# Video editor brief template

> A one-page video editor brief template for ads, with a filled-in example. Send it with your footage so the first cut comes back close to what you want.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-06
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-templates/video-editor-brief-template

---

A video editor brief is a one-page note with the goal, the footage, the structure, the specs and the deadline. Copy the template below, fill the brackets and send it with a link to the footage.

## The template

```
VIDEO EDITOR BRIEF: [Brand] / [Ad name]

1. GOAL
Platform and placement: [Instagram Reels / Facebook Feed / YouTube Shorts]
Length: [30 seconds] and cutdowns: [15 s, 6 s]
Who it is for: [one line]

2. ONE MESSAGE
[The single reason to buy]

3. FOOTAGE
Link: [folder link]
Best takes: [file names or timecodes]
Do not use: [files or shots]

4. STRUCTURE
Hook (0-3s): [what we see and say]
Middle: [problem, product, proof]
End: [offer and call to action]

5. REFERENCES
Pace and mood: [link to one ad you like]
What to copy: [pace / cuts / music]
What not to copy: [anything specific]

6. TEXT AND CAPTIONS
Style: [link to caption style guide, or describe]
Language: [English / Hindi / Hinglish in Roman script]
Words that must appear: [offer, price, line]

7. SOUND
Music: [mood, or a file we own]
Voice: [keep original / clean up]

8. SPECS
Ratio and size: [9:16, 1080 x 1920]
File: [MP4, H.264]
Keep text out of: [top 14%, bottom 35%, sides 6%]

9. RULES
Must include: [logo, legal line]
Must not include: [claims, competitor names]

10. DELIVERY
Versions: [3 hooks x 2 lengths]
Revision rounds included: [2]
Due: [date and time, with time zone]
Send to: [name, link]
```

## A filled-in example

This is an example we wrote for a made-up steel water bottle.

- **Goal:** Instagram Reels, 30 seconds, plus a 15-second cutdown. For office workers who forget to drink water.
- **One message:** Keeps water cold for a full workday.
- **Footage:** 14 clips in the shared folder. Best takes are 3, 7 and 11. Do not use clip 9 (the label is blurred).
- **Structure:** Hook is the bottle sweating on a desk at 3pm. Middle shows the lid test. End is "INR 899, link below".
- **Text:** Hinglish in Roman script, one line at a time, price on screen in the last 5 seconds.
- **Delivery:** Three different hooks, two rounds of changes, due Friday 6pm IST.

The "full workday" claim needs your own test. If you cannot back it, change the message.

## Tips

- **Send one reference, not five.** Several references pull the edit in different directions.
- **Name the footage you want.** "Use clip 7 for the hook" saves a guess.
- **Give a due time, not just a date.**
- **Say how feedback will arrive.** Use the [video revision feedback template](/templates/video-revision-feedback-template) so notes come as one numbered list.
- **Share the shot plan.** A [shot list](/templates/shot-list-template) tells the editor what each clip is for.
- **Attach the caption rules.** See the [caption style guide template](/templates/caption-style-guide-template).

## Use a reference ad

Marxx's [AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) takes a competitor ad as reference media. It breaks the ad down shot by shot, showing where the hook lands, how long each shot holds and where the offer appears. We make Marxx.

To decide what to hand to a person and what to hand to a tool, read [AI video editor vs a human editor](/compare/ai-video-editor-vs-human-editor). For a creator brief instead, use the [UGC brief template](/templates/ugc-brief-template).

## FAQ

### How long should a video editor brief be?

One page. If the editor has to scroll, the key points get missed.

### Should I send the script with the brief?

Yes, if you have one. Paste it under Structure, with the lines the editor must keep word for word.

---
- [More Video editing articles](https://marxx.ai/library-templates/category/video-editing)
- [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-templates)