Preparing a brief
Tell it like it is
The first step to getting the video you want is to prepare a brief.
The brief should cover what you want the video to achieve, who you want to see it, how you will show it to them, when you need it by, and what resources you have available in terms of money, people's time and access to places, people or events to film. Often, you will also want your brief to contain an outline of what the video should show, and how the finished programme should look.
Put the brief in writing and show it to anyone who has a power of veto in your organisation. It's much better to clear the decks at home before you spend any money than to make the film and find your chief exec hates it or your legal people say you can't use it.
How do I look?
It can be comforting to deal only with people who share our views. Often, we can fall into the trap of preparing material which preaches effectively to the converted but does little to influence anyone else.
 It's your audience that matters. While it's nice if your partner or the boss also likes it, unless your video works with your target audience it's not going to be a success.
Design your brief around your objective and your target audience, and encourage your producers to make suggestions about the best way forward.
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