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How to brief a UGC creator so the footage is usable

The brief template, the technical minimums, and the usage terms to agree before anyone films.

Published 23 September 2026 · 6 min read

The brief template

UGC creator brief

Send with the product

The product

What it is, who it is for, the one thing that makes it different

Three things you may say. Two things you must not say.

The angle for this video

The problem this video is about:

The moment to show:

The feeling at the end:

Shots we need

Talking to camera, handheld, natural light — 3 different opening lines

Close-up of the product in your hands

You actually using it, uninterrupted, 20+ seconds

Reaction after using it

B-roll: the space, the packaging, the detail

Technical minimums

Vertical 9:16, 1080p or better, 30fps

Film near a window, light on your face, never behind you

Quiet room, phone no more than an arm's length away, or use earphones with a mic

Lock exposure and focus before recording

Leave 2 seconds of silence at the start and end of each take

Send original files — not compressed WhatsApp exports

Admin

Deadline · Fee · Usage: paid ads and organic, [term], [territory] · Who approves

What separates usable from unusable

ProblemResultHow to prevent it
Backlit window behind the creatorSilhouette, unrecoverableFace the window, not away from it
Echoey bathroom or empty roomUnusable audioSoft furnishings, small room, mic close
WhatsApp-compressed filesToo low quality for adsAsk for Drive or AirDrop originals
One take, one hookNo variations to testAsk for three different openings
Product not clearly visibleViewer cannot tell what is soldRequire a clean close-up shot
Claims you cannot supportAd rejection or legal riskList approved and forbidden phrases

Frequently asked questions

How much do UGC creators charge in India?

Commonly ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 per video depending on following, production quality and usage rights, with paid-ad usage and longer terms pushing it higher. Bundles of several videos usually reduce the per-video rate.

Should creators post it, or do we run it as an ad?

Different deals. Posting to their audience is influencer marketing; you running it is UGC content licensing. Decide which you are buying and price it accordingly — many creators charge separately for each.

How many creators should we work with?

Start with three to five so you can compare, then concentrate spend on whoever produces the footage that converts. Faces perform very differently and there is no way to predict which before testing.

Can we edit their footage ourselves?

Yes, and you generally should — it is how you get consistent hooks, captions and ratios. Confirm editing rights in the agreement, and keep the edit honest to what they actually said.

Have something worth filming?

Tell us what you are launching and we will come back with ideas, a plan and a quote within two working days.

Start a project