How to Write a Brief for a Video Editor

If you're hiring someone to cut your video, the single thing that decides whether you're happy or frustrated is the brief you hand over. To write a good video editing brief, tell the editor five things clearly: what the video is for and where it will be posted, how long it should be and in what aspect ratio, the exact footage and assets you're providing, the tone and reference videos you like, and how many rounds of revisions are included. Do that up front and you skip the endless back-and-forth, the "that's not what I meant" surprises, and paying twice for the same job. This guide gives you a plain-language template you can copy, written for the client who isn't technical and just wants a clean result.

Start with the goal, not the footage

Before you talk about clips and effects, tell the editor why this video exists. An editor who understands the goal makes a hundred small decisions correctly on his own; one who doesn't will guess, and usually guess wrong.

Say it in one or two lines:

• What is it for? A product ad, a wedding recap, a talking-head Reel, a restaurant promo, a real-estate walkthrough.
• Where will it live? Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube, a WhatsApp broadcast, a screen inside a shop. Each platform wants a different length and shape.
• What should the viewer do or feel after watching? Book a table, DM you, stop scrolling, laugh, trust you.

A restaurant promo for Instagram and a 10-minute YouTube explainer are two completely different jobs, even from the same raw footage. When the editor knows the destination, the pacing, the captions, and the music all fall into place.

Nail the technical specs early

This is the part clients skip and then get burned on. Agree on the numbers before any editing starts.

• Duration: give a target and a hard limit — "around 30 seconds, 40 max." Reels and TikToks live or die on length.
• Aspect ratio: vertical 9:16 for Reels/TikTok/Stories, square 1:1 for the feed, horizontal 16:9 for YouTube or a TV screen. If you need more than one, say so from the start — reframing later is real extra work.
• Resolution: 1080p is standard; ask for 4K only if you actually need it.
• Deliverables: how many final files, and in what format (usually MP4). Do you want captions burned in? A version with subtitles and one without?

Write these down. "Make me a video" with no specs is how you end up with a beautiful horizontal cut that looks wrong on a phone.

List exactly what you're giving the editor

The editor can only work with what you hand over. Be precise about the raw materials so nobody is waiting on the other.

• The footage: how many clips, roughly how many minutes total, and how you'll send it (Google Drive and WeTransfer are the norm — Lebanese internet makes big uploads slow, so plan for it).
• Logo and branding: send your logo as a clean file, plus your colors and fonts if you have them.
• Music: do you have a track in mind, or should the editor suggest one? Flag that it needs to be copyright-safe so the platform doesn't mute or block it.
• Script or captions: if there's a voiceover, on-screen text, or specific spelling of names, send it written out. Arabic captions especially need to be exact, and mixing Arabic and English text on screen needs care.

If you're not sure how to package all of this, our guide on how to write a clear freelance job brief walks through it for any kind of project, not just video.

Show, don't just tell: use reference videos

"Make it modern and clean" means nothing — everyone reads those words differently. The fastest way to align on style is to send 2–3 videos you like and say what you like about each one.

Be specific about the reference:

• "I like the fast cuts on the beat in this one."
• "I like the calm pacing and the soft color in this one."
• "I like this caption style — big, bold, one line at a time."

Just as useful: send one video and say what you don't want from it. "Not this much zooming, it makes me dizzy." References turn a vague feeling into something the editor can actually match, and they cut your revision rounds in half.

Agree on revisions and payment before you start

This is where good jobs go bad. Settle it in writing up front so neither side feels cheated.

Revisions: decide how many rounds are included — two is normal. One round means you gather all your notes into a single list, not five separate WhatsApp messages an hour apart. Editing that way is exhausting and it's how you burn goodwill fast. Agree that changes beyond the included rounds cost extra, and roughly how much.

Payment: in Lebanon, be clear you're paying in fresh dollars, not old bank dollars (lollars) — the difference is huge and the editor needs to know exactly what he'll receive. For anything but the smallest job, pay in stages (milestones): a deposit to start, and the balance when the final file is delivered the way you agreed.

This is where Furrsati protects both of you. You hire the editor on the platform and the money sits in escrow until you confirm the video is done and correct. The editor knows the payment is real and waiting; you only release it once you've seen the finished cut. Payouts reach the editor inside Lebanon the way that suits them — OMT, Whish, bank transfer, or USDT, with no Payoneer or PayPal needed. There's a 10% freelancer fee, and that's it.

A brief template you can copy

Paste this into a message, fill in the blanks, and you've briefed your editor better than most clients ever do:

1. Purpose: this video is for ______, posted on ______.
2. Length & ratio: about ______ seconds, ______ (9:16 / 1:1 / 16:9).
3. Footage I'm sending: ______ clips (~______ min), via ______.
4. Branding: logo attached / colors ______ / fonts ______.
5. Music: ______ (or "editor's choice, copyright-safe").
6. Captions: yes/no, language ______, text attached.
7. Style references: [link 1], [link 2] — I like ______.
8. Revisions: ______ rounds included.
9. Deadline: ______.
10. Budget & payment: ______ fresh, in ______ milestones.

Ten lines, and you've removed almost every reason a job goes sideways.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I tell a video editor before they start?

Give the editor the purpose and platform, the length and aspect ratio, the exact footage and branding you're providing, the music and caption details, and 2–3 reference videos in the style you want. Also agree on how many revision rounds are included and the deadline. Those points are what a video editor actually needs to start without guessing.

How long should a promo video be?

For Instagram Reels and TikTok, shorter almost always wins — roughly 15 to 40 seconds holds attention best. For YouTube you have more room, but even there, cut anything that drags. Tell the editor a target and a hard maximum so they know where to trim.

How do I send large video files in Lebanon?

Google Drive and WeTransfer are the standard, and both work fine. Because uploads can be slow on Lebanese connections, start the transfer early and, when you can, send footage over a stable Wi-Fi connection rather than mobile data. Agree with the editor on one shared folder so nothing gets lost.

How many revisions should be included?

Two rounds is a fair standard for most videos. The key is to gather all your feedback into one clear list per round instead of sending notes one at a time, which drags the job out for everyone. Agree in advance that changes beyond the included rounds cost extra.

How much does video editing cost in Lebanon?

It depends heavily on length, complexity, and turnaround — a simple 30-second Reel is a very different job from a multi-camera event edit. Ask two or three editors for a quote based on the same brief and you'll quickly see a fair range. Paying against a clear brief also stops the price creeping up mid-project.

Ready to get your video edited?

A good brief is the whole game: state the goal, lock the specs, list what you're providing, show references, and agree revisions and payment before anyone opens the timeline. When you're set, browse video editing services on Furrsati or read our guide on how to hire a video editor in Lebanon to find the right person. Post your brief, get offers from trusted Lebanese and Gulf editors, and keep your money safe in escrow until the cut is exactly right.