Importance of a Brief
The key to any structure of quality is a solid foundation… how else do you think the colosseum is still standing!
When it comes video production, the same principle applies. Come to think of it, no matter what you’re doing, the foundation is always key. Quality video production doesn’t just happen by fluke. A great video is the result of significant planning, execution and timing.
And it’s the planning that we are going to look at today. All good videos start with an idea, but it’s the next move that really matters. While in the creative process of thinking about all the great things you want to include when filming begins, it’s really important to write everything down. “Why so” you say?
At that moment you have started the foundations of your video. As the juices are flowing you’re coming up with the narrative for whatever it is you’re wanting to show. It could be a corporate video, promotional video, TV commercial or cinema advertising, induction or training videos, even an event you want to film and showcase… the type doesn’t matter. What you’re coming up with right now is the vision. Your vision! So whatever you do, start writing or typing!
Once you’ve got everything you want on paper, what you’re looking at is the beginning of a brief. Defined by Google Search, a brief is “A set of instructions given to a person about a job or task”. In this instance, that set of instructions provides the framework for the video. The beauty of having put it down on a page means it’s easily adjusted, trimmed and shaped to suit.
Other items to list down include where you want the video to be used (website, social media, TV, intranet for a mining site) and any examples of anything you have seen you like such as videos or imagery. It can also be good to identify things you dislike too. Doing so often galvanises the vision of what you do see as being critical to the video production.
When you’re done, it doesn’t matter how short or long it is or what it looks like. What it has, is a few ideas that can be moulded into something more significant. It’s a fantastic starting point and a great foundation for any video agency or production company to work with.
Now it’s over to them to work with you to flesh it out further and bring your that vision you have, to life.