XO3D Studio · Resource

Product CGI Brief Template.

Copy this. Complete it. Send it to any product CGI studio — including us. A complete brief produces faster quotes, better creative approaches, and fewer expensive surprises.

Request the template Send us your brief

Most product CGI projects that run over budget, over timeline, or under expectations can be traced to a brief that was incomplete at the start. Missing source files. Undefined deliverables. No stated deadline. No stated budget range. These gaps don't disappear — they turn into assumptions that get discovered at the most expensive possible moment.

This template covers every piece of information a CGI studio needs to quote accurately, plan correctly, and begin with creative direction rather than questions. Use it for any studio — including XO3D. The brief that comes back from it will be better regardless of who you send it to.

The template

Nine sections. Copy and complete.

The Product

What it is, what it does, what makes it distinctive

  • Product name and category
  • What it does (one sentence)
  • What makes it distinctive
  • Key physical features relevant to CGI
  • Approximate dimensions

Source Files Available

What you can hand over

  • CAD files available: YES / NO
  • If yes, format (STEP / SolidWorks / Rhino / other)
  • Existing 3D models: YES / NO
  • Technical drawings: YES / NO
  • Physical product available for reference: YES / NO
  • Material / finish specifications available: YES / NO

Deliverables Required

What you need produced

  • Still images: YES / NO — if yes, approximate number and intended use
  • Product film: YES / NO — if yes, approximate duration and intended use
  • Social format variants: YES / NO — if yes, which platforms
  • Interactive 3D viewer: YES / NO
  • AR model: YES / NO
  • Other (describe)

Audience

Who will see this and what they should feel

  • Who will see this imagery
  • What should they feel about the product
  • What should they do after seeing it

Brand & Creative Direction

The visual register you are targeting

  • Brand guidelines available: YES / NO
  • Three visual references that show the quality/tone you are targeting
  • One example of product CGI you admire and why
  • One example of product CGI you want to avoid and why

Timeline

When you need it

  • Final delivery required by
  • Is this deadline fixed (launch event, campaign go-live)? YES / NO
  • Key intermediate dates to be aware of

Budget

What you are working with

  • Budget range available for this project
  • (If unknown, refer to the XO3D Product CGI Cost Guide for indicative ranges)

Approvals

Who signs off and how

  • Primary contact and decision-maker
  • Other stakeholders involved in approvals
  • Internal approval process (who signs off and how many rounds)

Anything Else

Context the brief above does not cover

  • Existing assets we should be aware of
  • Previous CGI work we should review
  • Competitors or reference brands
  • Anything specific that matters to you that isn't covered above

Using this template

Notes on the sections that matter most.

  1. The Product

    "Premium wireless earbuds with aluminium housing, silicone tips, and a charging case in four colourways" is a better brief than "earbuds." The studio can already begin thinking about material approach, lighting, and creative direction from a specific product description.

  2. Deliverables

    Being specific here protects your budget. Vague deliverable lists produce vague quotes with large contingency built in. A specific list — "10 still images, 1 × 45-second hero film, social suite in 9:16 / 1:1 / 4:5, press kit packshots" — produces a quote you can compare and a scope you can hold to.

  3. Creative Direction

    Three visual references is all a studio needs to understand the visual register you're targeting. Don't describe what you want — show it. An image is worth considerably more than a paragraph of adjectives. "We want it to feel premium, modern, and sophisticated" is not actionable. "We want it to feel like this Sony campaign: [image]" is.

  4. Budget

    Studios that receive a brief without a budget range either quote too high (lost client) or too low (compromised scope). A budget range — "we have £8,000–£15,000 for this project" — allows a studio to propose the right scope within it. If you genuinely don't know what to budget, read the Product CGI Cost Guide before briefing.

Start the conversation

Ready to send us a brief?

Complete this template and send it to us. We'll read it, respond with questions and a creative approach — not a price list — within one working day.

Send us your brief

Or read the CGI Cost Guide