How to Brief a Videographer

To brief a videographer, explain what the video is for, who will watch it, the moments and people they must capture, the schedule, venue access, audio needs and what you want delivered. Add examples of work you like, rank your must-have shots, and talk it through on a call before the shoot.

Why the brief matters

Live events cannot be repeated. If the speaker you wanted was not filmed because no one said they mattered, that footage does not exist. A skilled videographer can make a room look good, but only you know which three minutes of the day your sales team needs.

A brief does not need to be long. One or two pages that people actually read beat a long deck that they skim.

What to include

The purpose. Say what the video is for, in one sentence. "A 90-second recap to help us sell sponsorship next year" gives far more direction than "event coverage".

The audience. A prospect, a current customer, staff and investors all want different things.

The deliverables. List each output and its length and format: for example, one highlight reel of up to 3 minutes in landscape and three vertical clips with captions. If you want raw footage for your own editor, say so, and ask them what they want.

The must-have moments. Include exact times where you can. "The CEO's product announcement at 10:40" is something a videographer can plan for.

The people. Name who matters, include a photo and explain their role. This matters at a crowded event, and doubly so when the person booking is not the one being filmed.

The style. Send two or three links you like. Point at what you like about each, such as the pace, the framing or the use of interviews. An example of something you do not like is useful too.

Anything to avoid. Competitors' stands, unreleased products on a screen or anyone who has asked not to appear.

Write a simple shot list

Group your shots by priority:

• Must have. The film has failed without these. Keep this list short.
• Should have. Shots you would be sorry to miss, such as audience reactions or the stand at its busiest.
• Nice to have. Fit these in if there is time, such as exterior shots of the venue or a slow pan over the signage.

This tells the videographer what to protect when something overruns, and something will. Here is a short example for a one-day conference:

• Must have: full keynote at 09:30, sponsor panel at 14:00, interviews with two named customers.
• Should have: delegates arriving, questions from the floor, networking at lunch.
• Nice to have: the venue's exterior, drinks reception.

Logistics people forget

• Call time and finish time. Say when they can get in, when the doors open and when they need to be gone.
• A contact on the day. Give a name and a mobile number, ideally someone who is not on stage.
• Access. Badges, loading bays, parking, lifts and security checks. If they need a badge, order it early.
• Agenda. Send the latest one, then send it again if it changes.
• Power and space. Say where they can leave their bags and whether there is a quiet room for interviews.
• Paperwork. Tell them if the venue needs a Certificate of Insurance or you need an NDA signed.
• Dress code. A few words will do.

Do not forget audio

People will forgive a less than perfect picture, but they will stop watching if they cannot hear. Tell the videographer how each thing you need will be recorded.

For stage sessions, introduce the videographer to the venue's AV team before the event and ask if they can take a feed from the sound desk. For interviews, ask for lapel microphones and pick a quiet place in advance. If you have ever seen a panel filmed from the back of a room, you will know why this matters.

Common mistakes

• Asking for "everything". Nobody can film everything, and the result will be a lot of footage with no focus.
• Keeping the brief with the booker. Make sure the brief gets to the person holding the camera.
• Hoping interviewees will appear. Book them in advance, with a time and a place.
• Assuming they know your world. Explain acronyms, names and which product is which.
• Changing the plan on the day without saying what to drop. If you add something, say what falls off the list.

A brief you can copy

Copy this outline into an email and fill it in. It covers what a videographer needs for most event shoots.

• Purpose: what this film is for, in one sentence.
• Audience: who will watch it.
• Deliverables: each film or clip, with length, shape and deadline.
• Date and hours: call time, doors open and finish time, with the venue address.
• On-the-day contact: name and mobile number.
• Must have: up to five shots, with times.
• Should have: the shots you would like if time allows.
• People: names, roles and photos.
• Audio: sound desk contact and interview location.
• Style: links to two or three examples, with a note on what you like.
• Avoid: people, products or screens that must not be filmed.
• Paperwork: NDA, insurance certificate and badge details.

If you cannot fill in a line yet, leave it in and mark it "to be confirmed". That tells the videographer what is still open, and it reminds you to come back to it before the day.

Have a call before the shoot

Book 20 minutes a few days before. Go through the must-haves, ask what they would do differently and ask what might stop them getting those shots. A good videographer will have opinions, and those are worth having before the day rather than after it.

How Fame Crew handles the brief

On every Fame Crew shoot, the moments you tell us about go into the brief your videographer works from, along with anything we learned on your last shoot. A pre-shoot call then introduces you properly.

If you do not have time to write it all down, the essentials are the same: where, when, what it is for and what you cannot do without. That is enough for us to send a quote, with Fame Crew's list prices set out on our pricing page.

We cover conference videography, trade shows and corporate videography in many cities. Of course, if you already have a videographer you trust, you can use this guide with them. It works just as well.