Turn a reference video into an actionable brief

Write down what viewers should remember

Summarize the film in one sentence: what does it introduce, who is it for, and what should they understand? Then identify the roles of the opening, development and ending.

If a video contains five selling points, choose a main thread. Save the rest for other versions to reduce competition between images and captions.

Study the reference in four layers

Separate observation from interpretation. “The video cuts to the product at three seconds” is an observation. “This may make the product easier to remember” is an interpretation. Mark anything you cannot establish as unresolved.

• Content: what does each section communicate, and where does it change direction?
• Picture: who is the subject, what shot sizes are used, and when does the view change?
• Sound: what do dialogue, music and effects each contribute?
• Graphics: on which words or actions do titles, captions and images appear?

Specify what stays and what changes

You might retain the rhythm, information order or logic behind graphic reveals, while changing the character, product, language and call to action. Do not make the agent guess what matters most.

Keep: question → demonstration → result → call to action.
Replace: character, product assets and all dialogue.
Keep accurate: product name, features and price.
Deliver: 15 seconds, 9:16, editable project and final video.
First: storyboard and cost estimate. Wait for approval before paid generation.

Let visual events follow meaning

In a narrated video, connect a comparison graphic to the sentence making the comparison, and reveal the result when the answer is spoken. These relationships can survive rewritten dialogue more naturally than fixed timestamps.

Videos without dialogue are possible too. Use shots, actions and reading time to set the pace rather than adding a voiceover just to use semantic anchors.

Validate a short section first

Choose a sample that includes the main character, product or essential graphics. Check the hardest part before generating an entire film and discovering that the character or product has drifted.

You can copy and adapt the briefs in our case studies. They are creative starting points, not executed project templates with guaranteed results.