How to Brief a Motion Designer for a SaaS Video (Free Template)

Why Most Briefs Fail Before Production Starts

The most common reason a motion design project goes wrong isn't the animation. It isn't the budget or the timeline. It's the brief.

In 15 years I've received briefs that were three paragraphs of company background with no mention of the audience, the platform it would live on, or what the viewer was supposed to do after watching. I've received 40-page brand documents that answered everything except the one question that mattered: what does this video need to accomplish?

I've also received one-paragraph briefs from founders who knew exactly what they were trying to change in their prospect's understanding, and those projects almost always produced the best work.

A good brief isn't long. It's clear. There's a difference.

Here's exactly what to include, why each piece matters, and a template you can copy.

Why Most Briefs Fail

The typical brief I receive from a SaaS company looks like this: "We need an explainer video. Here's our website. Make it look cool."

That's not a brief. That's a wish. And it leads to the designer making a hundred assumptions, most of which will be wrong. Then you're three rounds of revisions deep trying to get to what you actually wanted, which you could have communicated upfront.

The other extreme is the 15-page document that covers everything from brand history to competitor analysis but never answers the one question that matters: what does this video need to make the viewer do?

The Elements of a Strong Brief

1. The Objective

One sentence. What does this video need to accomplish?

• "Convert homepage visitors to free trial signups"
• "Help sales reps explain the platform before a demo call"
• "Reduce onboarding support tickets for the dashboard feature"

Not "raise brand awareness" or "tell our story." Those aren't objectives. They're vibes. You need something specific enough that you can measure whether the video achieved it.

2. The Audience

Who is watching this video, and what do they already know?

• Job title or role: "VP of Operations at mid-market manufacturing companies"
• Awareness level: "They know the problem exists but haven't heard of our product"
• Where they'll see it: "Embedded on the homepage above the fold" or "Sent as a link in sales outreach emails"

The audience determines everything: the tone, the complexity, the length, and the call to action. A video for a CTO is different from a video for an end user, even if it's the same product.

3. The Key Message

If the viewer remembers one thing after watching, what should it be?

Force yourself to write this as a single sentence. If you can't, you don't have a clear enough message yet. This isn't the script. It's the North Star that guides every creative decision.

Example: "Our platform eliminates manual reporting by pulling data from all your tools into one dashboard automatically."

4. The Call to Action

What should the viewer do after watching?

• Start a free trial
• Book a demo
• Visit a specific page
• Share with a colleague

Pick one. A video with three calls to action has zero calls to action. Every additional option reduces the chance that the viewer acts on any of them.

5. Tone and Style References

This is where visual references save hours of miscommunication. Share 2-3 videos that feel right for your brand. Be specific about what you like in each one:

• "I like the pacing and colour palette of this video, but the character style is too cartoonish for us"
• "This one has the right level of product detail but the music feels too corporate"

Don't say "modern and clean." That means something different to every designer. Show, don't tell. If you want to see the range of styles I work in, my work page has examples across different approaches.

6. Product Information

The designer needs to understand your product well enough to tell its story. Provide:

• A demo or login. Let them use the product. Nothing replaces first-hand experience.
• The key features you want shown. Pick 2-4, not everything. More features = longer video = higher cost = lower impact.
• What makes you different. Not a list of features, but the actual reason someone chooses you over the alternative.

7. Logistics

• Length: Ideal runtime (60 seconds? 90 seconds?)
• Deliverables: What formats do you need? (16:9 hero, 1:1 social, 9:16 stories)
• Timeline: When do you need the final video? Work backwards from there.
• Budget: Be honest about your budget range. It helps the designer propose the right scope. See my pricing guide for context on what different budgets get you.
• Stakeholders: Who needs to approve at each stage? Name them. The fewer, the faster.

The Free Brief Template

Copy this and fill it in:

Project name: Company: Contact person: Date:

Objective: What does this video need to accomplish? (One sentence)

Audience: Who is watching? What do they already know? Where will they see it?

Key message: If the viewer remembers one thing, what is it? (One sentence)

Call to action: What should the viewer do next?

Tone references: 2-3 video links with notes on what you like/dislike about each

Product info: Demo access, key features to highlight (2-4), core differentiator

Length: Target runtime

Deliverables: Formats and aspect ratios needed

Timeline: Key dates (kickoff, first draft, final delivery)

Budget range: What have you allocated for this project?

Approvers: Who needs to sign off? At which stages?

Existing assets: Brand guidelines, logo files, fonts, colour codes, existing video content

What Happens After the Brief

A good motion designer will take your brief and come back with questions. That's a good sign. It means they're thinking about the project, not just executing blindly. Expect a kick-off conversation where they dig into the messaging, challenge some assumptions, and propose a creative direction.

From there, the typical process runs: script, storyboard, style frames, animation, sound design, final delivery. You review at each stage. The brief ensures that the first draft of each stage is close to what you want, not a random guess. For a full walkthrough, check out my process page.

The Bottom Line

Spending two hours on a strong brief saves you 20 hours of revisions. It's the highest-leverage thing you can do to ensure your video project succeeds. Don't skip it, don't rush it, and don't delegate it to someone who doesn't understand the product or the audience.

FAQ

What if I don't have brand guidelines? That's fine. Share your website, your colour palette, and any visual references you like. A good designer can work from that. Just be explicit about what feels right for your brand.

Should I write the script or let the designer do it? Ideally, the designer writes it (or collaborates on it) because they know what works in a video format. But provide the raw material: your key message, your value proposition, and any specific phrases or positioning language you want included.

How detailed should style references be? The more specific, the better. Don't just link a video and say "like this." Say "I like the colour palette and pacing of this one, but the illustration style should be more geometric and less organic." Specific feedback prevents misinterpretation.

What happens if I don't know the answers to all the brief questions? Tell me that upfront. It's actually useful information. If you can't define what success looks like or who your primary audience is, those are strategic questions we should work out together before production starts. I'd rather spend an hour on a discovery call getting those answers than spend three weeks producing something that needs to be rebuilt because the brief wasn't right. Most of my best client relationships have started with "I'm not sure what we need, can you help us figure that out?"

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Dan Neale is a motion designer and creative director based in Byron Bay, Australia. He specialises in motion design for SaaS companies, tech founders, agencies, and nonprofits. 15 years. 500+ projects. motionstory.com.au