The Content Brief That Saves Everyone Hours

"Can you make us something about the new service? Make it pop."

If that sounds like a brief you've given (or received), you already know how it ends: a first cut that misses, three rounds of feedback, and a video everyone is only mildly happy with. The fix isn't a longer conversation. It's a better one-page brief.

A good brief takes ten minutes to write and can save hours of back and forth. Here's the framework we use.

Start with the objective

Every video should do one job. Awareness, enquiries, bookings, footfall, recruitment: pick one. If you can't say what success looks like in a sentence ("get more people to book a trial class"), the edit will wander too.

Be specific about the audience

"Everyone" isn't an audience. Describe one real person: who they are, what they already know, and what's stopping them from acting. A video for a nervous first-timer sounds very different from one for a regular who just needs a nudge.

Boil the message down to one sentence

If viewers remember only one thing, what should it be? Write it plainly. Extra points are fine as support, but the video should be built around a single takeaway.

Think about the hook and the CTA early

The first two seconds decide whether anyone watches the rest, so a brief should suggest an opening: a question, a bold claim, a surprising visual. At the other end, name the call to action. "Book via the link in bio" and "come and see us this Saturday" lead to very different endings.

Share references, not just adjectives

"Energetic but premium" means something different to everyone. Two or three example videos, with a note on what you like about each (the pacing, the captions, the colour), tell an editor more than a paragraph of descriptive words. Add your own brand assets too: logos, fonts, colours, music you're allowed to use.

List the deliverables and platforms

Be clear about what you're expecting back: how many videos, what lengths, which platforms, and whether you need vertical and square versions. Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts share a format, but safe zones, captions and runtimes still differ. It's far cheaper to specify this upfront than to re-cut later.

The one-page template

Copy this into a doc and fill it in before every shoot:

• Objective: one measurable goal
• Audience: one real person, described
• Key message: one sentence
• Hook idea: the first two seconds
• CTA: exactly what viewers should do next
• References: 2-3 links, with notes on what you like
• Deliverables: number, lengths, formats
• Platforms: where each video will live
• Deadline and approver: who signs off, and by when

Brief well and the rest of the process gets easier. It pairs nicely with a regular planning habit too, like the 10-minute content meeting every business should have, which is a good place to gather the raw ideas that feed each brief. And once the brief is right, small production choices are what make the result feel expensive.

At Reel Foundry, a clear brief is where every project starts, and we'll help you shape one if you're not sure where to begin. If you'd like a steady stream of short-form video without the hassle, take a look at how our packages work.

See our plans and pricing →