At Pixel3 we have produced thousands of video productions for clients across many deferent sectors, one of the most important documents we need before we can quote on any project is a video brief for your project.
What is required to create video content that successfully accomplishes its intended goals? The most important step is to have a clear vision for what is required and to be able to articulate this vision to all those involved in producing the content. A video production brief is were it starts, essentially it is the document that covers the; who, what, when where, why, how and it should also detail the budget that has been allocated to the project.
Prepare it well and it will save you valuable time and money.
Below is a short blog the details how to prepare a video production brief. It's important you prepare this document before you reach out to a video production company.
WHAT IS A VIDEO BRIEF AND WHY DO I NEED ONE?
A video brief is basically a document that outlines the objectives of your project to ensure you get the video that suits your requirements. It’s essential to ask the right questions so you get the most out of your video budget.
A brief not only helps you clarify what you need, it allows us to come into your project with a clear understanding of who you are and what you want.
WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER?
There are two important components to consider: marketing considerations and technical aspects.
The marketing considerations will be unique to your company. It covers questions like:
- Who are you, what are you trying to communicate and why? Are you trying to educate? Sell? Inspire?
- Who is your target audience? If you try to create a video for everyone you’ll create a video for no one. Be clear about who you want to talk to.
- What is your call to action? What do you want the viewer to get out of and do from watching your video? Keep this simple and clear. You don’t want to overload your video with multiple messages or you’ll overwhelm the viewer and they’ll lose interest.
- Think about how you are going to use the video. Where will you distribute it? Thinking about this before production starts is important as your end use will affect the length and style of the video. It helps to remember that making the video is only the first half of the story. Your distribution strategy is just as vital to the whole process.
- Consider your budget. Be realistic about what you can afford to do. See your video as a long term investment, but keep in mind that you don’t need a big budget to create a video that will work for your needs either.
- Plan, plan, plan. The more time you spend planning the more streamlined the production will be and the more effective the outcome.
Once you understand your objectives for the video you’ll be in a better position to understand your technical requirements. Here are some things to consider:
- Number of cameras: With presentations, or interviews and testimonials, a single camera will do the job if the focus is the content of the presentation or the person speaking to camera. However, a second camera can be used to shoo cutaways or inserts to insert between the footage on the main camera. This can be images of people listening, closeups or even footage to support the content. The result is a more cinematic looking video, which will be a lot more engaging for your audience.
- Screen resolution: Most of the time we shoot everything in widescreen, but every now and then, especially when the content is to be shown exclusively on mobile phones, we shoot for a portrait resolution. We recommend shooting in widescreen 4K, as this gives you the most flexibility for distribution on a wide variety of platforms.
- Number of videos: If your video content is very long it’s worth considering splitting up the content into bite-sized chunks eg multiple videos. It not only allows your viewers to take in the content one step at a time, but it is easier to navigate through the content when each segment or chapter is represented by one video.
- Compression: This is the size of video file and again depends on how you are distributing the video. Most people don’t want to be spending more than a few minutes waiting for a video to download, so you’ll generally want to keep the files size small if you are going to be distributing it online. However, the image quality will be compromised by a small file size. It is a constant juggle between quality and size and sometimes you might need two different files of the same video, one large and one small, for the flexibility.
- Your Budget: Creating a professional looking video is a lot more cost-effective than you may think, however your budget will dictate the range of options available to you. We can find a creative way to achieve the video you want within your budget but it’s important to know your budget at the outset.
- Extras: If your video is a product that people will be paying for and it needs to look professional so a makeup artist may be required. A teleprompter can help your nerves especially if your presentation is long and you struggle to remember your lines. A green screen is great for creating custom backgrounds (just like weather reporters) and especially useful when you want to isolate a product for focus on your video.
IT ALL FEELS A LITTLE OVERWHELMING. CAN YOU HELP ME WRITE MY BRIEF?
Pixel3 Productions has a well-honed brief template that is easy to follow and will help you clarify and communicate your goals and objectives so that we can produce the video you need.
With over 10 years in the industry, we’ve helped many clients nail their requirements and walk away with video assets well beyond their expectations.
We can talk you through every step of the brief while encouraging you to consider important factors you may not have thought of.
It helps to think of the video brief as not just a document to get you thinking but as a conversation starter between you and the studio. It’s just the beginning of our partnership.
If you'd like a copy of our Creative Brief email: info@pixel3.com.au
