Video editing contract template
Footage handoff, edit length, revision rounds, music licensing and export formats. The agreement that keeps a 60-second edit from becoming a month of tweaks.
The clauses editors need
Footage and materialsClient supplies all footage, logos, brand guidelines and any required music or voiceover via a shared drive by [date]. Turnaround times start when all materials are received. Provider is not responsible for the quality of supplied footage.
DeliverablesEdit of up to [20] minutes of raw footage into a [60 to 90]-second video; colour grading and audio mix; licensed background music; captions burned in; exports for web (16:9) and social (9:16, 1:1).
Revisions[Two] rounds of revisions are included. A round is one consolidated list of timestamped notes. Re-cuts that change the structure or length of the approved edit are quoted as a change order. Additional rounds are billed at [$75]/hour.
Music and licensingBackground music is licensed through [service] for Client's stated use. Client is responsible for rights to any music, footage or images it supplies. Motion graphics beyond simple titles are quoted separately.
Turnaround and filesFirst cut within [7] days of receiving materials; each revision round within [3] business days. Final files are delivered via download link and available for [30] days; project files are retained for [60] days.
The Video editor template pre-fills the deliverables and notes.Paperwork fills the proposal, contract, invoice, SOW, NDA and change order from one form, and your client signs from a link. $19 once. Try the free demo first.
Timestamped notes
Ask for feedback as timestamped notes in one document ("0:14 cut sooner, 0:32 swap the b-roll"). It turns vague direction into a checklist and makes a round a round.
Charge for the third format
Vertical and square cut-downs aren't free reframes; they need new titles, safe areas and often a different pace. List them as a line item. Clients happily pay for "3 social formats"; they resent a surprise.
Rush fees
"Turnaround under [3] days is available at a 50% rush fee." It's the sentence that makes last-minute requests profitable instead of painful.