A useful testimonial video should sound like a real customer, not a script placed in someone else’s mouth. That requires more than a good interview setup. The business needs a clear purpose, informed participation, an edit that preserves meaning and a documented publication decision. This checklist gives a Montréal or Québec team a practical production workflow. It is general production guidance, not legal advice.
1. Define the story before inviting anyone
Write one sentence describing the purpose of the video and the audiences and channels that may receive it. Then decide what information is actually necessary to tell that story. Québec’s Commission d’accès à l’information says a private organization should assess necessity before requesting consent: the objective should be legitimate, important and real, and the privacy impact proportionate to that objective.[1]
A narrow brief also makes the interview better. “Explain what changed after the project” is more useful than asking a customer to praise every service the company offers.
2. Make participation a real choice
The CAI describes valid consent as manifest, free, informed and given for specific purposes. When a request is made in writing, it should be presented separately from other information.[1] In practical production terms, do not bury the video authorization inside an unrelated contract or pressure a customer, employee or partner to appear.
Before the shoot, explain in clear language what will be recorded, why it is being recorded, where the finished material may appear, who is producing it and how the person can ask questions. The CAI’s collection guidance also tells private organizations to explain the purpose and method of collection, applicable access and correction rights, the right to withdraw consent for use or disclosure, and relevant third-party involvement.[2]
3. Record the permissions the production actually needs
A practical authorization should be reviewed for the specific project and may address the person’s image and voice, the business and producer involved, intended channels, editing, excerpts, captions, paid promotion, duration, territory and any review process. Do not copy a generic release and assume it fits every circumstance. A Québec lawyer can advise on the appropriate wording and any rules that apply to the people, industry and intended use.
Keep the signed or otherwise documented authorization with the project records. If the intended use changes materially—such as moving from an organic website story to a paid campaign—review whether the original information and authorization cover that use before publishing.
4. Ask for events and examples, not slogans
Share topics in advance without scripting praise. During the interview, ask one question at a time and invite concrete details:
- What problem were you trying to solve?
- Why did this project or service feel like the right next step?
- What was the process like from your point of view?
- What changed, and what can you describe from your own experience?
- Who would find this service useful, and why?
Avoid leading questions that supply an unverified number, comparison or result. If a customer mentions a statistic, timeline or performance outcome, mark it for verification before the edit is approved.
5. Preserve meaning in the edit
Remove repetition and pauses without changing the speaker’s position. Do not combine fragments into a claim the customer did not make, strip away an important qualification or use reaction footage to imply approval of a different statement.
The Competition Bureau advises advertisers not to use testimonials unless authorized and not to distort their scope. It also warns that performance claims need adequate support and that testimonials usually are not proof by themselves.[3] Its specific guidance on performance testimonials says written approval and permission are required before publication in the circumstances covered by section 74.02 of the Competition Act, and the published testimonial must accord with what the third party made or approved.[4]
6. Separate experience from objective proof
“The process felt organized” is a personal account. “The service doubled our sales” is a measurable performance claim. Treat those sentences differently. Confirm that names, roles, dates and project details are current; request evidence for objective claims; and remove or qualify anything the business cannot substantiate.
Do not turn one customer’s result into a promise for everyone. A testimonial can illustrate an experience, but it should not replace the evidence required for a broader performance claim.
7. Run a factual and participant review
Before publication, use a two-part review:
- Business review. Confirm factual claims, names, roles, captions, brand references and the intended call to action.
- Participant review. Follow the agreed process and document approval of the final quotation or testimonial and permission to publish it in the planned context.
Keep feedback specific. If a reviewer requests a new claim after filming, verify it and confirm that the participant approves the revised meaning rather than treating it as a routine text change.
8. Prepare accessible, reusable versions
Create accurate captions, readable on-screen text and a transcript. Export the framing and duration needed for each approved channel rather than cropping one master blindly. Our accessible social video checklist covers caption quality, contrast, meaningful audio and motion in more detail.
Build a clean archive containing the source interview, approved selects, final masters, caption files, factual support, approval record and a short note explaining where the video is currently used. That makes future updates or removals easier to manage.
Pre-publication checklist
- The purpose and planned channels are clear.
- Only necessary personal information is collected.
- Participation is voluntary and informed.
- The authorization fits the project and intended uses.
- Names, roles, dates and objective claims are verified.
- The edit preserves the speaker’s meaning and qualifications.
- The final testimonial and publication context have documented approval.
- Captions and on-screen text have been checked.
- Project files, evidence and approvals are stored together.
- A responsible person knows where the video is published.
Sources
- Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec: Consentement des personnes concernées
- Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec: Collecte de renseignements personnels
- Competition Bureau Canada: False or misleading representations and deceptive marketing practices
- Competition Bureau Canada: Use of tests or testimonials
Sources were accessed and checked on October 31, 2026. This article provides general production guidance, not legal advice. Requirements depend on the facts, applicable laws and intended use; obtain qualified legal advice when needed.