How to brief a videographer: what to include in a video brief

To brief a videographer, tell them what the video needs to achieve, who it's for, the one message viewers should remember, where it will be shown, and the practical details: deadline, locations, who appears on camera, the versions you need, who approves it and a rough budget. A page or a short call is enough; clarity matters more than length.

A good brief gets you a more accurate quote, a better creative idea and fewer changes in the edit. It doesn't need a script, a shot list or any technical knowledge; those are the production team's job.

1. What is the video for?

Start with the goal, in one sentence. "We need a promo video" doesn't tell anyone much. These do:

• "Help website visitors understand our service in under two minutes and book a call."
• "Give graduate applicants a real sense of what it's like to work here."
• "Show sponsors what happened at our conference so they come back next year."

A clear goal shapes everything else: the tone, the structure, who should be in it and how long it should be. It also gives you a way to judge whether the finished film has done its job.

2. Who is it for?

Describe the audience as specifically as you can. "Potential customers" is too broad. "Operations managers at mid-sized Irish manufacturers who haven't heard of us" is useful, because it tells the videographer what the viewer already knows, what they care about and what language will land.

If there are several audiences, say which one matters most. One film rarely works equally well for customers, staff and investors.

3. What is the one thing they should remember?

If a viewer remembers one thing after watching, what should it be? Write that down, then add the three or four supporting points that back it up: what makes you different, proof such as a result or a client story, how the process works, and what you want them to do next.

You don't need to write the script. Your job is to give the production team the substance; theirs is to turn it into a story. Concept and script are included in every Mango project.

4. Where will the video be shown?

This is the detail most often left out, and it affects length, format and pacing:

• Website or YouTube: usually a widescreen film, often a bit longer.
• LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok: shorter, often vertical or square, and built to work with the sound off, so captions matter.
• Paid ads: short versions with the message in the first few seconds.
• Events or internal screens: sometimes no sound at all, sometimes a specific screen size.

If you need several versions, say so in the brief. The shoot can then be planned to cover every format, which is much cheaper than reworking a finished film. For more on length, see how long should my video be?

5. What are the practical details?

These turn a creative idea into something that can be scheduled and priced:

• Deadline: when the film must be ready, and whether it's tied to a launch, conference or announcement.
• Locations: your office, a client site, an event venue, several places or a studio. Locations affect travel, set-up time and permissions.
• People on camera: staff, leaders, customers or presenters, and how available they are.
• Deliverables: the main film plus any cut-downs, formats, subtitled versions or stills.
• Approvals: who reviews the cuts and who has the final say. If three directors need to sign off, the videographer should know now.
• Budget: a rough range, if you have one. It helps the videographer recommend an approach that fits, rather than designing something you can't use.

If you're not sure what range to give, these are typical Mango figures, ex VAT, for a shoot in Dublin with concept, script and captions included:

Shoot days, locations, extra versions and a tight deadline move the figure. The corporate video cost guide has the full breakdown.

6. What do you like, and why?

Reference videos are useful, but only with a sentence explaining what you like about each one: the pacing, the interview style, the look, the music, the humour. "Something like this" on its own leaves too much to guesswork. It's just as useful to say what you don't want, for example "nothing that feels like a stock-footage advert" or "no jargon".

7. Are there any must-haves or no-gos?

Flag anything fixed at the start: brand guidelines, logos and fonts, required product names or legal wording, approved figures or claims, people or places that must appear, and anything that must not. These are far easier to build in from the beginning than to fix at the review stage.

A simple video brief template

Copy this into an email or document and fill in what you know. Blanks are fine; a good production company will help you fill the gaps.

What you don't need to have figured out

Many people put off contacting a videographer because they think they need a script or a creative idea first. You don't. You also don't need a shot list, a storyboard, a precise running time or any technical knowledge. Bring the business context; the production team will shape the creative approach and the plan. Our post on the video production process shows what happens after the brief.

Common briefing mistakes

• A vague goal. "A promo video" could mean awareness, sales, recruitment or explanation.
• Too many messages. Trying to cover every service for every audience weakens all of them.
• Not saying where it will be shown. This often leads to avoidable re-edits.
• Keeping budget and deadline back. The videographer can only recommend the right approach if they know the constraints.
• Leaving out the real decision-maker. Someone senior seeing the film for the first time at the end can send it back to the start.

Next step

Once you have the basics, the instant quote calculator will email you an estimate within minutes. Or book a free 30-minute discovery call with us and talk the brief through. If you only need a camera operator for a day, see videographer hire; for help choosing who to brief, see freelancer or video production company?