A considered AI video starts with a clear brief.

Begin with the audience and purpose

“We need an impressive video” starts a conversation but does not define a project. Write down who will watch, where they will see it and what they should remember. A product film may need a use case; a corporate story may need a credible setting and a clear order of information.

A short working sentence helps: “This film will communicate this benefit to this audience in this setting.” Clarify it before choosing camera moves, colours or music. Otherwise, attractive shots may lead away from the actual purpose.

Describe the visual direction concretely

“Premium” or “dynamic” can mean different things to different people. Choose specific references for light, framing, texture, colour and motion. Daylight in a white studio with a quiet camera communicates differently from a night scene with hard reflections and fast movement.

Use references as a shared decision language. Note whether you like the light in one example, the rhythm in another or the framing in a third. This is more useful than asking to reproduce the entire reference.

Break the film into focused shots

Give every shot one job: establish the setting, show a detail or prepare a transition. If a shot contains several transformations, subject actions and camera moves, decide which action matters most.

Google’s video guide recommends a single focused scene for short clips. A practical production sheet can therefore describe the starting image, main action and editorial purpose separately for every shot.

Related official guidance: Google Cloud · Video generation best practices

Make the story visible before polishing it

The order of a storyboard matters as much as its drawings. Simple frames, short descriptions and approximate durations can reveal whether the story flows. Agreeing this structure early reduces expensive changes late in production.

Adobe’s storyboard exercise demonstrates working frame by frame with visual references. The useful principle is to approve the message, shot order and visual direction before treating every frame as a final image.

Related official guidance: Adobe · Storyboard a commercial concept

Delivery requirements belong in the brief

Discuss vertical and horizontal versions, captions, silent viewing, cover images and editable files early. These choices can change framing and timing, so list the required adaptations alongside the main film.

Generation alone is not the final delivery. Selecting usable shots, editing, sound, typography, colour checks and final review are separate steps. A clear scope and approval owner give creative decisions room to develop.