A video ad starts with a more useful question than “What should we film?”: what should viewers understand or do after watching? A clear answer helps the production team propose a suitable concept and define a realistic scope. This is where the creative brief comes in: one or two pages bringing together the key decisions before scriptwriting or booking a shoot.
Your brief does not need to be a finished script or specify camera angles. It should give the production team a clear picture of your goal, audience and available resources. Whether you are planning a commercial or a company introduction video, these are the points worth preparing before the first meeting. If you are comparing production teams, start with our guide to choosing a commercial production company.
Start with the outcome, not the scene
Choose one main objective: introducing a new product, explaining a complex service, or directing viewers to an enquiry page. Then define the action you want them to take. “We want a strong ad” leaves almost everything open. “We want a short video explaining this service benefit to procurement managers” gives the team a direction to build on.
If you have several objectives, put them in order of priority. One ad can serve more than one purpose, but competing messages can weaken the concept. A main film with shorter versions tailored to different platforms may work better than trying to fit everything into one video.
Describe the audience you know
Go beyond “everyone”. Explain who you want to reach, what they already know about the product, and which question or hesitation stands in the way of a decision. For a Saudi audience, include any relevant regional or cultural context and the right language style: formal Arabic, natural Saudi Arabic, or versions in two languages.
Real examples help more than broad descriptions. Share common customer questions, feedback from your sales team, or the product page viewers will visit. This gives the writer and director a meaningful angle, rather than attractive scenes that fail to communicate the message.
Define the message before writing the ad script
Write the main benefit in one simple sentence, then explain what supports it: a product detail, a demonstration, an experience you can show, or a documented fact. Distinguish between a claim you can substantiate and a creative impression you want to convey. Do not ask the ad to promise something the product or service cannot deliver.
Include the brand assets you have: logo, colours, fonts, brand guidelines if available, and wording to use or avoid. You can explore examples in MID FILM’s work when gathering visual references. Explain exactly what you like: pacing, lighting, storytelling or the way the product appears. Copying another ad’s look does not give your brand an identity of its own.
Define the video ad platforms and deliverables
Specify where the video will appear: an event screen, your company website, a social platform or television. List the aspect ratios, languages and versions required, including subtitles or on-screen text. A longer landscape film calls for different shot planning from a short vertical edit. Making these decisions before filming gives the editor better options.
If you are unsure about the duration or number of versions, do not guess. Explain the channels and objective, and ask the production team to recommend suitable deliverables. You can start by exploring MID FILM’s commercial production services to help define the scope you want to discuss.
Clarify the budget and schedule before filming the ad
Share the launch date, approximate budget or budget range, available locations, people who must appear, and materials you have permission to use. A clear budget helps the team propose an idea it can produce, rather than a plan that proves impractical.
Identify who approves the concept, script and final edit, and who will consolidate feedback on your side. Clarify who supplies the product, location and permits, and who follows up on approvals. Delays often happen between the first edit and scattered comments with no single decision-maker, rather than during filming itself.
A short brief you can send to the team
Try this structure: “We are [organisation]. We need a video that helps [audience] understand [benefit]. It will run on [platforms], and we need [versions and languages] by [date]. The key message is [message], and we want viewers to [next step]. Our available materials are [logo, product, location], and the person approving the project is [name or role].”
The brief does not need to be perfect. If something is undecided, put it down as a question for the team rather than leaving an unspoken assumption. This is where a film production company comes in: turning your objective, resources and constraints into a concept, script, shoot plan and film that serves the message. Once your brief is ready, send it to MID FILM and tell us about your project so we can discuss the right approach.