Videography Invoice Example with Annotated Line Items

Sample videography invoice

This is an illustrative final invoice from a fictional New York production company. The prices are the company's own, not a market benchmark.

The arithmetic: $800 + $3,200 + $400 + $2,400 + $600 + $150 + $500 = $8,050. The deposit was 40% of the accepted quote, $8,050 × 0.4 = $3,220, so the balance is $8,050 − $3,220 = $4,830.

Payment Terms: Net 15. 40% deposit invoiced and paid before production; balance due on final delivery. Wire transfer or ACH.

Notes: Deliverables: 60-sec hero video (4K, H.264) and 30-sec social cut (1080p, 9:16 and 16:9). Usage licence: non-exclusive, web, social and in-store display, United States, 12 months from delivery, per agreement dated March 12, 2026. Broadcast use available under a separate licence. Frameshift Media retains copyright; raw footage and project files are not included. Two revision rounds included on the 60-sec cut.

Field-by-field breakdown

• From: Production company name, office address and billing email.
• To: Client company and the marketing contact who approved the project.
• Project reference: Name the specific video project for clear record-keeping.
• Pre-production: Concept, storyboarding and planning time billed separately from the shoot day.
• Production day rate: Includes the director and DP. Note the camera setup (single or multi-cam).
• Crew: Additional crew (PA, gaffer, sound recordist) as separate line items.
• Post-production: Editing, color and sound, with the revision rounds included in the description.
• Additional cuts: Each version (social, vertical, long-form) as its own line.
• Music licensing: Bill the licence for this project at cost, or include it in your fee, but be clear which.
• Deposit: The deposit was billed on its own invoice, so this invoice shows it under the total and asks for the balance.
• Usage licence and ownership: Under US copyright law, a commissioned part of an audiovisual work is a work made for hire (owned by the client) only if both parties sign a written agreement saying so (17 U.S.C. § 101). Without one, the production company is the author, which is why the notes grant a licence and name its scope.
• Tax note: Whether sales tax applies to a commissioned video depends on the state and the facts, such as whether the finished video is delivered electronically or on physical media. This example does not charge it; a real New York invoice should follow the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance's rules or a tax adviser's view. This is general information, not tax advice.

How the prices on this invoice were set

There is no reliable public price list for video production, so this example does not include a "typical rates" table. Our video production pricing guide shows how to build a quote from a rate floor: estimated hours for each phase, plus contingency, multiplied by your rate.

For context only, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median wage of $36.10 an hour for film and video editors and camera operators in May 2025, a figure that excludes the roughly 35% who are self-employed (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). A freelance rate also has to cover gear, insurance and unbilled time.

Variations

• Event videography: Bill a half-day or full-day rate plus editing. Deliverables are often a highlight reel and a full recording.
• Hourly billing: For open-ended edits, bill actual editing hours and keep a time log you can share if asked.
• Documentary / long-form: Invoice by phase (pre-production, principal photography, post) with milestone payments.
• Social media content packages: A monthly retainer for a set number of short videos, for example "8 vertical videos a month".
• Drone footage: Bill it as its own line. Flying a drone for a commercial job in the US falls under the FAA's Part 107 rules, which require a remote pilot certificate or direct supervision by a certificated pilot (FAA: commercial operators).

Tips for videography invoicing

1. Bill a deposit before the shoot day that covers what you commit up front: crew, rentals and the date you hold.
2. Separate each deliverable (60-sec cut, 30-sec cut, vertical version) as its own line item.
3. Specify revision rounds on the edit line and price extra rounds in advance.
4. Include licensing terms on every invoice so both parties have a written record of the usage rights.

Worked example: a change order after approval

After approving the cuts, Solstice asks for a 15-second vertical version for paid social and a second year of web use. Neither is in the original scope, so Frameshift quotes them, gets written approval and sends a separate invoice:

Total: $350 + $900 = $1,250. Referencing the original invoice and licence date makes the extension easy to approve. The how to invoice as a videographer guide covers the full phased billing process.

Building this invoice in InvoiceQuickly

• Line items with quantity × unit price, so shoot days, crew and each cut sit on separate lines.
• Deposits: there is no deposit field, and unit prices cannot be negative. Bill the deposit as its own invoice, or record it as a partial payment on the final invoice; partial payments are tracked on every plan.
• Notes and terms (up to 5,000 characters each) print on the PDF, so the deliverables list and the usage licence can go on every invoice.
• Tax: one tax percentage per invoice, calculated on the subtotal after any discount.
• Pro ($9/month) adds email delivery, estimates the client can accept in a private portal, and payment links through your own Stripe or PayPal account.

It does not track time, store contracts or attach files such as receipts or time logs. Start from the video production invoice template.

Frequently asked questions

Should videographers charge sales tax?

It depends on your state and on what you deliver. A state can treat a production service differently from a finished video delivered on physical media, and some states tax services broadly. Check your state revenue department's guidance for your exact service, or ask a tax adviser, and keep the treatment consistent on every invoice.

How do I price additional cuts or formats?

Estimate the editing time each version takes and price it from your own rate, then list each one as its own line. A cut-down that reuses an approved edit usually takes less time than the original edit, so it is often priced lower.

What if a client wants unlimited revisions?

Set a number of rounds in the contract instead, write it on the edit line, and price extra rounds at a stated rate. That keeps the original quote meaningful and makes additional work easy to bill.

Who owns the footage, the client or the videographer?

Unless you sign a written agreement saying otherwise, you generally do: a commissioned audiovisual work is a work made for hire only with a signed written agreement (17 U.S.C. § 101). Say on the invoice what the client may do with the video, for example "web and social, United States, 12 months".

Should I hand over raw footage?

Only if you agree to, and it is worth pricing separately because it lets the client re-edit your work. If you include it, list it as its own line with the rights that come with it.

How big a deposit should I take?

Enough to cover what you commit before the shoot: the date you hold, the crew you book, and any rentals or licences you pay for. Many freelance videographers take 30% to 50% at booking and bill it as its own invoice.

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Price the project with the video production pricing guide, then start from the video production invoice template or create a free InvoiceQuickly account.