“We need a video” is where most projects start, and it isn’t a plan yet. Ask three production companies to quote that sentence and you’ll get three very different numbers. None of them is wrong. Each one is pricing a different video.
A brief fixes that. It’s one page that says what the video is for, where it will run and what has to be in it. Fill it in before you call anyone, and every quote you get back will be for the same project.
What is a video brief?
A video brief is a short document that tells a production company what you need before they quote or plan anything. It covers the video’s one job, the audience, where it will run, who’s on camera, the locations, the deadline and who approves. A good brief makes quotes comparable and keeps the shoot on track.
Where will the video run?
Start here, because the platform decides the length, the shape and a big share of the cost.
| Where it runs | What that usually means |
|---|---|
| Your website, top of the home page | Short, plays silent on a loop, no text that needs reading |
| Social feeds and stories | Vertical, captions on, the point made in the first seconds |
| Paid social ads | Several short versions to test against each other, not one long one |
| Streaming TV or broadcast | A fixed length, strict technical specs, and talent paid for the airtime |
| Sales calls and pitches | Longer is fine. It’s watched by people who already care. |
| Trade shows and screens | Silent, loops, readable from across a room |
Most businesses need two or three of these from one shoot. Say so up front, and the crew can film for all of them at once. Asking afterward usually means a second shoot.
What is the one job of your video?
Pick one. The most common reason a brand video disappoints is that it tried to do everything.
| The job | The viewer should finish thinking | Usually looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Get noticed | “I didn’t know they were here.” | Short and bold, built around one striking image |
| Explain | “Oh, that’s how it works.” | The process or product, step by step |
| Build trust | “These are real people who know what they’re doing.” | The owner, the team, real customers |
| Sell | “I should do this now.” | The offer, the proof, one clear next step |
Then answer three questions. Who exactly is watching? Describe one real customer. What should they do the second it ends: call, book, visit or buy? And what’s the one sentence they should remember?
What affects the cost of a brand video?
Eight things move a quote up or down. Knowing them helps you see why two quotes differ, and where you can save.
| Lever | Why it moves the price |
|---|---|
| Shoot time | A half day and a full day mean different crews, gear and edit time. |
| Locations | Every move means packing up, travel and setting up again. |
| People on camera | Your own team costs nothing extra. Hired actors cost a fee, and more in paid ads. |
| Script and concept | A written concept, script and storyboard is real work before anyone films. |
| Number of versions | Each extra length or format (vertical, square, 15 seconds) is more edit time. |
| Graphics and animation | Text on screen is simple. Animated graphics are their own job. |
| Music | Licensed music has a cost. Music you don’t have rights to costs more later. |
| Revisions and deadline | Extra rounds of changes and rush delivery both add time. |
What is talent usage, and why does it change the price?
Usage is the permission to show an actor’s performance in a given place for a given length of time. If an actor appears in your paid ads, their fee usually depends on where the ad runs and for how long. Six months of organic posts is a different deal from a year of paid ads on several platforms.
It’s the cost people miss most often. Settle it before the shoot, in writing, so nobody is surprised when you want to put the video behind ad spend.
What should you have ready before the shoot?
The fastest and least expensive shoots are the ones where the business shows up prepared.
- Brand: logo files (vector if you have them, otherwise large PNGs), your brand colors and fonts, and any words that must be said or must not be.
- Place and people: access to the location with parking and power, who’s on camera and their schedules, and customers willing to appear who’ve agreed in writing.
- Product: clean and ready, with spares, plus anything that needs to be shown working.
- Decisions: one person who approves on set and in the edit, two or three videos you like and why, and your real deadline and what it’s tied to.
What are the red flags in a video production proposal?
Most problems on a video project are visible in the proposal, before anyone picks up a camera.
- No written scope. If the lengths, versions and shoot time aren’t written down, you’ll argue about them later.
- “Unlimited revisions.” It sounds generous, but it usually means nobody planned. Defined rounds of changes work better for both sides.
- Nothing about music. Ask what music they’ll use and who holds the license. Unlicensed music can get a video muted or removed.
- Nothing about who owns the files. You should know what you’ll receive, in what formats, and whether you can reuse the footage.
- One long video and no cutdowns. A single long video is the hardest thing to use. Ask for the short versions you’ll actually post.
- No examples like yours. Ask to see work for a business like yours, not just the best reel.
- Nothing about talent usage. If actors are involved, usage has to be settled up front.
Brand video brief template
Copy these twelve questions into an email or a document, answer each in a line or two, and send the same brief to every company you’re considering.
- Business name, website and contact
- The one job this video has
- Who’s watching (describe one real customer)
- What they should do right after watching
- Where it will run, and the versions you need
- Who’s on camera: your team, customers or hired talent? Will it run as a paid ad?
- Locations
- What it must say, must show and must not show
- Videos you like, and why
- Deadline, and what it’s tied to
- Budget range
- Who approves
At O.U.C. Films, a filled-in brief is the first thing we ask for. It lets us come back with a written proposal you can hold side by side with anyone else’s.
Common questions
How long should a brand video be?
It depends on where it runs. Social ads and feed posts work best short, often under 30 seconds, with the point made in the first few seconds. A home page video can loop silently. Sales and pitch videos can run longer, because the people watching already care. Decide where it runs first, and the length follows.
How long does it take to make a brand video?
For a straightforward project, expect a few weeks from brief to final cut. The shoot itself is often one day or less. Most of the time goes to planning, editing and approvals, so having one person who can approve quickly speeds everything up.
Who owns the footage from a video shoot?
It depends on the contract. Before you sign, ask what you'll receive, in what formats, whether you get raw footage, and whether you can reuse it in future edits. If actors appear, their usage terms limit where the video can run.
Should I use my own employees or hire actors?
Your own team and real customers often come across as more believable, and cost nothing extra. Hired actors give you more control and polish, but add a fee plus usage terms if they appear in paid ads. Many brand videos mix the two.
What should a video production proposal include?
A written scope with the number of videos, their lengths and formats, shoot time and locations, the number of revision rounds, music licensing, what files you'll receive, and talent usage if actors are involved. If any of these are missing, ask before you sign.