Most corporate videos that disappoint were doomed before the shoot. Not because of the camera or the edit, but because nobody wrote down what the video was supposed to achieve. A brief fixes that. It does not need to be long or formal — a few clear paragraphs in a WhatsApp message is often enough — but it does need to answer the right questions.
Use this checklist before you contact any production company. It will get you more accurate quotes, better advice and a film that does its job.
1. Purpose: what should happen after someone watches?
This is the most important line in the brief. "Raise awareness" is not a purpose. Be specific about the action or feeling you want:
- Graduates apply for your management trainee programme.
- Prospective clients book a call after seeing your process.
- Investors understand your business in under two minutes.
- Staff understand a new policy and know what to do differently.
If you have two purposes, you may need two videos — or one shoot cut two ways.
2. Audience: who exactly is watching?
Describe the viewer as precisely as you can. A procurement manager watching on a laptop at work needs a different film from a 22-year-old scrolling LinkedIn on the MRT. Note what they already know about you, what they doubt, and what language they are most comfortable in — Singapore audiences often respond better to a spokesperson speaking Mandarin, Cantonese or Hokkien than to a translated script.
3. Where will the video live?
List every place it will be posted: your website, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, a trade-show screen, an internal town hall. Each platform has its own ideal length and aspect ratio. Knowing this before the shoot means the director can frame for 16:9, 1:1 and 9:16 at the same time — far cheaper than adapting later.
4. The one message
If a viewer remembers only one sentence, what should it be? Write it down. Everything else in the video should support it. If you cannot get it to one sentence, the video is trying to do too much.
5. People and places
- Who will appear? Founder, leadership, staff, customers, partners? Note anyone who is nervous on camera — a good director can work with that, but it helps to know.
- Where can you film? Office, factory, retail space, a client site? Note any restrictions on access, timing, noise or confidentiality.
- What must be shown? Products, processes, facilities, awards on the wall — and what must not appear on screen.
6. Timeline, budget and sign-off
- Deadline: when the finished video is needed, and why (a launch, an event, a campaign start).
- Budget range: even a rough range helps a producer recommend the right scope. Published rate cards, such as this one, make this easier.
- Sign-off: who approves the script and the edit. Fewer approvers means fewer revision rounds and a sharper film.
7. References — liked and disliked
Share two or three videos you admire and one you do not, with a sentence on why. "I like how this one feels calm and premium" or "this one is too salesy" tells a director more than a page of adjectives.
Five briefing mistakes to avoid
- Briefing by committee. Collect input internally first, then send one consolidated brief from one person.
- Listing every message. A two-minute film can carry one idea well, or five ideas badly.
- Leaving out the deadline's reason. "End of month" and "the launch on the 28th" lead to very different plans.
- Hiding the budget. Without a range, every quote is a guess, and you lose the chance to hear what fits.
- Forgetting the cutdowns. If social versions are needed, say so before the shoot, not after the edit.
What to leave for the director
You do not need to specify camera models, shot types or editing styles. Those are the director's job, and a good one will suggest options once the purpose and audience are clear. The same goes for the script on interview-led films: prepared questions usually produce more natural answers than written lines.
Copy-ready brief template
Purpose: After watching, viewers should…
Audience: …
Platforms: …
One message: …
On camera: …
Locations: …
Deadline: …
Budget range: …
Sign-off: …
References: …
Fill it in, send it, and you will be in a better position than most companies commissioning their first corporate video. For more on what this kind of film involves, see corporate video production in Singapore, or if you are filming a launch or conference, event videography.
Next step
Got your answers? Paste them into a WhatsApp message and you will get honest advice and a firm quote, usually the same day.