Revu01How many rounds are included.
Written down. Before you start.
The most common source of editor burnout isn’t bad clients. It’s unlimited revisions with no ceiling in sight.
Two rounds is the industry standard for a reason. Round one: big picture changes. Round two: fine-tuning. Anything after that is a new creative direction — and it gets charged accordingly.
The number itself matters less than having a number. When clients know they have two rounds, they consolidate their feedback. They think before they speak. The quality of what you receive goes up because the cost of wasting a round goes up.
Write it in the contract. Say it out loud on the kickoff call. Reference it when round two begins. Enforce it kindly but consistently.
- “This agreement includes two (2) rounds of revisions.”
- “Additional revision rounds are billed at [your rate] per round.”
- “A revision round is defined as one consolidated set of notes — not individual messages sent over multiple days.”
- “Requests that change the creative direction or scope are treated as new work.”
02When you get paid.
And what happens if you don’t.
Most freelancers write “payment due on delivery” and hope for the best. That puts all the leverage on the wrong side of the table — you deliver, they disappear.
A deposit changes the dynamic immediately. 50% upfront signals that the client is serious. It also means that if a project falls apart halfway through, you haven’t worked for free.
The second half is due on approval — not on “when I get around to it.” Tie payment to a specific action: the moment they click approve in the portal, the invoice is due. That link between approval and payment is what makes clients treat the approval step with urgency.
Include a late payment clause. Not because you expect to use it — because having it means you never have to.
- “50% deposit due before work begins. Work starts on receipt.”
- “Remaining 50% due within [5 / 7] days of project approval.”
- “Approval is defined as the signed confirmation in the Revu client portal.”
- “Late payments accrue [X]% interest per [week / month] after the due date.”
03Who owns the final video.
And when they own it.
Ownership of the final video should transfer to the client only after full payment. Until then, you hold the rights. This is not aggressive — it is standard creative industry practice, and it is the one clause that gives you real leverage if an invoice goes unpaid.
It is also worth clarifying what the client can do with the video. A brand film produced for their Instagram can be repurposed for a TV ad without your knowledge. If that matters to you — and for commercial work, it should — write the usage rights into the contract.
On the other side: your portfolio rights. The right to show the work in your portfolio, on your social media, in your pitch decks. Most clients agree without question. Some do not. Find out before you finish the project, not after.
- “Ownership of all deliverables transfers to the client upon receipt of full payment.”
- “Until full payment is received, all intellectual property remains with [your name / studio].”
- “Usage rights are limited to [platforms agreed] unless otherwise negotiated in writing.”
- “Editor retains the right to display completed work in their portfolio and on social media.”
04What is included. And what isn’t.
In writing. Before you start.
Scope creep is not a client problem. It is a contract problem.
When the agreement only says “edit the video,” the client hears “edit anything I send you, in any format, for any platform, for as long as it takes.” You hear something completely different. The gap between those two readings is where the resentment lives.
A clear scope clause lists exactly what is included: how many videos, what length, what format, whether colour grading is included, whether motion graphics are included, whether a vertical cut for Reels is included. And then — just as clearly — what is not.
The goal is not to be difficult. The goal is to make sure that when a client asks for “one more thing,” both of you already know whether that thing is inside or outside what was agreed.
- “This agreement covers: [number] final videos · [length] each · [format] · [platforms].”
- “Included: colour grading, music sync, subtitles if agreed, [other specifics].”
- “Not included: motion graphics, additional cuts, format conversions, or platform adaptations unless listed above.”
- “Any work outside this scope will be quoted separately before starting.”
05What happens if it falls apart.
Because sometimes it does.
Projects get cancelled. Budgets disappear. Clients change direction. Companies get acquired. None of this is personal — but all of it costs you time you cannot get back.
A kill fee is not a punishment. It is compensation for the work you did, the time you held in your calendar, and the other projects you turned down to take this one. It is entirely standard, and any client who has worked with a professional before will expect to see it.
The most common structure: if the client cancels after work has begun, they owe a percentage of the remaining balance based on how far into the project you are. If they cancel before work starts, they lose the deposit.
Write it clearly. It is one of the clauses you will most rarely need and be most grateful you have when you do.
- “The 50% deposit is non-refundable if the client cancels after signing.”
- “If the client cancels after work has begun: 50–75% of the total fee is due, depending on completion stage.”
- “If the editor cancels: the deposit is returned in full.”
- “Cancellation must be communicated in writing to be valid.”
Send your next cut through Revu
Timestamped feedback, counted revision rounds and approvals on record — free to start.
Founder of Revu. Former freelance editor, now building the tool he wanted for client reviews.