Getting a video production quote usually starts with a conversation. But if you’ve never commissioned video before, it’s hard to know what information a production company actually needs. Send too little and you’ll get vague answers. Send too much and you risk burying the key details.
A good video production brief saves time on both sides. It helps you clarify what you’re actually asking for, and it gives the production company the context they need to recommend the right approach and provide an accurate quote.
Here’s what to include, and how to structure it.
What the project is for
Start with the purpose. Are you launching a new service? Explaining a product? Recruiting staff? Capturing an event?
The purpose shapes everything else. A recruitment video shot in your office will look and feel completely different to a product demo filmed in a studio. If we know what the video needs to achieve, we can suggest the right format, style and distribution channels.
You don’t need to have all the answers at this stage. If you’re not sure whether you need one video or three, or whether animation would work better than live action, that’s fine. Just describe the problem you’re trying to solve.
Who the audience is
Knowing who’ll watch the video changes how we approach it. A video aimed at internal staff will use different language and pacing compared to one aimed at prospective clients or investors.
Be specific. Instead of “businesses”, try “HR managers in manufacturing companies with 50–200 employees”. It helps us pitch the tone and visuals appropriately.
Key messages and tone
You don’t need a full script, but a rough idea of what you want to communicate makes a big difference. Bullet points work well here. If there are three main benefits you want to highlight, list them.
Also mention tone. Should it feel formal and reassuring, or energetic and modern? If you have existing brand guidelines or videos you like (whether your own or someone else’s), share them. Visual references are often clearer than descriptions.
Practical details
This is where you cover the logistics that affect cost and feasibility:
- Filming location. Your office, a hired studio, multiple sites, or a mix?
- People on camera. Do you have someone in mind, or will you need a presenter or voiceover artist?
- Deadline. When do you need the finished video? If it’s tied to a launch or event, mention that upfront.
- Budget range. You don’t need an exact figure, but a rough range helps us recommend what’s realistic. A £2,000 project looks very different to a £10,000 one.
- Deliverables. One video for your website? Several cuts for social media? Mention where you plan to use it.
The more detail you provide here, the more accurate the initial quote will be.
What happens after you send a brief
Once a production company has your brief, they’ll usually suggest a call or meeting to talk through the details. That’s normal. A brief gets the conversation started, but most projects need a bit of back and forth before everything’s locked down.
You’ll get questions about things you might not have considered. That’s not because your brief was incomplete, it’s just how the process works. Video projects have a lot of moving parts, and some decisions only make sense once you’ve talked through the options.
Download our free video brief template
To make this easier, we’ve created a free Video Production Brief template you can download and fill in. It’s a simple, structured PDF that walks you through every point above — the purpose, the audience, your key messages and tone, and the practical details like location, budget and deadlines — so nothing important gets missed and you’re not staring at a blank page.
How to use it: download the PDF, complete as much as you can, and email it back to us or attach it to an enquiry. There’s no need to fill in every box. It also works as a handy planning document for your own team — a quick way to get everyone agreed on what the video actually needs to do before you approach a production company.
Not sure about some sections? Leave them blank and we’ll talk through them together.
Ready to get started?
If you’re considering video production and want to talk through your project, get in touch. We work with businesses across the UK on everything from corporate videos to event filming and branded content.
Get in touch to discuss your project, or send over a completed brief and we’ll come back to you with ideas and a quote.