What you will have, and when to use this
At the end of this checklist you will have a one-page brief you can send unchanged to every photographer or videographer you are considering. Use it before you ask for quotes. Providers quote the same job, which makes their answers comparable, and the brief becomes the start of the shoot plan once you choose one.
It suits a defined project: a launch, a new website's imagery, a promotional film, a set of product or venue photos, aerial footage of a property. For ongoing content you would plan a retainer differently.
What to gather first
- Your logo, brand colours and any existing imagery or footage you want to match or avoid.
- Two or three reference images or clips, with one sentence each on what you like about them.
- A list of locations, who controls access to each and when they are quiet.
- The people who should appear, and whether anyone needs to agree to be filmed.
- The date you need the finished work and any fixed dates on your side.
- A budget range, or a decision to ask for two scope options instead.
The brief, in order
State the purpose in one sentence.
Introduce the business to new customers, explain a service, show a place, support a launch, recruit staff. A provider plans a different shoot for "show people what a visit feels like" than for "explain how our quote process works".
Name the audience and every placement.
Website pages, listings, social feeds, advertising, screens, print. Placement decides format: a website hero loop is short and silent; social feeds need vertical versions and captions; advertising needs usage rights.
Describe the message and the moments.
You do not need a script. List the moments or shots that must exist, who appears, whether there is narration or interview, and attach your references. Ask the provider to propose the structure; that is part of what you are hiring.
List locations, access and restrictions.
Who controls access, opening hours, busy periods, anything that cannot be moved. Say whether you want aerial footage; airspace rules apply and providers in this region list places where they do not fly.
Note people and permissions.
Staff, customers or models who will appear, and whether releases are needed for advertising use.
Specify the deliverables.
Number of edited images; length and number of finished films; formats, aspect ratios and captions; whether you want raw files or stills from a video shoot.
Give the dates.
The date you need the finished work and any fixed shoot dates. Allow time for review rounds.
State a budget range, or ask for two scope options.
A range lets a provider show what is possible at each end and prevents a quote that is far from what you can approve.
Say what you can provide.
Logo files, brand colours, existing footage, people available on the day, a contact who will be on site.
Ask for the quote to show inclusions, exclusions, usage rights, revisions, travel basis and payment terms.
This turns the reply into something you can compare with the next provider's.
A worked example (hypothetical)
Example
A café launch brief, invented for illustration
Purpose: announce the opening of a second café and show what a visit is like. Audience and placements: local residents on Instagram and Facebook; the website's homepage; a short cut for a local news post. Message and moments: the room in morning light, the counter and coffee being made, two staff at work, the outside of the building with signage; no narration, light background music.
Locations: the new café, owner controls access, quietest 7–9 am on weekdays. People: two staff who have agreed to appear. Deliverables: one 45-second horizontal film, three 15-second vertical cuts with captions, twelve edited photos for the website and listings. Dates: finished work by the Friday before opening, shoot on a weekday morning the week before. Budget: a stated range, with a request for a leaner option without the vertical cuts.
Every provider receiving this brief can quote the same job. The replies will differ in crew, editing depth and usage terms, which is exactly what you want to compare.
Common mistakes and checks
- Asking for "a video" without placements. One 90-second film and a main film plus six social cuts are different jobs. Check: every placement in the brief has a matching deliverable.
- Forgetting usage rights. Advertising use and long durations change the price. Check: the brief says where and for how long the work will be used.
- No contingency for weather or access. Outdoor and aerial work depends on conditions. Check: the brief asks how rescheduling is handled.
- Stills as an afterthought. Photos taken during a video shoot are rarely as good as planned photography. Check: if you need both, both sets of deliverables are listed with time for each.
- No date for your own inputs. Providers wait on logos, access and people. Check: the brief says when you will supply what they need.
Printable version
The free Before You Hire Kit contains a ready-to-send quote request built on this checklist, seven questions to ask every provider and a three-provider comparison sheet. The checklist above stays public; the kit is a convenience.
Two pages, by email or online. No phone number required.
Get the free kitNext step
Send the brief to three providers who serve your area. The profile below is derived from the provider's own published information, with its relationship to this publication labelled. When the quotes arrive, How to compare local service quotes shows how to line them up.
Atom2Adam
Film, photography and aerial services
- Based in
- Calgary, Alberta
- Serves
- Cochrane and the foothills; Calgary and surrounding communities; and further on commission