VIDEO BRIEF
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Disclaimer — not legal advice. This template is provided free of charge, as is and with no warranty of any kind, and using it creates no attorney-client relationship. It is jurisdiction-neutral: you are responsible for adapting it, for your own legal and tax compliance, and for having a qualified professional in your jurisdiction review it before you rely on it. Full terms: https://trycolo.co/terms-of-use

Project: [PROJECT NAME]  |  Client: [CLIENT NAME]  |  Date: [DATE]  |  Version: [v1]
Client approver: [NAME], [TITLE]  |  Producer / videographer: [YOUR BUSINESS NAME]
Final delivery deadline: [DATE]  |  Budget range: [CURRENCY] [LOW] to [CURRENCY] [HIGH]

1. Objective
------------

Why this video exists: [e.g. new visitors do not understand what the product does from the homepage text]
After watching, the viewer should: [THINK / FEEL / DO — e.g. understand the three-step setup and start a free trial]
How we will measure it: [e.g. homepage trial signups, view-through rate on ads, internal quiz scores]

2. Audience
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Question                        | Answer
------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------
Who is watching                 | [ROLE / SEGMENT / AGE RANGE]
What they already know about us | [NOTHING / HEARD OF US / CURRENT CUSTOMERS]
What they care about most       | [e.g. saving time, looking competent to their boss]
Objection we need to answer     | [e.g. "it looks complicated to set up"]
Language(s)                     | [LANGUAGES]

3. Platforms and formats
------------------------

Platform / placement      | Runtime     | Aspect ratio | Sound on?       | Captions
------------------------- | ----------- | ------------ | --------------- | --------------
[Website homepage]        | [60-90] sec | 16:9         | [Usually]       | [Sidecar file]
[Paid social feed]        | [15-30] sec | [4:5 / 9:16] | [Usually muted] | Burned-in
[Stories / reels]         | [6-15] sec  | 9:16         | [Mixed]         | Burned-in
[Event screen / internal] | [RUNTIME]   | [RATIO]      | [YES / NO]      | [YES / NO]

The first three seconds should show: [e.g. the problem on screen, not the logo]

4. Key message and call to action
---------------------------------

The one thing the viewer must remember: "[ONE SENTENCE]"
Supporting points (max three): 1. [POINT] 2. [POINT] 3. [POINT]
Call to action (exact wording): [e.g. "Start your free trial"] → [DESTINATION URL OR ACTION]

5. Style and tone
-----------------

Tone: [e.g. calm and confident, light humor, no hard sell]
Visual style: [ ] Live action  [ ] Animation / motion graphics  [ ] Screen recording  [ ] Mix
Pacing: [ ] Fast cuts  [ ] Measured  [ ] Long takes

Reference videos (and what you like about each):
1. [LINK] — [e.g. "the way they show the product in use without voice-over"]
2. [LINK] — [REASON]
3. [LINK] — [REASON]

Not like this: [LINK] — [WHAT TO AVOID]

Music mood: [e.g. warm acoustic, upbeat electronic, no music under interviews]

6. On camera
------------

- Who appears: [ ] Staff: [NAMES / ROLES]  [ ] Customers: [NUMBER]  [ ] Actors  [ ] Voice-over only  [ ] No people
- Comfort level of non-actors: [e.g. CEO is confident; customers have never been filmed]
- People, places or products that must not be shown: [e.g. customer data on screens, unreleased products, a specific office]
- Locations available: [OFFICE / STORE / CUSTOMER SITE / STUDIO], access dates: [DATES]

7. Script and voice
-------------------

Question                         | Answer
-------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------
Who writes the script            | [ ] Client  [ ] Producer  [ ] Unscripted interviews
Script deadline                  | [DATE]
Target script length             | [N] words for [N] seconds of voice-over
Voice-over                       | [ ] Professional voice  [ ] Staff member  [ ] None
Voice gender / accent preference | [PREFERENCE / NONE]
On-screen text language(s)       | [LANGUAGES]

8. Mandatories
--------------

- Brand guidelines: [LINK] — logo placement: [START / END / BOTH]
- Must include: [e.g. product UI, website URL, legal line, accessibility captions]
- Must not include: [e.g. competitor names, specific claims not approved by legal]
- Legal or compliance review needed: [ ] No  [ ] Yes — by [NAME], allow [N] business days
- Existing footage, photos or animations to reuse: [LINKS]

9. Timeline
-----------

Milestone                     | Date
----------------------------- | ------
Brief approved                | [DATE]
Treatment / concept presented | [DATE]
Script final                  | [DATE]
Shoot / recording             | [DATE]
First cut for review          | [DATE]
Final delivery                | [DATE]
Launch / publish              | [DATE]

Brief approved by: ____________________  Name: [APPROVER]  Date: [DATE]

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How to use this template

1. Complete sections 1 to 4 on a call with the client; send the rest for them to fill in.
2. Check the script length against the runtime in section 3 before booking voice talent.
3. Use section 3 to decide framing on the day, especially if vertical cutdowns are needed.
4. Attach the approved brief to the production SOW and the call sheet.

Template provided by Colo (trycolo.co). Not legal advice — review with a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.