How to Write a Product CGI Brief: Everything Artists Need From Clients

To write a product CGI brief that an artist can actually produce from, define more than the desired look. The brief must connect the business objective to a confirmed product version, usable source assets, shot requirements, technical deliverables, approval stages and revision rules. It should also identify unresolved decisions before they become modeling, simulation or rendering problems.

This guide explains how to turn a client conversation into a production-ready product visualization brief. It covers CAD and reference requirements, cameras, materials, lighting, animation, Houdini-specific constraints, delivery specifications and change control. Use the final checklist as an intake template for stills, turntables, product animation and simulation-led CGI.

Start With the Objective and Production Scope

A useful brief begins with the business decision or communication goal the imagery must support. “Create a premium product render” expresses a preference, but it does not tell the artist where the visual will appear, what it must communicate or how success will be judged.

State whether the work supports a product launch, ecommerce listing, advertising campaign, social placement, sales presentation, trade-show display, investor pitch or internal review. Intended use affects almost every production choice. Ecommerce imagery may prioritize clear identification and consistent packshots, while an advertising visual may depend on dramatic composition, environmental storytelling or simulated effects.

If the team needs a broader view of where CGI fits within these applications, Artivoxa’s complete product visualization guide provides additional context.

Define the audience and message

Identify the target audience and the product features each image or sequence must communicate. A consumer-facing hero image may need to make the color, scale and interface immediately understandable. A technical sales visual may instead need to reveal construction, assembly or a functional component.

This distinction helps the artist decide:

• Which areas require detailed modeling or close-up coverage
• Whether accuracy, photographic realism or stylized brand language takes priority
• Which features must remain visible in every approved composition
• Whether the product needs to be shown in use, isolated or deconstructed

Include placement and viewing conditions when known. A wide advertising banner may require negative space for copy and a composition that survives responsive cropping. A mobile-first social asset may need a vertical frame and a larger product silhouette. If one campaign needs several aspect ratios, list them at the beginning rather than assuming a single composition can be cropped successfully for every channel.

List the requested visual types

Define each type of visual explicitly. Common requirements include:

• Hero stills and ecommerce packshots
• Front, rear, side or three-quarter views
• Detail close-ups
• Color, material or packaging variants
• Turntables and product animations
• Exploded or cutaway views
• Configurator-ready assets
• Fluid, particle, destruction or other procedural effects

These are not minor variations of one task. An exploded view may require internal construction data and additional modeling. A turntable introduces timing and continuity requirements. A simulation needs approved behavior, suitable collision geometry and time for testing and caching. Naming the visual types early prevents a still-render scope from quietly expanding into animation or effects work.

Separate confirmed scope from assumptions

Name every product, model, size, finish, accessory and region-specific version included in the current phase. If the project contains three products with four colorways each, clarify whether that means twelve final images, one master scene with material swaps or a different output structure.

Classify requirements using four practical labels:

• Confirmed: approved and required for delivery
• Open question: awaiting information or a decision
• Assumption: a temporary production choice, not an approval
• Out of scope: deliberately excluded from the current phase

This is particularly important when a CGI project brief originates in an informal call or email thread. A reference shared for discussion is not necessarily an approved composition, and an instruction such as “make it cinematic” does not define a camera, lighting style or realism target.

Separate current production from possible future work as well. Phase one might cover one model, two colorways and three stills; a later phase might add animation and accessories. The artist can then build a reusable asset where appropriate without treating unapproved future outputs as part of the present estimate.

Document Product Assets and Accuracy Requirements

The asset section should tell the artist what can be built from supplied material and what must be reconstructed. Writing “CAD available” is not enough. Record the source format, product revision, geometry condition and expected level of visual accuracy.

Audit the CAD and reference package

Request every reliable source of product information: native CAD, exported meshes, technical drawings, dimensions, orthographic views, product photography and, where practical, a physical sample. Different sources answer different questions. Engineering CAD may describe construction accurately but still require extensive preparation for rendering. Photography can clarify finish and assembly but may introduce perspective or color ambiguity.

Information to record	Why it matters
File format and source application	Determines import options, conversion risks and editability.
Units, up-axis and origin	Prevents scale, assembly, camera and simulation errors.
Version and approval status	Confirms that the artist is using the intended product revision.
Missing or unreliable areas	Allows cleanup and reconstruction to be included in scope.
Variants and configurations	Defines the number of assets, assemblies and material changes.
Usage restrictions	Clarifies whether supplied models, fonts or artwork may be handed over.

Do not describe a model as production-ready without inspection. Manufacturing data can contain dense assemblies, tiny construction features, open surfaces or geometry that is valid for engineering but inefficient for shading and rendering. A Houdini product visualization workflow may require geometry cleanup, render-friendly bevels, material separation, naming and a controlled asset hierarchy before look development begins.

The reference package should normally include:

• Native CAD or 3D files, plus an identified inspection export
• Technical drawings with confirmed dimensions
• Photographs of the complete object, detail areas and assembly states
• Approved logos, labels, decals and packaging artwork
• Brand colors and guidelines
• Material or finish samples when appearance is difficult to infer
• A version list showing current, provisional and obsolete files

Use original vector or layered artwork where possible instead of screenshots from presentation decks. Labels and logos visible in close-up need sufficient resolution, correct placement and an approved version.

Define accuracy by feature and viewing distance

“Make it realistic” is not a measurable accuracy requirement. Specify which features must match the physical product: silhouette, proportions, seams, panel gaps, controls, moving parts, fasteners, labels, packaging hierarchy or internal components.

Relate the required detail to the approved views. A hidden bracket may not need complete modeling in a distant hero image, while a latch near the camera may require accurate geometry, contact shadows and credible edge treatment. Features outside the frame can sometimes be simplified, but reflections, shadows and transparent surfaces may reveal areas that are not directly visible.

List each colorway, material and finish. “Black plastic” could mean satin injection-molded plastic, polished acrylic, rubber, lacquer or a coated composite. Record whether a surface is matte, glossy, brushed, metallic, translucent, transparent, textured or clear-coated. Also identify the authority for the match: a physical sample, approved photograph, material specification or brand color standard.

Small construction details often control whether a manufactured object appears credible. Bevels, seams, tolerances and fasteners affect silhouettes and highlight behavior. If they are missing from the source asset, state whether the artist should model them, suggest them through texturing or omit them for the approved camera distance.

Treat provisional data as a dependency

If dimensions, artwork, materials or geometry are still changing, record the expected delivery date and whether production may proceed with placeholders. Late product changes can invalidate modeling, UVs, label placement, cameras, simulations and completed frames.

The brief should identify the version used for quoting and explain how later changes will be assessed. A concise acceptance statement might read: “The supplied CAD is engineering reference only. The artist will prepare render-ready geometry for the approved hero views. Final dimensions, label artwork and finish references are required before look-development approval.”

Specify Cameras, Composition and Visual Direction

A strong 3D product rendering brief translates subjective preferences into decisions the artist can build and review. Instead of relying on phrases such as “premium” or “dramatic,” define what must be visible, which references establish the look and what constraints apply to each output.

Create a shot list

List every required view separately. For each shot, record:

• Product and variant
• Camera direction and framing
• Mandatory visible features
• Intended use and channel
• Aspect ratio, orientation and pixel dimensions
• Negative space or crop-safe requirements
• Background and floor treatment

A preferred focal length can be included, but the visual effect is often more useful than an isolated lens number. Instructions such as “neutral catalog perspective” or “avoid exaggerated wide-angle distortion” communicate the constraint while allowing the artist to balance camera distance, product scale and output crop.

Clarify whether one master composition must accommodate multiple crops or whether each placement receives a dedicated camera. A portrait social image may require a different product pose and camera—not merely a crop from a landscape hero render.

Label what each reference is proving

Reference images are most useful when their purpose is explicit. Organize them into categories:

• Composition: viewpoint, framing, scale, pose and negative space
• Lighting: direction, softness, contrast, highlight shape and shadow density
• Materials: color, roughness, reflection, translucency and surface texture
• Environment: background, floor contact, reflections and atmosphere
• Motion or effects: camera movement, timing, fluid behavior or procedural motion

A single reference rarely defines every part of the desired result. One image may establish the camera angle while another defines highlight behavior. Note which elements should not be reproduced because they conflict with the brand direction or originality requirements.

Describe materials, lighting and environment

State whether the result should be photorealistic, technically accurate, stylized, minimal, editorial, diagrammatic or intentionally surreal. This choice affects how closely surfaces are measured, whether imperfections are introduced and when art direction may take priority over strict physical plausibility.

Describe materials by their visible behavior. For example:

• Should plastic produce a broad satin highlight or a sharp clear-coated reflection?
• Must glass show thickness, refraction and internal absorption?
• Does a translucent component need to transmit or scatter light?
• Does brushed metal have a fixed grain direction?
• Should a liquid show a meniscus, suspended bubbles, droplets or a particular viscosity?

These distinctions help determine whether the requirement can be handled in shading or needs additional geometry, displacement, texturing or simulation. For a detailed example of how material behavior and lighting interact, see the olive oil pour CGI workflow.

Specify the environment with similar precision: flat background or studio sweep, visible floor, contact shadow, reflection strength, atmospheric depth and transparency requirements. If a lighting setup must remain editable or follow a conventional studio structure, Artivoxa’s guide to three-point lighting in Houdini explains the underlying controls.

Define Animation, Simulation and Houdini Requirements

Animation and effects need more production information than still imagery. The brief must distinguish conventional keyframed presentation from procedural motion or simulation because each has different dependencies, iteration costs and approval points.

Specify motion and timing

For every animated deliverable, define the duration, frame rate, shot structure and intended pacing. Describe whether the product rotates, opens, assembles, disassembles, transforms or moves through an environment. Include the camera action and product state for each shot.

• Duration and frame rate: total runtime, playback rate and any existing edit specification
• Shot structure: shot names, approximate lengths, cameras and transitions
• Product motion: rotations, articulated components and assembly steps
• Timing intent: mechanical, energetic, slow, precise or physically realistic
• References: storyboards, animatics, video examples or annotated frames

State whether motion must follow genuine engineering behavior. A cap may need to follow its actual thread, or a hinge may need to stop at a defined angle. In other cases, movement is a visual metaphor rather than a mechanically possible action. Making that distinction prevents unnecessary technical work and establishes an appropriate review standard.

Give simulations enough information

Fluid, particle, smoke, fabric, destruction and instancing work requires more than a visual reference. Explain what the effect represents, what it must interact with and how much art direction is permitted.

Record:

• The effect type and required behavior
• Emission, collision, attachment or breakup rules
• Desired shape, density, speed, color and scale
• Physical constraints such as gravity, volume or flexibility
• Acceptable and unacceptable reference outcomes
• Parameters that must remain editable
• Whether delivery includes renders, caches, geometry or procedural controls

Identify whether an effect is physically driven, visually guided or a hybrid. A liquid pour may require plausible gravity and collision response, while an abstract energy field may only need controlled motion that supports the composition.

Houdini simulations depend on stable scale, collision geometry, camera coverage and timing. Changing the product dimensions, frame rate or shot duration can invalidate caches. Moving the camera may reveal unsimulated areas. The brief should therefore state when geometry, cameras and timing will be locked and which changes are expected to trigger a rebuild.

Record pipeline and render constraints

If the client needs editable source files, specify the Houdini version, renderer, color configuration, external dependencies and required folder structure. Also record relevant limits on render time, storage, geometry density, texture resolution or farm compatibility.

Source delivery can materially change the work. A reproducible Houdini package may need scene cleanup, consolidated assets, textures, caches, generated geometry, version notes and testing on another machine. It should not be assumed to be included simply because Houdini was used during production.

Turn the Scope Into a Deliverables Specification

A product CGI brief should define “final” in measurable terms. List every output, its technical specification, its dependencies and the person responsible for approving it.

Still-image fields

Record each still or camera view separately:

• Shot name, product and variant
• Camera and intended use
• Pixel dimensions and aspect ratio
• Framing, crop and safe-area requirements
• Background treatment
• File format, such as EXR, TIFF, PNG or JPEG
• Color space and viewing transform
• Alpha, shadow catcher, mattes, depth or other utility passes

A square marketplace image, wide banner and portrait social asset may share a 3D scene while still requiring separate cameras and render settings.

Animation and interactive fields

For animation, include frame rate, duration, frame range, handles and looping requirements. State whether delivery is an image sequence or encoded video, which container and codec are accepted, and whether audio is required. List platform-specific, captioned, silent or alternate-aspect-ratio versions separately.

If the work includes an interactive or configurator-ready asset, define the target platform, geometry and texture limits, variant logic, coordinate conventions, file format and required testing. A real-time asset is not automatically equivalent to the high-resolution model used for offline rendering.

Confirm color and handoff requirements

Agree on the color workflow before look development. The brief should identify the working and delivery spaces, OCIO configuration or view transform where applicable, and whether the client expects scene-linear renders or display-ready files. Also state who will perform compositing, retouching and final grading.

Define the handoff structure, including naming conventions, folder hierarchy, version format, frame numbering, transfer method and retention period. If source files are required, identify exactly which models, textures, artwork, caches, render settings and documentation must be included.

Deliverable	Minimum specification	Typical dependencies
Hero still	Variant, camera, dimensions, format, color space and pass requirements	Approved CAD, labels, finishes and composition
Alternate stills	View list, crops, backgrounds, sizes and naming	Approved camera plan and channel list
Product animation	Shot list, frame rate, runtime, format, audio and versions	Approved storyboard, timing and product motion
Simulation	Effect scope, previews, cache policy and final outputs	Locked geometry, cameras, timing and behavior
Compositing package	Beauty, alpha, mattes, depth and utility passes	Confirmed post-production workflow
Source package	Scenes, assets, textures, caches, dependencies and notes	Licensing approval and agreed software versions

Separate mandatory deliverables from optional additions. A beauty render may be required, while an extra close-up or editable source package may be optional and quoted separately. This protects the schedule when a useful enhancement appears after the core outputs have been approved.

Set Approval, Revision and Change-Control Rules

The client brief for 3D artists becomes operational when it establishes who can make decisions, when approvals are needed and how changes affect scope.

Assign decision ownership

Name one client-side contact to consolidate day-to-day feedback. Where relevant, identify separate owners for product accuracy, brand direction, legal review, technical delivery and final sign-off. This reduces the risk of marketing, engineering and legal stakeholders issuing contradictory instructions at different stages.

A practical approval sequence is:

1. Asset and product approval: confirm CAD, dimensions, variants, labels and construction.
2. Camera and blockout approval: confirm viewpoint, framing, product placement and aspect ratios.
3. Look-development approval: confirm materials, lighting, labels, background and realism level.
4. Animation or simulation approval: confirm timing, motion and effect behavior using previews.
5. Final render approval: review the agreed scene at final quality and delivery specifications.

Use low-cost outputs for early approvals. Clay renders, viewport captures, proxy animation and low-resolution simulation previews can reveal incorrect cameras or timing before the project reaches expensive rendering and caching. A polished final render should not be the first meaningful review.

Define revisions by stage

State how many feedback rounds are included, when feedback is due and what qualifies as a revision rather than a new request. The impact depends on the production stage. A background-color adjustment may be minor before final rendering, while changing an approved camera can require new lighting, simulation coverage and complete rerendering.

Common changes that should trigger a scope and schedule review include:

• A new or revised product model
• Additional colorways, accessories or packaging
• A changed camera after composition approval
• New aspect ratios or deliverable versions
• Revised animation timing after simulation caching
• A different effect behavior or realism target
• Source-file delivery not included in the original agreement

Require consolidated feedback from the named approver. Conflicting comments should be resolved client-side before they enter production.

Record dependencies and failure modes

Every client dependency should have an owner and due date. Typical dependencies include final CAD, product samples, dimensions, labels, brand files, legal copy, finish references, audio and timely approvals.

Flag production risks rather than leaving them in informal messages:

• Missing assets: modeling or look development cannot be estimated reliably.
• Contradictory references: the artist lacks a clear priority source.
• Unclear realism expectations: client and artist may judge materials against different standards.
• Provisional geometry: later updates may invalidate cameras, textures or caches.
• Unconfirmed deliverables: additional crops and formats may appear after rendering.
• Unrealistic schedule: the project may require fewer variants, simpler effects or staged delivery.
• Undefined simulation behavior: technically valid results may still fail the creative review.

Attach an action to each risk. Missing geometry may require a revised CAD file; contradictory references need an identified priority; an uncertain finish may require a physical sample; a tight deadline may require reduced scope. An explicit compromise is safer than one discovered during final delivery.

Reusable Product CGI Brief Template

Use this intake structure before modeling, look development or simulation starts. A blank answer is an unresolved production assumption, not an administrative detail.

1. Project objective

• What must the visual communicate?
• Who is the audience?
• Where will the work appear?
• How will the client judge success?

2. Scope

• Which products, revisions, sizes and variants are included?
• Which stills, animations, turntables, effects or interactive assets are required?
• What is confirmed, provisional, optional or out of scope?

3. Product assets

• Which CAD, meshes, drawings, dimensions and samples are available?
• What are the units, orientation and source versions?
• Which areas need cleanup or reconstruction?
• Who approves product accuracy?

4. Visual direction

• What camera views, crops and aspect ratios are required?
• Which features must remain visible?
• What does each reference establish?
• Should the result be photorealistic, technical, stylized or diagrammatic?

5. Materials and environment

• What are the approved colors, finishes, labels and packaging details?
• Which physical or brand references govern the match?
• What lighting, background, floor, shadow and reflection behavior is required?
• Is transparency or a compositing package needed?

6. Motion and effects

• What moves, for how long and at what frame rate?
• Must motion follow engineering behavior?
• Which fluid, particle, fabric or procedural effects are required?
• What must remain deterministic or art-directable?

7. Technical delivery

• What are the dimensions, aspect ratios, formats and color spaces?
• Are alpha channels, mattes or utility passes required?
• What naming and folder structure should be used?
• Are scenes, models, textures or caches part of the handoff?

8. Schedule and approvals

• What are the asset, review and final-delivery dates?
• Who approves product accuracy, creative direction and final files?
• How many revision rounds are included at each stage?
• Which changes trigger a new estimate or schedule?

Finish with a brief preflight meeting or written review. Read the specification back in production terms, identify every unresolved assumption and convert subjective instructions into reviewable criteria. Once the product version, shot list, technical outputs and approval path are clear, the artist can scope the work with fewer contingencies—and both sides have a reliable basis for evaluating the result.