Video content has become one of the most powerful tools for brands. Whether it’s to strengthen your social media presence, improve search engine rankings, or boost conversions, professional video is a key element in any marketing and communication strategy.
The numbers speak for themselves: according to a HubSpot study, product videos can increase purchases by up to 144%, and nearly 50% of internet users watch videos about products or services before making a purchase.
But for a video to achieve its goals, it requires strategic planning. This is where the audiovisual brief comes into play—an essential document that guides the production process from the initial idea to post-production, ensuring the final result aligns with the brand’s identity and specific needs.
In this article, you’ll learn what an audiovisual brief is, why it’s essential for any video production, and how to create an effective one to ensure your video’s success.
What Is a Video Brief and What Is It For?
This document is essential for content agencies, video production companies, and marketing teams you work with, as it helps:
- Align the project’s vision with your business objectives
- Avoid misunderstandings between creatives and the production team
- Optimize time and resources by preventing unnecessary setbacks
- Ensure the video is consistent with your brand’s visual and communication identity
Regardless of the type of video—be it a commercial spot, corporate video, or social media content—having a well-structured audiovisual brief is key to achieving a final product that truly makes an impact.
You might also be interested in:
- What Does an Audiovisual Production Company Do and Why is it Key to Your Business?
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7 Key Elements of a Video Brief
To create an effective video brief, it must include a series of key elements that help structure the video production and ensure it meets its goals. Below are the essential aspects it should cover.
1. Context
First, it’s important to define the context of your video. This section answers questions like: What is the video about and why is it being made? What need or problem does it aim to solve? How does it align with your current marketing or communication strategy?
A brief explanation is enough to provide context. Example:
“I want to create an explainer video to show how our new software works and how it can help businesses improve productivity.”
Understanding the overall purpose of the video allows the creative and technical teams to develop a concept aligned with your company’s goals.
2. Objectives
A video should be created with a clear objective in mind. Some common goals include:
Increasing website traffic
Generating engagement on social media
Converting prospects into customers
Clearly explaining a product or service
Building brand identity
Defining this objective allows the script, production, and post-production to work in sync to achieve it.
Ideally, the brief should state your video’s objective like this:
“My video should get at least 30% of viewers to visit the software’s website and request a free trial.”
3. Channels
Defining the distribution channels from the start is a smart move—it helps avoid unnecessary adjustments during post-production.
The video’s format and duration should match the platform where it will be published. For example:
- Social Media: If you’re planning to post on Instagram or TikTok, videos should be short, dynamic, and vertically oriented.
- YouTube and video platforms: These require longer, more detailed content in horizontal format.
- Websites and landing pages: For your company website, videos should be promotional, informative, or explanatory, depending on the purpose of the page they’re featured on.
- Television: If you’re aiming for TV, videos will typically be commercial spots with strict time limits and regulatory guidelines.
Including this information in your brief ensures the video is optimized for each channel.
4. Target Audience
Defining the audience profile is essential for the creative and production teams to tailor the message, tone, and style of the video. Your brief should include details such as: demographic data, interests and habits, needs and expectations—answering the question: What problem does the video solve for the audience?
A video designed for business owners will have a very different tone than one aimed at young people on social media.
For this reason, even a brief description can provide valuable insight for the production team:
“Business owners and managers in tech companies, aged 30 to 50, based in Latin America, interested in productivity tools and process automation.“
5. Key Messages
Key messages are the core of the video’s communication. They should be defined briefly and clearly to ensure the audience understands them easily.
If you’re creating a corporate video, a key message might be: “Our company is a leader in innovation and sustainability.”
On the other hand, a promotional product video could have a key message like “Discover how our software helps you optimize your time.”
Key messages must align with your brand identity and the video’s objective.
6. Look & Feel
The look & feel section defines the visual style and tone of the video. This part should primarily include the key visual elements: brand guidelines, color palette, typography, and graphic styles.
Other specifications may include the filming style, which could be commercial, cinematic, documentary, among others. To define this, visual references or examples of other videos that represent the desired concept are usually included.
Having these visual guidelines ensures consistency with your brand identity and makes the production process smoother overall.
7. Recommendations and Restrictions
This section outlines creative or technical limits that must be respected by everyone involved. It may include:
- Language or tone restrictions: Avoiding technical jargon, informal language, or specific cultural references.
- Regulations and permissions: Use of copyrighted music, legal requirements.
- Content restrictions: Avoiding visuals or messages that could be sensitive or inappropriate for the target audience.
Clearly defining these guidelines helps prevent issues during post-production and ensures the final video meets your expectations.
Tips for Creating an Audiovisual Brief
Now that you know the key elements of an audiovisual brief, it’s time to structure the document. A well-developed brief streamlines production and helps prevent mistakes at every stage of the process.
Here are some tips to keep in mind both for your brief and the overall production of your video:
Define the Purpose of Your Video
Every audiovisual project—and every brief—starts by establishing the video’s purpose. You can guide yourself by answering:
- What’s my main reason for producing this video?
- What problem does it solve or what need does it address?
- How does it align with my marketing or communication strategy?
Identify the Target Audience
To define who your video is aimed at, consider these questions:
- Who is the primary audience? (Entrepreneurs, executives, students, general public)
- What are their characteristics? (Age, location, interests)
- How do they usually consume video content? (Social media, TV, streaming platforms)
Define the Video Objectives
The objective defines what you want to achieve with the video. It’s best to focus on a single, specific, and measurable goals, such as:
- Increase website traffic
- Generate engagement on social media
- Drive conversions or sales
- Educate and train on a specific topic
Define the Key Messages
An effective video is built around clear, concise messages. To define them, ask yourself:
- What is the main idea the audience should remember?
- How can it be expressed in just a few words?
Specify Channels and Formats
The distribution channel directly impacts the style and length of the video. Answering these questions can help you clarify it:
– Where will my video be published?
– What should its duration be?
– Should it be vertical, horizontal, or both?
Think About the Visual Style
Having a base idea or references will help your team propose the right aesthetics and techniques to guide production. Consider:
- Do I want my video to feel formal, corporate, emotional, or dynamic
- Should it look like a documentary, a film, a commercial, an animated short, or a reality show
- What should the music and sound effects be like? Should there be a voice-over?
Consider Restrictions and Recommendations
To avoid setbacks, it’s important to define:
- Restrictions: Words or terms that should not be used, legal regulations, copyright limitations.
- Recommendations: Subtitles for accessibility, language adaptations, alignment with brand identity.
Define the Budget
It’s also important to consider and include the resources available—whether in terms of budget, talent, or equipment. Ask yourself:
- What budget do I have for this video?
- What internal resources—like locations, gear, or collaborators—can I use?
- Is the budget enough to cover all production costs, or should I rethink the strategy for my video?
You can also read:
- Audiovisual Production and artificial Intelligence: Applications and Trends
- Tips for Recording Professional-Quality Videos
Your Starting Point for a Great Video
A great video starts with a great brief. This document not only helps organize ideas, but also aligns the creative team with the business goals, brand tone, available resources, and target audience. It’s a tool that saves time, improves communication, and increases the effectiveness of any audiovisual production.
At Kuna 360, the audiovisual production house of Perspektiva 360, we understand the importance of the brief as the starting point. That’s why we’ve designed an online tool our clients can use to complete their brief and request a new video in just a few minutes. Want to see it in action? Fill out the form below to get in touch.
