How to brief your video production agency (and how to get a better film)
- Feb 3
- 3 min read
A good video starts long before the camera turns on.
One of the biggest differences between a video that works and one that doesn’t is the brief. Not because it needs to be perfect, but because it needs to be clear.
At Duck Creative, we’ve worked on projects with detailed briefs, loose briefs, and everything in between. The best results always come from alignment, not paperwork.
Here’s how to brief your video agency in a way that sets the project up for success.
Start with the problem, not the format
Before talking about styles, references, or platforms, start with the reason you need a video in the first place.
Ask yourself:
What problem are we trying to solve?
What is not working right now?
What do we want to change?
A video is a tool, not the outcome. When an agency understands the problem, they can recommend the right type of video rather than forcing an idea to fit.
Be clear on what success looks like
You don’t need to define exact metrics, but you do need a sense of intent.
Is this video meant to:
Raise awareness?
Explain something complex?
Drive donations or enquiries?
Support a campaign or launch?
Knowing what success looks like helps shape tone, pacing, length, and distribution. A video designed to live on a website homepage will be very different to one made for social media or fundraising.
Know your audience (and be honest)
Who is this video actually for?
Not who you want it to be for. Who it really needs to reach.
Different audiences need different language, pacing, and levels of detail. Being honest about your audience helps avoid videos that try to speak to everyone and end up connecting with no one.
Share context, not just instructions
Agencies do their best work when they understand the wider picture.
That includes:
Your brand values
Your tone of voice
Any sensitivities or constraints
Internal politics or approval processes
This is especially important for charity video production or projects involving sensitive subjects. Context allows an agency to make better creative decisions and avoid missteps.
Budget is not a dirty word
Talking about budget early helps everyone.
It doesn’t lock you into an idea. It does the opposite. It allows the agency to design something achievable, creative, and effective within your parameters.
Without a budget, agencies are forced to guess. That usually leads to wasted time, misaligned ideas, or proposals that miss the mark.
A good agency will treat budget as a creative constraint, not a target.
Be open to challenge
You are briefing an agency because they bring expertise you don’t.
That means being open to questions, alternatives, and challenges to initial ideas. Some of the strongest concepts come from collaboration rather than instruction.
The best briefs are conversations, not documents.
What you don’t need to worry about
You don’t need to:
Know camera models
Understand production terminology
Have a fully formed creative idea
Write the script
That’s the agency’s job.
Your role is to share insight, objectives, and context. A good video production company will guide you through the rest.
A good brief leads to a better working relationship
Briefing well isn’t about control. It’s about trust.
When both sides understand the goal, the audience, and the constraints, the process becomes smoother, faster, and far more enjoyable.
And the final film is better for it.
Working with Duck Creative
Duck Creative works with brands and charities across Gloucestershire and the UK, creating video content that is insight-led, collaborative, and purposeful.
If you’re planning a video and want an honest conversation about what you actually need, get in touch.
Email hello@duckcreative.co.uk
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