How to Brief Your Video Production Company

The single biggest factor in whether a video project succeeds or struggles is the quality of the brief. Not the budget. Not the animation style. Not the voiceover talent. The brief.

We've been producing animated explainer videos since 2015 — 500+ projects for clients including Deloitte, Toyota, and Veritas. The pattern is consistent: projects that start with a clear, specific brief tend to run smoothly, land well on deadline, and require fewer revisions. Projects that start with vague direction tend to drift, generate frustration on both sides, and cost more in time than the budget saved by not thinking it through upfront.

Here's what goes into a brief that actually works.

The Core Elements of a Good Video Brief

1. The Goal — What do you want viewers to do?

Not what you want the video to say. What you want viewers to do after watching it. These are different things.

"Explain what our software does" is a content description. "Get visitors to click 'Start Free Trial' on our homepage" is a goal. The second one is useful. The first one isn't.

Possible goals: request a demo, make a purchase, sign up for a free trial, understand a complex product well enough to continue reading, feel more confident about a buying decision, reduce the number of basic support questions.

One video, one goal. If you want to achieve multiple goals, consider multiple videos placed at different stages of the customer journey.

2. The Audience — Who specifically?

"Small businesses" is not a useful audience definition. "Marketing managers at SaaS companies with 10-50 employees who are currently using spreadsheets to track their campaigns" is.

The more specifically you can describe your target viewer, the more targeted the script can be. Targeted scripts perform better because they speak directly to a real person's specific problem — not to a hypothetical everyone.

Include: role/job title, industry, main pain point, what they already know about the problem, what objections they're likely to have.

3. Placement — Where will the video live?

The answer to this shapes everything: tone, length, pacing, and how much context the video needs to provide. A video that sits above the fold on your homepage is watched by people who've just arrived on your site with no prior context. A video in a sales email is watched by people who already know your name. A paid ad video has three seconds to grab attention before someone scrolls past.

Tell the production team: homepage, landing page, LinkedIn ad, email campaign, YouTube, onboarding flow, sales call supplement. The placement determines the brief.

4. Tone and Style — How should it feel?

This is where reference videos are incredibly useful. Instead of trying to describe a tone in words (is "professional but approachable" different from "friendly but credible"?), find three to five videos that have the right feel and link them in your brief.

Also specify what you want to avoid. "We don't want it to feel like a typical corporate video" is useful guidance. "We want something more like a startup explainer than an enterprise product video" is better.

If you have brand guidelines — color palette, fonts, visual identity — include them. If your brand has a specific voice or tone of voice document, share it.

5. Length — How much time does the viewer have?

Most business videos land in one of three ranges: 30-60 seconds (ads, social media, quick explainers), 60-90 seconds (homepage and landing page explainers), and 2-3 minutes (detailed product demos, onboarding). The right length depends on the complexity of your product and how much of your viewer's attention you can reasonably expect.

Our general advice: err shorter. A crisp 60-second video almost always outperforms a rambling 3-minute one. It forces discipline in the script, and it respects the viewer's time.

6. Budget and Timeline

Include both. Being coy about budget is counterproductive — it just wastes time with proposals that don't fit your constraints. A production company that knows your budget can tell you immediately whether it's achievable and what trade-offs might be involved.

Similarly with timeline: "as soon as possible" is not a timeline. "We need this live by May 15 for a product launch" is.

Our pricing page shows exactly what different budgets deliver so you can calibrate expectations before you brief us.

What Not to Include in Your Brief

Briefs that try to solve every creative problem upfront often slow production down. You don't need to specify every scene or write the full script — that's our job. What we need from you is the strategic context. Leave room for the production team's creative expertise on the execution side.

Also: don't include too many stakeholders' wish lists in the brief document. A brief that represents four different people's preferred approaches leads to a Frankenstein video that satisfies no one. Align internally first, then brief the agency.

The Kickoff Call

Even with a perfect written brief, a 30-minute kickoff call is worth its weight in gold. It's where the production team asks clarifying questions, flags potential issues, and confirms alignment before a word of script is written. This call pays for itself many times over in revision rounds saved.

When you start your order with us, a kickoff call is part of our process. We don't go straight to production from a form submission — we make sure we understand your brief before we start writing.

A Simple Brief Template

If you want a starting point, here's the structure we'd recommend for any explainer video brief:

1. Company and product overview (2-3 sentences)
2. The problem this video solves for the viewer
3. The single goal of the video (what action do you want viewers to take?)
4. Target audience description (specific role, context, pain point)
5. Where the video will be used
6. Tone and style (adjectives + reference videos)
7. Desired length
8. Budget range
9. Hard deadline
10. Any mandatory elements (specific scenes, must-mention features, legal disclaimers)
11. Any hard restrictions (things to avoid, competitor mentions, sensitive topics)

That's it. One page. Everything the production team needs to begin.

If you'd like to discuss your project before filling in a brief, our free 15-minute call is the fastest way to get oriented. Or explore our services and pricing first if you'd like more context on what's available.

FAQ: Briefing a Video Production Company

What should a video production brief include?

A strong video brief covers: the goal of the video (what you want viewers to do after watching), the target audience (who specifically), where the video will be used (homepage, social media, ads), the desired tone and style, the target length, your budget range, and your deadline. Reference videos you like are also extremely helpful.

How long should a video production brief be?

One to two pages is ideal. A brief that's too short leaves the production team guessing; one that's too long buries the critical information. Focus on the goal, audience, placement, tone, and any must-have or must-avoid elements.

Should I write a script before briefing a video company?

Not necessarily. A good production company will write the script for you based on your brief — and they'll often do it better because they know what works in video format. What you do need to provide is a clear description of your product, your audience's main problem, and the key message you want to land.

What happens if my brief is incomplete?

An incomplete brief leads to a slower production process, more revision rounds, and a higher chance of producing a video that doesn't serve its purpose. A good production company will ask clarifying questions — but the more specific you are upfront, the faster and better the result. Start your order and we'll guide you through it →