Creative built to
stop the scroll.

What makes a video ad work in the first few seconds?

The opening has to tell the right viewer this is for them before they scroll. That usually means showing the product or the problem straight away, putting a clear line of text on screen for people watching on mute, and cutting the slow brand intro. A beautiful first shot that says nothing loses most people.

I script the hook separately from the rest of the ad, because it's the part most worth testing. One shoot can produce several openings on the same body: a bold claim, a question, a before and after, a customer reaction. When results come in, we know which angle pulls attention and can brief the next shoot around it.

Sound and captions need the same attention. Many people watch with sound off, so the story has to make sense from visuals and on-screen text alone. Others watch with sound on, so a clear voiceover or a real customer talking can lift results. I plan for both rather than picking one.

How should you brief a performance video shoot?

Brief the shoot around what the ad has to prove, rather than how it should look. Start with the buyer's main doubt and the one action you want, then plan the shots that answer it. A good brief also asks for the extra material editors need to make variations later.

• The single offer or product the ad is selling
• The top objections, in the buyer's own words
• Several hook ideas to film, rather than one
• Vertical, square and horizontal framing needs
• B-roll, close-ups and raw takes for future cutdowns
• Who appears on camera: founder, creator or customer

Getting this wrong is expensive. A shoot that only captures one polished version gives your ad account one creative to test, and when it fatigues you're back to booking another shoot. These are the things I want settled before a camera comes out.