Briefs and Shot Lists
Part of UGC hooks and opening scenes
Writing a problem-first opening for a UGC video
Turn a specific buyer problem into a filmable UGC opening without inventing complaints or promising a result the video cannot show.
Begin a problem-first UGC video with a specific situation the product can address, then show the product entering that situation. Do not invent a widespread customer complaint to make the opening sound urgent.
Choose a problem the footage can answer
Use the buyer question chosen for the video. “Storage is frustrating” gives a creator little to film. “Will this box fit on the narrow shelf?” points to a shelf, the exact box and an observable action. Unless the brand can support a claim that the problem is common, frame it as one use situation.
Keep the promised answer within what the footage can show. A clip may show how a clasp opens or where a container sits. It cannot establish that everyone finds the clasp easy or that the container fits every cupboard.
Write a filmable opening
Use three beats:
- Situation:Show the place or task.
- Product connection:Bring the advertised item into view or identify it clearly.
- Answer to come:Move to the action that could resolve the question.
For a hypothetical storage box, the opening note could read: “Start on the narrow shelf with the box beside it. Ask, ‘Will this fit here?’ Then show the exact box being placed on the shelf.” Film the result before approving a line that says it fits. If it does not, the edit must not imply that it does.
A first-person line also needs to reflect the creator’s experience. “I keep running out of shelf space” should only be used if that is true for them. A neutral question can introduce the same scene without assigning them a made-up history.
Keep the claim proportional
TikTok’s creative tips present observations rather than rules. A problem-first opening is not evidence that a particular product problem is widespread or that this approach outperforms another.
Check the opening without sound as well as with it. Props, a jump cut or a caption can imply a comparison, missing step or result that the script does not state. The ACCC provides guidance on avoiding claims that are false or misleading, can require businesses to back up claims they make on social media, and can investigate and may take some form of compliance or enforcement action if a business makes false or misleading claims in social media advertising.
Give the creator the exact variant, situation, question, required action and claim limits, while leaving room for natural wording. Before accepting the cut, watch from the first frame through the answer. If the footage answers a narrower question than the opening promises, narrow the opening.
Ensure Compliance and Accuracy in UGC Openings
- Use only observable facts from footageDo not claim universal benefits if the video shows only one use case.
- Avoid invented customer complaintsFrame problems as specific situations, not broad generalisations.
- Verify claims match what’s shownIf the box doesn’t fit, do not imply it does via edit or caption.
- Review without soundCheck that visual cues don’t suggest outcomes not stated in the script.
Key Guidelines from Australian Regulators and Platforms
- ACCC AuthorityCan investigate and enforce action for false or misleading claims in social media ads.
- TikTok Creative TipsFocus on observations, not rules; avoid implying widespread problems.
- Australian Consumer LawClaims must be substantiated and proportionate to evidence shown.
