What to Put in a Video Brief Before You Hire a Filmmaker in Dubai

By Kamal Abdelrahman, brand filmmaker, Dubai

"We need a video. How much?"

That's how a lot of enquiries start, and it's an impossible question. It's like asking how much a car costs without saying whether you need a taxi or a Wrangler.

You don't need a perfect document. A one-page brief is enough, and it gets you better quotes, better ideas and fewer surprises. Here's what I'd want to see in yours.

The eight things to include

1. The goal. More enquiries? Launch awareness? Recruitment? Pick one main job for the video.

2. The audience. Be specific. Who is watching, what do they care about, and what's stopping them from buying today?

3. The one message. If people remember one sentence, what should it be?

4. Where it will run. A website film, an Instagram Reel and a screen at an event are three different edits. Tell the filmmaker up front so they can plan the shoot for all of them.

5. Examples you like. Send two or three links, and say what you like about each one. It saves hours of guessing.

6. Language. English, Arabic or both? This affects the script, the talent and the edit.

7. Your deadline. Give the real one, and work backwards. In Dubai, locations and drone work can need approvals, so build that time in early.

8. Your budget range. People hide this because they're afraid of being overcharged. But a range lets a good filmmaker shape the right idea for what you have. Without it, you get a guess.

What you don't need to know

You don't need to know about cameras, lenses or shot lists. That's the filmmaker's job. Your job is to know your business and your customer. If someone starts the conversation with their gear instead of your goal, that tells you something.

Questions to ask back

• → How will we know if this video worked?
• → What versions do we get from one shoot?
• → How many rounds of changes are included?
• → Who owns the footage afterwards?

The best projects I've worked on, as Kamal Abdelrahman or inside a marketing team, started with a clear brief. A clear brief is the cheapest thing you'll ever add to a production.

Save this page and fill it in before your next video. Then send it to whoever you hire, even if that isn't me.

Got your brief ready? Send it over. Here is how I work as a freelance videographer in Dubai.