Free Music Video Director
Service Agreement
One flakey artist or a 'creative difference' lawsuit will leave you eating five figures in rental house debt while your crew hunts you down for their day rates. If you don't lock down the money upfront, you're just an unpaid intern with expensive glass and a target on your back.
Pro Contractor Tip
Insert a 'Kill Fee' clause that guarantees you keep the full deposit and a percentage of the total fee if the client pulls the plug after pre-production starts.
Why use a written agreement?
Handshake deals are risky. As a Music Video Director, "scope creep" is your biggest enemy. A clear agreement ensures everyone agrees on the deliverables before money changes hands.
🛡️ What this sequence covers:
- ✓Deliverables List
- ✓Payment Terms
- ✓IP Rights
- ✓Revision Limits
- ✓Cancellation Policy
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Start building now →Statement of Work
REF: 2026-0011. Project Background
This Agreement is entered into by and between the Client and the Contractor. The Client wishes to engage the Contractor for professional Music Video Director services.
2. Scope of Services
The Contractor shall provide the following deliverables:
- Location scout reports and signed permits
- Technical shot list and storyboard deck
- Raw footage transfer to client-provided drive
- First cut assembly for editorial review
- Final color-graded 4K master file
- Social media promotional 'teaser' edits
- Hard drive hand-off and asset archive
3. Performance Standards
The Contractor agrees to perform the Music Video Director services in a professional manner, using the degree of skill and care that is required by current industry standards.
TERMS & CONDITIONS (Summary):
1. Payment: 50% Deposit required.
2. Copyright: Rights transfer to Client upon full payment.
Disclaimer: This template is for educational purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do when the artist wants 'just one more' round of changes after the edit is locked?
Treat it like a change order on a job site; specify in your contract that the price covers two revision rounds and anything extra requires a signed addendum and an additional fee.
How do I make sure I actually get the final payment once I finish the edit?
You don't ship the high-res master until the final invoice is paid in full. Use your written agreement to define the low-res 'watermarked' preview as the only thing they see until the check clears.
The shoot ran six hours over because the talent was late—who covers the crew's overtime?
If it isn't in writing, you're paying it out of your profit. Your contract must state that any hours beyond the agreed shoot day are billed as overages to the client, payable before the edit begins.