Planning a commercial shoot in Spain: the production brief checklist

A useful production brief turns a campaign idea into decisions a producer can estimate and schedule. If you are commissioning a commercial shoot in Spain, send the creative intent together with the delivery requirements and the decisions that remain open. A beautiful treatment without a clear asset list can produce a persuasive proposal that still misses what your team needs.

OYSHO COMMUNITY. Production: PHOCUS Creators. Director: Carles Mas. View the project and credits.

Decide which production responsibilities you need to commission

If you need help developing the campaign and directing its execution, start with our creative production services. If your agency or production company already has the creative team and needs local delivery support, review our production service in Spain. State which people and suppliers are already appointed so the proposal covers the missing scope.

For creative development, direction, local logistics, casting, shoot production and postproduction, name the team responsible for delivery and the person authorised to approve it. Mark any responsibility still to be agreed. For an international team, make clear who books travel, who supplies equipment and who coordinates local suppliers; a destination alone does not define the handover.

Start with the outcome and the creative status

Explain what the audience should understand, feel or do after seeing the campaign. Identify the product, audience and main message. Then state whether the script and treatment are approved, under development or open for proposals. This distinguishes an execution brief from a request for strategy or creative development.

References work best when you annotate them. “We like the camera movement, not the casting or colour palette” gives a director something actionable. Separate essential brand codes from inspiration, and identify anything that cannot change: packaging, product claims, a spokesperson or an approved line.

Define the delivery package before the shot list

List each film, still and adaptation by purpose. For each one, specify intended placement, orientation, approximate duration, language, delivery date and who approves it. Mark whether a shorter film is a cutdown of the hero or a separate story requiring its own opening and ending.

For example, a hero film, three product demonstrations and six portraits create different shooting needs from one hero film with three shorter edits. Treat this as a planning example, not a standard PHOCUS package. It helps reveal where extra coverage, sound recording or still photography needs time.

Separate owned digital, paid media and in-store print requirements. A vertical paid video may need a distinct hook and safe areas for graphics; a printed store visual may require a separate still photograph, crop and retouching brief. Include intended markets and usage periods so the team can clarify talent, music and other rights in its proposal. Do not assume a film frame will meet the print requirement.

Describe location needs without locking the wrong solution

Share what the location must do for the story: a specific architecture, controllable sound, vehicle access, daylight direction or room for product handling. Include preferred dates, flexibility and whether the location is already selected. Ask the producer to identify access, permissions and weather assumptions relevant to the actual site before bookings are made.

For a visiting team, include attendee numbers, travel constraints, who needs to be present and which decisions can happen remotely. Confirm the working language and approval process with the proposed team rather than assuming them from the destination.

Make the budget usable

Provide a working budget range and explain whether it includes creative development, production, post-production, travel and usage. Separate the launch date from the date final masters must reach the media team. Ask the proposal to show assumptions, exclusions and choices that materially affect scope.

If the available budget is uncertain, identify the must-have result and optional additions. The producer can then propose alternatives against the same priorities. A lower estimate is only useful when you understand what changed.

Copy this commercial production brief template

1. Objective and creative: audience, product, main message, script/treatment status and annotated references. Mark what is approved and what needs development.

2. Deliverables: one row per film, still or adaptation, with quantity, placement, aspect ratio or print dimensions, duration, language and delivery format. Identify separate stories versus cutdowns.

3. Usage: owned digital, paid and/or stores (print); countries, planned publication period and any supplied or requested talent/music rights. Flag details not yet confirmed.

4. Schedule: preferred shoot window, flexibility, product availability, final-master deadline and launch date. State the dates by which creative, casting and location choices need approval.

5. Locations and people: story requirements, proposed city or region, access/sound needs, cast needs, visiting-team numbers and remote-review requirements. Mark selected versus still-to-be-sourced elements.

6. Responsibilities: existing agency, director, producer and suppliers; scope you want the partner to take on; who delivers and who approves each stage. List the brand assets and products you will provide.

7. Budget: working range, currency and what it must cover, including creative, shoot, postproduction, travel and usage. Identify essential deliverables and optional additions.

8. Decisions and approvals: named creative, product/legal and final approvers; unresolved questions and decision deadlines. Attach the current treatment, references and asset list, clearly labelled by approval status.

A brief is not the final shooting plan. Once scope is agreed, translate it into coverage and a shot list; Adobe’s shot-list guide explains how that document helps organise what needs to be captured.

Send the brief to PHOCUS

If you are still comparing partners, read our guide to choosing a production service partner in Spain. If you have a campaign ready to discuss, send PHOCUS the brief, budget range and delivery window. Include the unanswered questions so the first conversation can resolve them.