Production brief
What to put in an AI commercial brief
A short brief that gives a director enough to make decisions about the opening shot, product reveal and final frame.
Write the message before the mood
Start with one sentence the audience should be able to repeat. “Our fragrance now comes in a travel size” is a usable brief. “Make it feel premium” is a tone note. Put both in the brief and give them different jobs. The first tells the director what the film must communicate. The second helps decide how it should look and sound.
Choose what the first shot needs to do
A paid ad for a new audience might put the travel bottle in the opening shot. A film for the brand’s own launch page can take longer to reveal it. Give the director the placement, who will see it, and whether it will usually play with sound. That tells us more about the opening than a list of adjectives.
Separate references from requirements
For each reference, point to the useful part: the side light, the pace of the cut, or the distance from the product. Then list what must survive the edit: the correct variant, approved product claims, the launch date or price if it appears, and the final call to action. Send the actual packshot and wordmark files alongside the mood references.
Name the reviewer and the delivery date
The live date and the file handoff date are often different. Write both down. If packaging, legal and creative approvals come from different people, say who signs off on each. Put that in the brief before the treatment is written so review time and deliverables can be scoped together.