Videographer Invoice Template: Shoot Days and Licensing
A videographer invoice template guide: bill shoot days, crew, editing, licensing fees, music, travel and revisions, with a worked video production example.
Quick answer: A videographer invoice template should break the job into pre-production, shoot days (full or half), crew, equipment, editing (hours or per finished minute), music and stock licences, usage or licensing fees for the final video, travel, and revisions. Show the deposit paid, the balance due, the deliverables and who owns or may use the footage.
Video jobs mix labor, gear, post-production and intellectual property, so a single "Video: $4,500" line invites questions. A clear, itemized invoice shows the client what they are paying for and protects you when they want more edits, more formats or wider usage. This guide covers the fields to include, how to price shoot days, editing and licensing, a worked example, and common mistakes. You can build it in the free invoice generator with the Dark template, which suits creative work, or the Creative template.
What should a videographer invoice template include?
- Your business details and the client's, including a contact in accounts payable for corporate clients.
- Invoice number, date, due date and the client's PO number if they gave one.
- Project name and shoot dates, plus location.
- Line items grouped by pre-production, production, post-production, licensing and expenses.
- Deliverables: number of videos, lengths, aspect ratios (16:9, 9:16, 1:1), resolution and file format.
- Usage and licensing terms: where, how long and in which territories the client may use the video.
- Deposit received and balance due.
- Revision policy and how extra rounds are billed.
- Payment terms and methods.
Many of these points overlap with photography, so the photography invoice template guide is a useful companion, especially for usage rights.
How to price video production on an invoice
| Item | Usual unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-production (concept, script, shot list, location scouting) | Flat or hourly | Often underbilled; list it so the client sees the work |
| Shoot day | Full day (often 8 to 10 hours) or half day | State the hours included and the overtime rate |
| Crew (second shooter, audio, gaffer, assistant) | Per person per day | Pass through at cost or with a markup you disclose |
| Equipment (camera package, lighting, drone, gimbal) | Per day | Even if you own it, it has a rental value |
| Editing | Per hour, per finished minute, or per video | Say how many revision rounds are included |
| Color grading, motion graphics, captions | Per hour or per video | Separate from the basic edit |
| Music and stock licences | Per licence | Name the track and licence type |
| Usage or licensing fee | Per use, term or territory | For commercial and advertising use |
| Travel, accommodation, permits, location fees | At cost or per mile | Attach receipts for large items |
| Rush fee | Percentage or flat | For faster-than-standard turnaround |
Day rates and editing rates vary widely with market, experience, crew size and client type. Corporate and advertising work is commonly priced higher than event or wedding work, and agencies often expect a separate usage fee. Work out your own base rate from your costs and target income using how to set freelance rates, rather than copying a figure.
Editing rates: hourly, per finished minute or flat
Editing is where scope grows quietly. Three common models:
- Hourly: fair for both sides, but the client cannot predict the total. Attach a time log, as in how to invoice for hourly work.
- Per finished minute: easy to quote for simple edits, risky for complex ones with heavy graphics.
- Flat per deliverable: "One 90-second brand film plus three 15-second cutdowns, two revision rounds." Predictable, and easiest to defend when you bill extras.
Licensing fees and usage rights
For commercial work, the price of making the video and the price of using it can be separate. Licensing fees reflect how widely and how long the client uses the finished work:
- Media: organic social, paid social ads, website, TV or broadcast, cinema, out-of-home screens.
- Term: 1 year, 2 years or perpetual.
- Territory: one country, a region or worldwide.
- Exclusivity: whether you may show it in your portfolio or license similar work elsewhere.
Put the grant in your contract and summarise it on the invoice: "Licence: paid and organic social, North America, 12 months from delivery, non-exclusive. Licence is effective on receipt of full payment." The freelance contract template covers IP and usage clauses. If the client is a brand hiring creator-style content, our UGC invoice template explains usage and whitelisting fees.
Worked example: a corporate video invoice
A videographer produces a brand film for a software company: one 2-minute video plus three 30-second social cutdowns. The client paid a 50% deposit when booking. The rates below are illustrative.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-production: concept, script, shot list | 1 | $600.00 | $600.00 |
| Shoot day, 10 hours, Austin office | 1 day | $1,400.00 | $1,400.00 |
| Audio technician | 1 day | $450.00 | $450.00 |
| Camera, lighting and audio package | 1 day | $350.00 | $350.00 |
| Editing and color grade, 2-min film (2 revision rounds) | 1 | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 |
| Social cutdowns, 30 sec, 9:16 | 3 | $150.00 | $450.00 |
| Music licence: "Track name", standard web licence | 1 | $80.00 | $80.00 |
| Usage licence: paid social and web, US, 12 months | 1 | $500.00 | $500.00 |
| Change order CO-1: third revision round | 2 hrs | $95.00 | $190.00 |
| Total | $5,220.00 | ||
| Less deposit received 3 October 2026 | -$2,515.00 | ||
| Balance due | $2,705.00 | ||
Check the maths: $600 + $1,400 + $450 + $350 + $1,200 + $450 + $80 + $500 = $5,030 originally quoted, and the deposit was 50% of that, $2,515. The change order adds $190, so the total is $5,030 + $190 = $5,220, and the balance is $5,220 - $2,515 = $2,705.
Deposits, milestones and kill fees
Video work commits your calendar and often your crew, so most videographers take a deposit to book the date and bill the balance on delivery. Larger productions use milestone payments: for example, deposit, after the shoot, and on final delivery. See how to write a deposit invoice for the booking invoice. If the client cancels after pre-production or the shoot, a kill fee clause decides what you are owed, and you invoice it as a separate document referencing the contract.
Revisions and scope creep
Extra revision rounds, new cutdowns and "one more version for LinkedIn" add up. Agree the number of rounds in writing. When a request falls outside it, send a short change order with the price and get approval before starting. Our guide to scope creep and change orders includes wording. On the invoice, show each change order as its own numbered line, as in the example.
Wedding and event videography invoices
Wedding and event clients are consumers rather than businesses, so invoices tend to be package-based and spread over several months. A typical pattern:
- Booking retainer to hold the date, invoiced when the contract is signed.
- Interim payment a set number of weeks before the event.
- Final balance before or on the event day, or on delivery of the film, depending on your terms.
Example: a package priced at $3,600 with a $900 retainer and the balance split into two payments. After the retainer, $3,600 - $900 = $2,700 remains, so each of the two later invoices is $1,350. Each invoice should show the package total, all payments received so far and the remaining balance. Add-ons such as a second shooter, a drone, a highlight reel or same-day edit go on their own lines. Our guide to partial payment invoices shows how to present the running balance.
Raw footage, archiving and file delivery
Decide in your contract what happens to files after the project. Common choices: final edits only, raw footage for an extra fee, and archiving for a set period (for example, 12 months) after which files may be deleted. If you offer extended archiving or re-exports in new formats later, price those as separate services. On the invoice, list the delivery method (download link, drive) and the archive period so there is no confusion a year later when the client asks for a new version.
Sales tax on video production
Sales tax treatment of video production varies a lot by US state. Some states tax the sale of finished video or production services, some tax only physical media, and others exempt services entirely. Equipment rentals passed through to the client may also be taxable. Check with your state revenue department, and use the sales tax calculator if you need to add tax. The guide to sales tax on invoices shows how to display it. In the UK and EU, VAT applies once you are registered.
Common videographer invoice mistakes
- One lump-sum line, which makes every extra look like a surprise.
- No usage terms, so the client assumes unlimited, worldwide, perpetual rights.
- Delivering final files before payment without a licence condition.
- Forgetting overtime when the shoot runs long.
- Not billing music, stock or permit costs that you paid.
- Revision rounds not capped in the contract.
Videographer invoice checklist
- Project name, shoot dates and location
- Pre-production, shoot, crew and equipment lines
- Editing and post-production with revision rounds stated
- Music, stock and other licences named
- Usage licence: media, term, territory
- Travel and expenses
- Change orders as separate lines
- Deposit received, balance due, due date and how to pay
Next step
Open the invoice generator, group your lines into production, post-production and licensing, subtract the deposit, and add your usage terms to the notes. Download the PDF and send it with the final delivery link. Drafts save in your browser, so you can add a change order line later without starting again.
Frequently asked questions
Do videographers charge by the hour or by the day?
Production is usually billed by the day or half day, because a shoot blocks your calendar and equipment regardless of hours filmed. Editing is billed per hour, per finished minute or as a flat package. Weddings and events are often sold as packages. Whatever you sell, break the invoice into shoot, crew, equipment, editing and licensing so the client can see the cost of each.
Should raw footage be included in the price?
Many videographers do not include raw footage by default, because it shows unedited work and can be reused without licensing. If a client wants it, quote it as a separate line with a delivery method and any usage limits. Make clear in your contract whether raw files are delivered, archived or deleted after a set period.
Who pays for music licensing on a client video?
Usually the client, either directly or through you. If you license a track for the project, bill the licence as a line item at cost or with a stated handling fee, and name the track, the library and the licence type. Make sure the licence covers the client's intended use, such as paid social ads or broadcast.
Can I charge for extra revisions?
Yes, if your contract limits the number of revision rounds. A common approach is two rounds included, then extra rounds billed hourly or at a set fee. When a client asks for changes beyond scope, send a short change order with the extra cost before doing the work, then invoice it as a separate line.
Should videographers charge sales tax?
It depends on the state and on what you deliver. Some US states tax video production or the transfer of finished video, others exempt services, and some distinguish between digital delivery and physical media. Equipment rental passed through to clients can also be taxable. Check with your state revenue department and use a sales tax calculator if tax applies.
How much deposit should a videographer ask for?
Many videographers ask for 25% to 50% of the quoted price to book the date, with the balance due on delivery or before the event. A larger deposit makes sense when you must hire crew or equipment early. State in the contract whether the deposit is refundable, and check local consumer law, which can limit non-refundable deposits for consumer clients.
Should I charge for travel days?
Yes, if travel stops you taking other work. Many videographers charge a reduced day rate or half-day rate for travel days, plus mileage, flights, accommodation and per diems at cost. List each as a separate line and attach receipts for larger items. Agree the travel policy in the quote so the client is not surprised by a travel day on the final invoice.
Should I deliver final files before the client pays?
Many videographers share watermarked or low-resolution previews for approval and release the final high-resolution files once the balance is paid. If you do deliver first, make the usage licence conditional on full payment, and say so on the invoice. That gives you leverage and a clear position if the client uses the video without paying.
Can I use a client's video in my portfolio?
Only if your contract allows it. Many videographers include a clause permitting portfolio and showreel use, often after the client has published the video. Some corporate and advertising clients ask for confidentiality or exclusivity, which may cost extra or rule out portfolio use. Agree it in writing before the shoot and mention any restriction in the licence summary on the invoice.
How do I invoice for drone footage?
Show drone work as its own line, priced per day, per flight or per deliverable, separately from the main camera package. In the US, commercial drone flights generally require an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate, and other countries have their own aviation rules and permissions. Add any permit or location fees as separate lines, and note who holds the required licence.
Invoice Creator Editorial Team
Guides on invoicing, cash flow and small-business finance from Invoice Creator, operated by Next Software Development Company. Content is reviewed for accuracy against the fields our own invoice generator produces.
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