RevuMost editing disputes don’t start with bad work. They start with a missing sentence — nobody wrote down how many changes were included, or what “final” meant. A contract doesn’t need to be long. It needs to answer the five questions that every project eventually asks.
01Scope of work
Name the deliverables precisely: number of videos, length, aspect ratios, and formats. “A promo video” invites a 60-second cut, a 15-second cut and three vertical versions. “One 60-second 16:9 master” doesn’t.
02Revision rounds
Two rounds is the common default. What matters more is defining a round: one consolidated list of feedback, delivered at once, from one person.
A revision round is a single set of notes — not a conversation that never ends.
State the rate for extra rounds up front, so asking for one is a simple decision rather than an awkward negotiation.
03Approval in writing
A thumbs-up emoji in a group chat isn’t approval. Say how sign-off happens and that it closes the round — and keep a record of who approved which version, and when.
04Payment and kill fee
Ask for a deposit — 30 to 50% is typical — before you open the timeline. Add a kill fee for projects cancelled mid-way, so the hours you’ve already put in are paid for.
- Deposit due on signature
- Balance due on final approval, before master files are released
- Late payments: a fixed fee or interest after 30 days
Send your next cut through Revu
Timestamped feedback, counted revision rounds and approvals on record — free to start.
05Usage rights
Clarify who owns the final edit, the project files, and the raw footage. Most editors transfer rights to the final video on full payment and keep the right to show it in their portfolio — write both down.
None of this needs legal language to work. Clear, plain sentences that both sides read before starting will save you more than any clause you add after a dispute.
Founder of Revu. Former freelance editor, now building the tool he wanted for client reviews.