In short
Before filming, check the brief answers 12 questions: goal, audience, key message, claims allowed, tone, format, length, number of hooks, platforms, usage (organic or paid), things to avoid and delivery date. Ask in writing for whatever is missing: it's the best way to avoid endless revisions.
Why ask questions
Many briefs are three lines long. Filming from a vague brief means risking a video you have to redo, for free if the number of revisions isn't set. A few questions before you start also show you're a professional.
The 12 questions
| Topic | The question |
|---|---|
| Goal | Should the video build awareness, convince or drive sales? |
| Audience | Who are we talking to: age, situation, problem? |
| Message | What is the one thing to remember? |
| Claims | Which results or figures can we mention, and which are off-limits? |
| Tone | Funny, serious, expert, friendly? |
| Format | Vertical 9:16, square, horizontal? Captions? |
| Length | 15, 30 or 60 seconds? |
| Hooks | How many alternative openings? |
| Platforms | TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, website? |
| Usage | Organic or paid ads, and for how long? |
| Off-limits | Competitors, words, music or places to avoid? |
| Timeline | When does the product arrive and when is delivery? |
The usage question has a direct impact on price: see UGC usage rights.
Turning the brief into a script
A simple structure works for most videos:
- Hook: a problem, a result or a question, in 2 to 3 seconds.
- Context: who it's for, in what situation.
- Demo: the product in action, clear steps.
- Benefit: what it changes, without made-up promises.
- Call to action: the next step, kept simple.
Get the script approved before filming. A written sign-off on the script limits requests to change the concept afterwards.
What you must not say
Only promise what the brand can prove. For cosmetics, food supplements and health products, claims are regulated: if in doubt, ask the brand for the exact wording it allows. If the video is posted on your own account, the commercial partnership must be clearly disclosed.
Common questions
What is a UGC brief?
It's the document in which the brand describes what it expects from the video: goal, audience, message, format, length, usage and timeline.
What if the brief is incomplete?
Ask the missing questions in writing before filming and get a script approved. That way you avoid unplanned revisions.
This guide gives practical pointers. Rules vary by country: it doesn't replace advice from an accountant or a lawyer for your situation.