How to write a video brief that gets you the film you want [free template]

Point-and-shoot is tempting. But every project that goes sideways goes sideways at the same place: the brief. Thirty minutes of writing saves three rounds of “that’s not quite what we meant”. Here’s how to write a video brief that gets you the film you actually want — template included.

Why briefs changed

In 2021 a video brief described one film for one channel. Now a single production might need a hero film, six cutdowns, three aspect ratios and a testing matrix for paid social. The brief has to plan the whole matrix, or you’ll pay for the gaps in change orders.

The 10 sections of a working brief

1. The job. One sentence: what should change because this film exists? Include the metric you’ll judge it by.
2. The audience. Who, where they’ll watch, and what they currently believe that you need to shift.
3. The single message. If they remember one thing, it’s this. One thing.
4. The platform matrix. Every placement: TV, YouTube, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, your website. Each one changes lengths, ratios and hooks.
5. Formats and deliverables. List every asset you’ll need — shooting six cutdowns on the day costs little; commissioning them later doesn’t.
6. Budget and timeline. Share the real number. Agencies design to budgets; vagueness buys you the wrong proposal. (Our 2026 cost guide gives you the ranges.)
7. Mandatories. Brand rules, legal must-says, compliance. For TV, flag it early — Clearcast substantiation starts at the script.
8. Tone references. Two or three films you love, and crucially one you don’t, with a sentence on why.
9. Test variables. Running paid? Decide upfront what you’ll A/B — hooks, offers, end frames — so variants get captured on the shoot day.
10. Sign-off chain. Who approves, in what order, by when. The most boring section and the one that protects your deadline.

Grab the template

Download the free Skylark video brief template — the ten sections above, ready to fill in. Send us the finished brief and we’ll tell you honestly what it’ll take: start a project.