Videography invoice template
A ten-hour shoot day, a week in the edit, and the invoice still has to explain why video costs what it costs. This template pre-fills the structure that does the explaining: day rate, edit hours, licensing, delivery.
What's pre-filled
| Line item | Qty | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Filming day rate — crew of one, camera & audio | 1 | your rate |
| Video editing & color grading (hours) | 8 | your rate |
| Licensed music & stock footage (pass-through) | 1 | your rate |
| Final delivery — 4K master + social cuts | 1 | your rate |
| Notes: Two revision rounds included on the edit; further rounds billed hourly. | ||
| Terms: 50% deposit reserves the shoot date; balance due on delivery of final files. Raw footage available for an additional fee. |
Rates are left blank on purpose — they're yours. Edit every line once it's open.
What to put on a videography invoice
- The day rate as the anchor line — crew, camera and audio for a filming day is the industry's unit; hourly rates invite hourly arguments.
- Editing hours separate from the shoot — the edit is usually the bigger number; hidden inside a package it's the number clients dispute.
- Licensing costs passed through visibly — music and stock are real, receipted costs; on their own line nobody questions them.
- Deliverables spelled out — “4K master + social cuts” defines done. “The video” never stops being re-editable.
- Revision rounds on the edit — two included, then billed; the note that keeps the color-grade from going around a fourth time.
Invoicing tips for videographers
Deposit reserves the date — say it exactly that way. A videographer's inventory is days, and an unpaid booking is a day sold twice or not at all. “50% deposit reserves the shoot date” makes the transaction legible to the client.
Keep raw footage as an upsell, not a default. Delivering finals-only is standard; the terms line “raw footage available for an additional fee” captures the clients who want everything at a price that respects the storage and the rights.
Pass licensing through at cost, visibly. Music and stock on their own line — with “pass-through” in the description — is the one line clients never argue with, and it stops the license cost from silently eating your edit rate.
Frequently asked
How much deposit should videographers take?
50% at booking is standard — it compensates for reserving the shoot date. The balance is due on delivery of final files, before handing over unwatermarked masters.
Should videographers give clients the raw footage?
By default, no — deliverables are the edited masters. Offer raw footage as a priced add-on in your invoice terms; it converts an awkward request into a sale.
How do videographers bill for editing?
Separately from the shoot, usually hourly, with a stated number of included revision rounds. The separation shows clients where the time actually goes — most of video is the edit.
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