A brief is not a description of the product, it is a set of constraints that lets somebody else make the right video without you in the room. In Canada it carries two extra lines that most briefs are missing.
Three sentences that must be said
Pick the three points that have to survive, in the client's own words. If a regulated claim is involved, supply the exact permitted wording rather than a paraphrase. Anything beyond three is a wish list, and a creator forced to cover eight points produces a video that covers none.
Three sentences that must not be said
The claims that are off limits, the competitor comparisons, the promises the legal team will refuse. Writing the forbidden list is faster than reviewing footage afterwards, and it is the difference between a correction and a reshoot.
The two Canadian lines
Which language or languages, and whether the French is Quebec or international. Then who writes the French: the creator, an internal team, or a translator. Those two lines prevent the most expensive misunderstanding in Canadian production and almost nobody includes them.
Say what you will receive, not just what to film
Aspect ratios, length, subtitles as separate files, a clean product shot of a few seconds, a version without voice. A creator who knows the deliverable list up front produces it in the same session. A creator who learns it later has to shoot again.
Leave the how alone
Specify the message, the constraints and the deliverable. Do not specify the exact words, the shot list or the gestures. The value of a creator is that they know what sounds natural to their audience, and a brief that scripts every line buys an actor reading a corporate text.
Keep reading
- Writing Hooks That Work in UGC
- Why UGC Barely Works for Cannabis Brands in Canada
- Cultural References That Only Work in Quebec
- UGC Creators in Granby
- The complete UGC guide for Canada
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Frequently asked questions
How many mandatory points?
Three, in the client's own words.
Why list forbidden sentences?
It turns a reshoot into a correction.
Which two lines are specific to Canada?
The languages, and who writes the French.
Should I script the video?
No, specify the message and the constraints.
