A useful corporate video brief does not need to be a finished script. It needs to explain what the film should achieve, who will watch it and what the production must deliver.
Before asking for corporate video production in Dubai, put those decisions in one place. A clear brief makes proposals more comparable and gives your team a practical way to judge the first edit.
1. Choose one main audience and objective
Start with the viewer. Is the film for prospective clients, employees, recruits, partners or visitors to an exhibition stand? A general company profile may cover several audiences, but one should lead the brief.
Then name the action or understanding you want to create. “Introduce our new service to procurement teams” is more useful than “make a premium video.” “Help applicants understand the working environment” points towards different contributors and scenes from a film aimed at potential customers.
Include where the viewer will encounter the film and what they already know about the business.
2. Define the message and the evidence
Write one sentence describing the main message, followed by up to three supporting points. For each point, identify something the camera can show: a process, a product demonstration, a team at work or a relevant interview.
If the film mentions project results, client names, awards or performance figures, provide the approved wording and supporting material. Name the person who can confirm the facts. Do the same for logos, testimonials and any client footage supplied for reuse.
Avoid filling the brief with claims such as “best” or “leading” unless your team can support them. Concrete details usually give the film more useful material.
3. List the actual deliverables
A request for “one corporate video” leaves important decisions open. Specify the main film, approximate duration, intended channels and any additional versions.
An illustrative package might include a landscape website film, a short vertical introduction and captioned clips for LinkedIn. This is a planning example, not a standard package or a recommendation to order every format.
State whether you need:
- Landscape, vertical or square versions.
- English, Arabic or other language versions.
- Subtitles burned into the picture, separate caption files, or both.
- Voice-over, interviews, animation, diagrams or on-screen titles.
- Thumbnails, still frames, clean versions without titles, or raw-footage handover.
Ask which outputs are included in the proposal. A short version may need a new edit rather than simply a shorter export. Creative Lens's corporate video production service outlines the available production and finishing options.
4. Describe the filming locations and contributors
List the sites, the scenes required at each one and who controls access. For a Dubai office shoot, useful details include loading arrangements, parking, lift access, working hours and a contact at the building.
For interviews, identify contributors, their roles, languages and available time. Mention whether they are comfortable on camera or need help preparing. Give the crew a quiet interview location where possible; a visually attractive room can still be difficult if it has constant background noise.
Flag operational restrictions early. Factories, construction sites, healthcare locations and occupied offices may have safety procedures, restricted areas or people who must not appear. Ask the production team to confirm location permissions, releases and any permit requirements for the proposed setup. Treat drone footage as a separately planned element, not an automatic addition.
5. Share references with a reason
Two or three relevant examples are more useful than a long mood board. Explain what you like: the interview style, pacing, natural performances, lighting, graphic treatment or balance between people and process.
Say what should feel different for your business. Include brand guidelines, correct logo files, typefaces, colours and any language the film must avoid. References should communicate a direction rather than ask the crew to copy another brand's work.
6. Set the budget and work backwards from launch
Share a realistic budget range and separate essential elements from optional ones. This helps the production team decide where to put the available time and resources.
Give the launch date, then allow space for the brief, concept or script, scheduling, filming, editing, feedback and final exports. If the film is for a fixed event, include the delivery specifications and testing deadline as well as the event date.
Ask for a written schedule based on your scope. More locations, contributors, animation and language versions can affect the work involved; duration alone is not enough to estimate it.
7. Make the approval path explicit
Name one person to collect feedback and one person with final approval. Agree when other stakeholders, such as leadership, brand or legal teams, need to review the work.
Confirm the number of review rounds, what each round covers and how additional changes are handled. Review the message and structure before spending time on small finishing adjustments.
Also clarify usage rights, music licensing, talent permissions, footage supplied by your team, and whether raw footage or project files are part of the handover. Do not assume that delivering the edited film includes every source asset.
Copy this short briefing checklist
- Company and main contact:
- Primary audience:
- Business objective and viewer's next step:
- Main message and supporting evidence:
- Main film and additional versions:
- Channels, aspect ratios, languages and captions:
- Locations, access contacts and restrictions:
- Interview contributors and availability:
- References and brand files:
- Budget range and optional elements:
- Launch date and intermediate deadlines:
- Feedback coordinator and final approver:
- Usage, licensing and handover requirements:
You do not need every answer before the first conversation. Mark the open questions so they can be resolved deliberately. Send your corporate video brief to Creative Lens to discuss the approach and request a proposal.
← Back to the Journal