Why You Need a Video Production Brief
Before you think about cameras, scripts, or shoot days, you need to get your strategy straight. A great video doesn’t start with filming — it starts with clarity.
That’s where a video production agency becomes a valuable partner. When you work with a team that specialises in strategy-led content creation, they won’t just ask what you want to film — they’ll ask why, for who, and how success is measured. That all starts with a well-crafted brief.
Here’s what a professional video production brief helps you do:
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Define your goals and KPIs
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Align your internal team and stakeholders
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Streamline production timelines and approvals
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Make the most of your video marketing budget
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Ensure the final content speaks directly to your audience
In short: it sets you — and your video production agency — up to deliver content that not only looks good but performs.
What to Include in Your Video Production Brief
We’ve broken down each section of the brief below, so you can follow along as you fill out your own. And if you don’t want to start from scratch, you can grab our free, downloadable template at the end of this post.
1. Project Overview
What are you creating and why?
Example:
“We need a 90-second employer brand video to support our Q4 hiring campaign. It should bring our company culture to life and be used on our careers site, LinkedIn, and internal comms.”
This helps your video production partner understand the scope and intent right from the start.
2. Objectives & Success Metrics
What do you want this video to do? The more specific, the better.
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Raise brand awareness
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Drive applications for specific roles
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Increase engagement on social media
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Support internal training
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Improve recruitment conversion rates
Include how success will be measured: views, watch time, social shares, website conversions, etc.
3. Target Audience
Understanding your audience is fundamental to making video content that resonates. A professional video production agency will use this information to tailor the tone, visuals, pacing, and distribution strategy.
Think about:
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Who are you trying to reach?
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What challenges are they facing?
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Where will they see your content?
The clearer you are, the better your agency can shape a narrative that lands.
4. Core Messages
These are the ideas you want your audience to remember. When you work with an experienced video production agency, they’ll help you distill complex brand messages into sharp, story-led content that holds attention. Ideally, 2–3 core points that align with your brand tone.
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“We’re a people-first company where you can grow.”
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“We value purpose-driven work and real impact.”
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“Here’s what makes working here different.”
These guide your script, interviews, and overall story arc.
Style, Look & Feel
What do you want the video to feel like?
As a creative video production agency, we work across a range of formats and visual styles — but we need to know what aligns with your brand and vision.
Style references might include:
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Documentary/interview-based
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Cinematic with voiceover
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Fast-paced social content
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Humorous and playful
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Clean, professional, and corporate
Tip: Share examples of videos you like (even from competitors!). It helps spark creative direction quickly.
6. Deliverables
When briefing your video team, be specific about the content formats you need. A strategic video production agency will plan your shoot so it works harder across every channel — turning one shoot day into a whole suite of assets for your careers site, social platforms, and internal comms. List out all the assets you need from the production.
Common examples:
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1x main video (60–90 seconds)
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3x 15-second vertical cutdowns for social
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1x subtitled version
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1x teaser trailer
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Behind-the-scenes footage for LinkedIn
Be clear on formats and platforms — do you need vertical video for Instagram Stories? Or 16:9 for your website?
7. Timeline
When do you need the video to go live?
Include:
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Deadlines for filming, first drafts, and final delivery
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Key internal sign-off dates
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Any scheduling constraints (e.g. shoot must happen during your company away day)
The more notice you can give your video agency, the more efficiently we can plan crew, locations, and editing time.
8. Budget
This doesn’t need to be exact, but a rough range is very helpful. It helps us propose the most realistic and impactful creative options within your spend.
You might say:
“We have £5,000–£8,000 to work with for this campaign.”
Or:
“We’re open on budget, but want to understand what’s possible at different tiers.”
9. Stakeholders & Approvals
Agencies need to know who’s involved and who has the final say. As a video production agency, we always recommend identifying a core decision-maker early on — it speeds up production, keeps edits focused, and ensures the final product meets expectations.
We suggest limiting approvals to a small, focused team to keep feedback cycles short and constructive.
Example:
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Marketing Manager (brief owner)
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HR Director (final sign-off)
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Brand Team (for visual checks)
10. Challenges or Known Constraints
Be upfront about any red tape or must-haves.
Examples:
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“We don’t have access to external filming locations.”
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“We can’t film certain departments for legal reasons.”
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“The CEO is only available for one hour on Monday.”
This helps your production team plan proactively and avoid bottlenecks.
11. Inspirations & Examples
Sharing creative references saves a lot of time.
Think about:
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Videos from other brands you admire
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Past campaigns you’ve done
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Moodboards, Pinterest boards, or even Instagram posts that reflect your tone
The more visual cues, the better.
How MHF Creative Can Help
At MHF Creative, we’re a video production agency based in London that specialises in creating authentic, story-driven content for employer brand, recruitment, and internal comms.
We don’t just show up with a camera — we partner with you from brief to final cut to make sure your video content connects with the right people, in the right places, for the right reasons.
If you’re not sure where to start, we’ll help you shape your brief, align your stakeholders, and build a strategy that turns your story into impact.
Book a Discovery Call With Our Team
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