Video editor brief: the template to copy
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A vague brief costs a second cut, a third cut, and two days of delay. Here is the template we use, and why our clients stop writing it after the first video.
What should a video editor brief contain?
A good brief fits on one page and holds nine blocks: format and length, the goal of the video, the hook with its timecode, the structure, what to cut, caption style, sound mood, hard nos, and links to the files. Everything else is chatter that does not change the edit.
The brief template to copy
Copy this block, replace the brackets, send it with your footage. It takes two minutes once you have done it three times.
Video editor brief template
VIDEO: [working title] FORMAT: vertical Short / YouTube 16:9 / Ad / VSL TARGET LENGTH: [e.g. 45s] PLANNED PUBLISH DATE: [date] GOAL What the video should make the viewer do. [e.g. click the link in bio] HOOK The exact moment to open with. [e.g. timecode 04:12, the line "I lost $8,000"] STRUCTURE 1. [idea 1, timecode] 2. [idea 2, timecode] 3. [call to action, timecode] CUT OUT [dead air, repetitions, off-topic section] CAPTIONS Style: [approved style name] Position: [bottom / center] MUSIC AND SOUND Mood: [e.g. punchy, calm] References: [link] NEVER DO [e.g. no face zoom, no meme sounds] FILES Footage: [link] Logos and B-roll: [link]
Why must the hook come with a timecode?
Because the editor does not know your content by heart and will never guess which line deserves the opening. A timecode turns a vague instruction into something executable in ten seconds.
Across our 1,600 delivered videos, that is the single brief line that changes the result most. A 20-minute take holds three strong moments, and the editor rarely picks the same ones you would. You know your audience, they know pacing. The timecode bridges the two. Same logic for cuts: write “the dog story, 07:30 to 08:10” rather than “remove the off-topic part”.
What does a good brief actually prevent?
It prevents three things: a whole second cut, a ping-pong of messages, and a video delivered on time but unusable. A vague brief is not paid in euros, it is paid in days.
The classic case: you write “make it dynamic”. You get a first cut with zooms every two seconds. You ask for fewer zooms. The second cut lands flat. Three days are gone and the video was due yesterday. Two lines of hard nos fix this better than a paragraph of intentions.
| Brief block | Vague wording | Actionable wording |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | Take the best moment | Open on 04:12, "I lost $8,000" |
| Pacing | Make it dynamic | Cut every pause longer than 0.3s |
| Captions | Add nice captions | Approved "Irys bold" style, bottom |
| Music | Something punchy | Punchy, like the reference linked |
| Hard nos | Keep it clean | No face zoom, no meme sounds |
| Files | I'll send them over | Frame.io link, dated folder |
How do you stop writing briefs after the first video?
By turning the brief into visual DNA: a living document that freezes your recurring choices once. Caption style, pacing, hard nos and sound mood do not change from one video to the next. Only the hook and the structure do.
That is exactly what we do at Irys. We lock your visual DNA on the first video, which is free. After that you drop your footage on Frame.io with three lines, sometimes none, and your dedicated editor already knows the rest. Feedback follows the same logic: a comment placed on the timeline at the exact moment replaces a paragraph of explanations.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a different brief per format?
The skeleton stays the same. Only target length and structure change. A Short fits in three points, a VSL needs a detailed block-by-block structure.
How long does writing a brief take?
Ten minutes the first time, two minutes after that. If it takes longer, you are writing intentions instead of instructions.
Should you send reference videos?
Yes, one or two at most, with a note on what you like in them. A reference with no comment is useless: the editor cannot tell if you mean the pacing, the grade or the captions.
What if the editor does not follow the brief?
First check every line was actionable. If it was, the problem is the editor, and that is a signal to take seriously from the very first video.
Stop writing briefs
We lock your visual DNA on your first video, which is free. After that you drop your footage and approve in one click.
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