As a provider of video production services, we daily help people plan out their vision for a new video product. Here are 10 questions we ask our clients to help them frame their expectations—they may be helpful to you as well.

Objectives

Why do you want to do this? What do you expect to achieve? Are there specific objectives for this video?

What will this video do that your website or other aspects of your marketing communications don't already do?

Audience

In general terms, how would you characterize or describe the audience(s) for this video? Who are they demographically and where are they geographically?

Applications

How will this video be used? For example, will it be used for fundraising, on the Web, for PSAs, social media, paid broadcast/cable TV media, live audiences, trade show or POP displays, etc.?

Performance and Results

Are there expectations of results in terms of awareness, action or response of any kind? Can your goals be quantified?

Budget

Do you have a budget in mind for this project?

Timing

What is your rough guess as to the first-use date for the finished video?

Existing Material

If there are existing still photos, film, video, etc. in your archives to be used, in what form(s) do these materials exist? Are most digitized, or will there be a lot of conversion involved?

Prior Examples

Have you done videos before? Are they available for us to review? What can you tell us about the results they achieved?

Can you point to some really good examples of what you’re looking for with this video? Specifically, good examples that we can access on the Internet or otherwise take a look at?

What else do you find yourself needing to know to frame a video production?