Guide2 min read
How to write a reel brief that works
Short answer
A good reel brief names four things in one or two sentences: the product, who it’s for, the single promise, and one proof point. Example: “A 20-second reel for Pawpath, a dog-walking app for busy city owners — vetted walkers, live GPS, booked in two taps.” Add a length or an ending only if it matters; let tone and look carry the style.
The brief is the only thing Brandreel needs from you, so it’s worth getting right. A strong brief gives the AI a clear promise to build every scene around; a vague one gets you a generic ad.
The formula
| Part | Ask yourself | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Product | What is it, in plain words? | a dog-walking app |
| Audience | Who should stop scrolling? | busy city owners |
| Promise | What will they remember? | a walker you can trust |
| Proof | Why believe it? | vetted walkers, live GPS, booked in two taps |
Before and after
| Weak brief | Why it’s weak | Stronger brief |
|---|---|---|
| “Make a video for my bakery.” | No audience, no promise | “A reel for Crumb & Co, a neighbourhood bakery — sourdough out of the oven at 7am, pre-order by text.” |
| “Our SaaS has dashboards, alerts, SSO, exports, API…” | Feature list, no takeaway | “A reel for Beacon, uptime alerts for small dev teams — know before your customers do, set up in five minutes.” |
| “Something viral and fun.” | Style without substance | Pick the Playful tone, then brief the product and promise. |
Let the controls carry the style
Don’t spend words on adjectives. Tone (Bold, Friendly, Luxury, Playful) sets the voice and pacing, the look sets colours and type, and format sets the frame. Use the brief for what only you know: the product and why it matters.
Add details only when they matter
- Length: “a 15-second reel” when a platform or ad slot needs it.
- Ending: “end on the price” or “end on the app store badge”.
- Must-say facts: an offer, a date, a location.
- Must-not-say facts: platforms you don’t support, claims you can’t back up. Wanderply’s team made sure their reel never implied Apple CarPlay — see how.
Fix the cut with change requests
The first version is a draft. Ask for changes the way you’d brief an editor, and each request becomes a new version:
- “Open on the problem, not the logo.”
- “Make scene 2 a close-up of the app screen.”
- “Shorter lines — five words per headline, max.”
- “Replace the last scene with our offer: first walk free.”
Ready? Follow the full walkthrough in how to make a brand reel from one sentence.
Questions
- How long should an AI video brief be?
- One or two sentences. Longer briefs dilute the message; the AI writes a better script from a sharp promise than from a feature list.
- Should I list every feature in the brief?
- No. Pick the one promise viewers should remember and one proof point. If you need a feature tour, list the features in order — one scene each, as Wanderply did.
Try it on your product
One sentence in, a finished reel out — with AI hero clips, voiceover, captions and publishing built in.