.
Is there a standard corporate video brief template?
There are plenty of templates, but most are too long or too generic. At a minimum it has to answer: objective, audience, tone, distribution channel, estimated length, real deadline and who signs off. Once that's settled, the rest gets adjusted along the way.
If you have a corporate video project and don't know where to start with the brief, tell me about it through the contact page. Within 48 hours we'll look at it together and I'll tell you which questions matter most for your specific case.