The single most common cause of video projects going over budget, over time, or underdelivering is a weak brief. Not weak production. Not weak creative. A brief that did not answer the right questions at the start.
The eight questions every video brief should answer
Define the single primary purpose. Fundraising. Recruitment. Training. Public information. Brand awareness. If there is more than one purpose, consider whether you need more than one video.
Be specific. Not "the general public" but a precise definition of who will watch and why it matters to them. The more precisely you define the audience, the more effectively the video can speak to them.
One specific action. Visit a page, call a number, apply for a role, donate, share. This single answer shapes everything from the script to the final frame.
Website, social media, broadcast TV, internal presentation, exhibition stand? Each context changes the format, aspect ratio, length and approach.
Warm and approachable? Authoritative and professional? Urgent and emotional? Sharing reference videos -- even from unrelated sectors -- is one of the most useful things a client can do.
Existing footage, photography, branded assets, willing interviewees, access to locations. Knowing what exists avoids unnecessary production cost.
Sharing a budget range is not a weakness. It helps a production company tell you honestly what is achievable rather than proposing something beautiful that then has to be value-engineered back to affordability.
The deadline shapes the production schedule. Be realistic -- a four-week turnaround for a complex multi-location shoot is not achievable. A good production company will tell you this upfront.
"Share a budget range. It is not a weakness -- it is the single most useful piece of information a production company receives."
What a good production company does with your brief
A strong production partner will take your brief and come back with questions rather than a quote. They will push on the audience definition, the single desired action, and the distribution context. They will challenge assumptions that might produce a weaker film. If a production company responds to your brief with a detailed quote and no questions, that is a reason to pause.
Send us your brief -- we will tell you if it is ready
If you have a video project in development and you are not sure the brief is as strong as it could be, email it to us. We will give you honest feedback on what is clear, what needs strengthening, and what the project is likely to cost. No commitment required.