How to Write Request Questions That Get Usable Clips
Zach Werblo breaks down a simple two-question framework for writing UGC request prompts that give editors exactly what they need without overwhelming contributors.
Transcript
Hey. The request function is part of the bread and butter of what makes Studio a great platform to use. But sometimes people get a little confused. They send out a request, and they don't get the responses that they're really hoping for, and they wonder why. And the greatest piece of advice that I can give people is do not make it into an interview. Like, don't do a whole podcast interview within the field. You wanna keep it simple and actionable. And what I mean by that is when you do create a request and people see it, what they need is clear and actionable direction. They don't want to be too vague. So upfront at the very beginning of it so upfront at the very beginning of it, you should have a little description context. What is it that you're asking? Because they need to know. It's great that you know what you're asking, but sometimes we all take that knowledge for granted, and we don't make it clear to the person that we're requesting content from. So they kind of are confused, might not do it, put it on the back burner, etcetera. So when you do create a request, you wanna make sure just add a personal description. Here, you know, this client did a very simple one. Jean, please use this link to record your announcement for the sprint. She followed up an email too to give more contact tech context about what the specific ask is, and it's very clear. And then this particular one, there is one question. It's you could use a little more detail, but it's, Jean, please use this link to record your announcement. There is a recording function right here. So this is a very easy one to do. That's what we want to make it. We don't wanna make it daunting and challenging. So in this particular request, as I click start request, This has two questions, and this is really how I think the template should be. It's we have a main question where we're asking them to weigh in on something to explain a process, and they can go through that. They can click upload content or record a video, and we have preselected those to drive the user experience because we don't want a written response back. Sometimes we might it's a good option to keep the studio, but ideally, you want video content back. So in this particular case, this provides the backbone of the video. Lonnie here will explain the process of remediating documents in a job that he has. He's just gonna do a three minute walk through of all the major steps, and that provides the narrative backbone of the video. But as you guys probably know, we always want b roll as well. So that's where the second question comes into play. Can you upload any b roll shots? And here, he can can't record, So it's only drag and drop or clicking here to select the B roll that will be used for the story. So this kinda gives us everything we need in a nice simple way. It's we have the main meat of the video, and then we have a way to get those supporting assets from him so we can create a full video. What we don't want here is five different prompts. Hey, Ronnie. How what's the process here? What's your follow-up action? What's step number three? It becomes we should have just done a podcast interview or an on-site video shoot if you wanna get that minute or that make much detail from him. Let's just keep it very simple. I really think that the best way to collect this kind of response is through two questions. One, where you're asking for context. One, where you're asking for supporting visual b roll.
Overview
In this 3-minute training, Zach Werblo walks through the most common mistake teams make when writing UGC request questions — packing too many vague prompts into a single request — and explains how to fix it. He introduces a focused two-question structure that separates narrative content from supporting B-roll, making it easier for contributors to respond and for editors to work with the footage. The video also covers practical platform settings that reduce friction in the submission process.
What Is This?
A UGC request question is the prompt sent to contributors asking them to record or upload video content. Writing these questions well — with clear context and a narrow focus — is the difference between footage that editors can actually use and clips that miss the mark entirely.
What You'll Learn
- Identify the core mistake that makes UGC request questions hard to answer
- Structure a request using two focused questions instead of a multi-part interview format
- Distinguish between a narrative backbone question and a B-roll support question
- Set the response type to video by default so contributors don't submit written text
- Disable recording on B-roll questions to create a simple drag-and-drop upload experience
- Reduce contributor overwhelm while giving your editing team complete, usable material
Key Insights
- Too many questions in a single request fragment the contributor's focus and produce disjointed footage that is difficult to edit into a coherent story.
- One strong narrative question — asking for a walk-through, explanation, or personal account — gives editors a structural backbone to build the video around.
- A separate B-roll question, configured as a file upload rather than a recording prompt, keeps the submission experience simple and lowers the barrier for contributors.
- Presetting the response format to video eliminates a common point of confusion and ensures you receive the media type your production workflow actually requires.
Deep Dive
When teams start using UGC platforms to collect contributor footage, the instinct is often to ask everything at once. A single request might include four or five questions covering background, opinions, demonstrations, and calls to action. The problem is that contributors — whether they are employees, customers, or subject-matter experts — are not trained on-camera talent. Faced with a long list of prompts, many either abandon the request or record a single rambling clip that tries to address everything and succeeds at nothing.
Zach Werblo's approach is to strip the request down to two deliberate questions. The first question targets the narrative backbone: a clear, specific prompt asking the contributor to walk through a process, explain a concept, or share a relevant experience. This single clip becomes the editorial spine of the finished video. The more precisely this question is worded, the more directly the contributor's answer can be used in the final cut with minimal coaching or re-recording.
The second question is reserved for B-roll — supporting visuals like a workspace, a product in use, or an environment that adds context to the story. Because B-roll does not require the contributor to speak on camera, Werblo recommends disabling the recording option for this question entirely and letting contributors drag and drop existing files. This small configuration change removes the performance pressure associated with recording and significantly increases submission rates.
Together, these two elements give an editor a complete package: a narrative track and supporting visual material. The result is a more efficient production process, a better experience for the contributor, and higher-quality clips that serve the actual goals of the content program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I limit a UGC request to just two questions?
Contributors are not professional video subjects, and long request forms increase the chance they will feel overwhelmed and not respond. Two focused questions — one for the main narrative and one for B-roll — give editors everything they need while keeping the experience manageable for the person submitting.
What makes a good narrative backbone question for a UGC request?
A strong narrative question is specific, action-oriented, and tied to a single topic — for example, asking a contributor to walk through how they use a particular tool or to explain a challenge they recently solved. Vague or compound questions produce unfocused answers that are hard to edit into a clean story.
How do platform settings affect the quality of UGC submissions?
Presetting the response type to video ensures contributors do not default to submitting written text, which cannot be used in a video production workflow. Disabling recording on B-roll questions turns the submission into a simple file upload, which removes performance anxiety and makes it easier for contributors to participate.
Related Topics
Teams looking to build on this framework should explore how to write effective contributor briefs that set expectations before recording begins, as well as best practices for onboarding new contributors to a UGC program. Understanding how to structure a full content request workflow — from prompt writing through editing handoff — will help teams scale UGC production consistently across departments.
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