From brief to CGI: planning a product film before production starts

Begin with the decision the film needs to support

A product film becomes easier to plan when its purpose is specific. Start by describing who will watch it, where it will appear and what the viewer should understand afterwards. A launch film, a technical explanation and a short social edit may use the same product while needing different structures.

Collect the approved product information alongside this objective. Identify dimensions, materials, finishes and the details that cannot change. Separate confirmed facts from references that only describe mood or style. This gives everyone a shared starting point and makes missing information visible before visual production begins.

1. Brief: define the audience, purpose, placements and required deliverables.
2. References: separate product truth from visual inspiration.
3. Storyboard: agree the sequence and the purpose of each shot.
4. Review: name the decision-makers and identify approval points.

Separate the product from the visual reference

A lighting reference is not necessarily a reference for the shape of the product. Label the role of every reference so that a material sample, a camera angle and a colour palette do not become competing instructions. Where the source is incomplete, write down the question instead of filling the gap with an assumption.

For the first review, simple frames can establish composition and timing without implying that the materials or lighting are final. Agreement on these early decisions helps prevent a polished image from distracting the team from an unresolved story.

Give every shot a purpose

Describe what each shot adds to the film. A wide view might establish the product, a close view might reveal a functional detail, and a transition might connect two ideas. If two shots communicate the same point, consider whether both are needed.

Plan text, voiceover and aspect ratios alongside the pictures. A composition that works in a landscape frame may need a different arrangement for a vertical version. Treat this as a planning question rather than a last-minute crop.

Agree how the work will be reviewed

Before production starts, agree which decisions are being approved at each stage. Structure, animation, materials and final finishing can be reviewed separately so feedback is specific. Keep a record of what is approved and what remains open.

This outline is an editorial draft for the website. It describes planning considerations, not a promise of a fixed budget, schedule or number of review rounds. A real production plan should be agreed against the brief and the available source material.