You don’t need a portfolio to start UGC. Three sample videos are enough to apply, and five give brands the full picture: a first impression, a problem and fix, a talking piece, a try-on or routine, and one filmed to a mini brief. Send them to us on WhatsApp or by email when you apply, not on your social accounts. The fifth video matters most, because the most common mistake creators make is not following the brand’s guidelines.
Key takeaways
- Five samples, all filmed on your phone, vertical and well lit.
- Show range: talking to camera, handling a product, and following instructions.
- Film one sample to a mini brief (a set outfit and a white wall). That’s the skill brands notice.
- Creators in our network generally aim for about $40 to $300 per video, and several were paid with almost zero followers.
We work with 25 UGC creators and we are always looking for more. When we accept someone, four things decide it: confidence, looks, the way they talk, and delivering on time. Your samples are how we judge the first three. This guide covers the five videos to film, how to film them, and the mistakes that cost creators jobs. Read how to become a UGC creator in Lebanon first if you’re new to UGC.
Finding 1: The mistake that costs creators the most
The most common mistake is not reading the brand’s guidelines, and then the video has to be filmed again. Typical examples:
- The wrong outfit: not what the brand asked the creator to wear.
- The wrong background: another setting when the brand asked for a white wall.
A redo costs time for both the creator and the brand. A creator who follows the guideline the first time is the creator a brand books again.
Practical translation: your samples should prove you can follow instructions, not just that you look good on camera.
Finding 2: The five sample videos
| Sample | What to film | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| 1. First impression | Open a product you own and react honestly in the first three seconds, then say who it’s for | Natural reactions, a strong opening |
| 2. Problem and fix | A small everyday problem, the product solving it, one line on why you’d buy it again | Storytelling in under 30 seconds |
| 3. Talking piece | Thirty seconds straight to camera on a place, product or app you like | Confidence and the way you talk |
| 4. Try-on or routine | A clothing try-on, or a product inside your morning routine | How you show a product in use |
| 5. The mini brief | Sample 1 again, wearing a plain outfit in one colour, in front of a white wall | That you follow guidelines |
The categories in highest demand with us right now are guesthouses, beauty and health products, and clothing. Samples 1, 2 and 4 fit those naturally. If you live near a guesthouse or a café you love, it works well as the subject of sample 3.
Practical translation: keep each sample under a minute. Brands decide in seconds.
Finding 3: How to film them on a phone
A phone is enough to start. A ring light helps, and our studio equipment is available case by case once you’re working with us.
- Film vertically, framed for TikTok and Reels. TikTok reports that vertical videos have an average 25% higher 6-second watch-through rate (TikTok for Business).
- Open strong. The same TikTok guide says over 63% of its highest-click-through ads show the key message or product in the first 3 seconds.
- Light your face. A ring light, or a window in daylight in front of you, not behind.
- Pick a quiet room. Clear sound matters as much as the picture.
- Clean background, unless the setting is part of the story.
You don’t need to add captions. We edit brand videos with captions ourselves, in Arabic script for Arabic videos.
Practical translation: film each sample three times and send the best take.
Finding 4: Language is part of your portfolio
Our creators film in English, Lebanese Arabic and French, and many briefs are in English, for international brands or Lebanese brands selling worldwide.
If you speak more than one, film the talking piece twice, once in each language. It widens the briefs you can be matched to.
Practical translation: say your languages in the application, and prove them in the samples.
Finding 5: What happens when you’re accepted
- We match you to brands by audience, age and look. We usually don’t put the same creator on two competing brands.
- You get the brand kit and a guideline, and we help you finalise the script.
- Pay: you tell us the minimum you accept per video, and we tell you the brand’s budget before you say yes. Creators generally aim for about $40 to $300 per video.
- Payment is safe. The brand pays us upfront, and you are paid once the work is fully delivered.
- You post the video on your TikTok as a paid partnership with the brand tagged, and as an Instagram story.
Practical translation: your portfolio grows with every job. The five samples just get you the first one.
How to send your samples
Apply through our model application form, with “UGC content creator” already ticked. The form has no video upload, so send your sample videos separately (at least three, ideally all five):
- On WhatsApp at +961 76 393 638, or
- By email to info@studiolebanon.com.
Include your full name so we can match the videos to your application. Don’t post the samples on Instagram or TikTok; we only need the files.
Check each sample before you send it
Watch every take once with sound and once without, and send it only if you can say yes to each line:
- Vertical, filling the whole phone screen.
- The product or the point is clear in the first three seconds.
- Your face is lit from the front, with no dark shadows or bright window behind you.
- The sound is clean: no echo, traffic or television in the background.
- The framing is steady. Use a stand or prop the phone against something.
- The background is tidy, or part of the story on purpose.
- The mini brief is followed exactly: the plain outfit and the white wall.
- Each file is named with your name and the sample number, for example “Rita-sample-5”.
Send the files as they are. WhatsApp can compress video, so if your files are large or the quality drops, email them to info@studiolebanon.com instead.
Practical translation: a sample with a slow start or bad sound is better re-filmed than explained.
Three myths about UGC portfolios
Myth 1: “I need paid work before I can show a portfolio.” Brands judge samples. Products you already own are enough.
Myth 2: “I need a big following first.” Several people with almost zero followers have been paid through us. Follower count matters less than people think.
Myth 3: “Better gear makes a better sample.” A phone, good light and a clear voice beat an expensive camera with a weak opening.
What to do this week
- Pick three products you own and one place you like.
- Set up a white wall and a plain outfit for the mini brief.
- Film at least three samples, ideally all five, three takes each, vertically.
- Apply as a UGC creator.
- Send the best takes on WhatsApp or to info@studiolebanon.com, with your full name.
UGC portfolios: questions
What should a beginner UGC portfolio include?
At least three short phone videos, ideally five: a first impression, a problem and fix, a talking piece, a try-on or routine, and one filmed to a mini brief.
Where do I send my sample videos?
On WhatsApp at +961 76 393 638, or by email to info@studiolebanon.com, with your full name. Don’t post them on your social accounts.
Do I need to edit or caption my samples?
No. Clean, well-lit takes are enough. We edit brand videos with captions ourselves.
How much can I earn as a UGC creator?
Creators in our network generally aim for about $40 to $300 per video, depending on the brand’s budget and the minimum they set.
What’s the most common mistake in UGC videos?
Not reading the brand’s guidelines: the wrong outfit, or the wrong background when the brand asked for a white wall. The video then has to be filmed again.
Can I apply if I’m under 18?
Yes, with a parent or guardian. They complete their part of the application form and give consent, and they must be present for any shoot.
Written by the StudioLebanon team: a photo, video and UGC studio in Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon, working with 25 UGC creators and delivering over 80 UGC videos a month.