A video project has more moving parts than most freelance work. There is a script that has to be approved before anyone books a crew, a shoot day that costs the same whether the client's CEO shows up on time or not, a licensing question for every piece of music and every face on screen, and then an edit that the marketing team, the product team and legal all want to review.
This template breaks that into stages the client can follow: pre-production, production and post-production, each with its own deliverables and costs. It lists third-party items such as kit hire, talent and music separately, defines what a revision round covers, and states delivery specs so the client gets files that actually play on the platforms they need.
TL;DR
The video production proposal template splits a video project into pre-production, shoot days and post-production, then lists crew, equipment, locations, talent, music licensing, deliverables with length and aspect ratio, two edit rounds and delivery specs. Send it once the client has agreed the purpose and rough budget. The key practice is pricing reshoots and new footage outside revisions, and licensing music and talent for named channels and durations.
What's inside
- Concept and purpose: what the video must do, for whom, and where it will run.
- Deliverables: main video and cutdowns with length, aspect ratio and captions.
- Pre-production: script or interview plan, storyboard or shot list, location scouting, scheduling.
- Production: number of shoot days, hours per day, crew and equipment.
- Post-production: edit, color, sound mix, graphics, captions.
- Licensing: music, stock footage, talent and voice-over usage terms.
- Revisions and approvals: rounds per deliverable and what counts as a revision.
- Timeline, budget and policies: payment, cancellation, weather days and acceptance.
When to use it
Use it for brand films, explainer videos, testimonial and case-study videos, event recaps, product videos, training videos and social video packages. It works whether you are a solo shooter-editor or a small production company bringing in crew.
For a monthly social video retainer, quote the ongoing volume with a video production SOW instead. For weddings, the shot list, timeline and family dynamics differ enough that a wedding photography proposal or a dedicated videography contract fits better.
Budget lines clients question most
Video budgets get queried line by line. Explaining the common lines in the proposal saves a round of emails.
Pre-production. Clients see it as admin. It is where you prevent wasted shoot days. A clear shot list and an approved script mean the crew is not improvising at day-rate prices. Price it as its own block.
Half-day vs full-day shoots. A "two-hour interview" still needs setup, lighting, sound checks, B-roll and pack-down. Many videographers use half-day and full-day rates and do not offer hourly shoots. Say so.
Crew and kit. A second camera operator, a sound recordist or a gaffer changes both quality and cost. List each crew role with its day rate, and list kit hire separately if you rent lenses, lighting or a gimbal for the job.
Music. Licensed tracks from a library are usually affordable. Commercial songs are often expensive or unavailable. State the license type and that the client chooses from library options.
Talent and releases. Anyone recognizable on camera should sign a release. Paid actors and voice-over artists have usage fees that depend on channel and duration, for example "online organic use, two years." A model release form covers non-professional contributors.
Cutdowns. A three-minute hero film often becomes a 60-second version, a 15-second ad and vertical edits. Each is an edit with its own approvals. Price them per cutdown.
Revisions versus reshoots
Write the boundary between edits and new production clearly:
- A revision changes the edit using footage already shot: reordering, trimming, swapping takes, adjusting graphics or music from the approved options.
- A reshoot or pickup needs the crew back on location. It is priced at the production day rate plus any kit and talent costs.
- A script change after approval that needs new footage is a reshoot, not a revision.
Two rounds on the main cut and one round on cutdowns is a common inclusion. The first round is a rough cut, where structure is agreed. Structure changes after the fine cut count as an additional round.
Customize it in your COLO workspace
Recreate the three production blocks and the third-party costs as line items in a saved proposal template in COLO Proposals, each with its own rate, hours, tax and discount. The client accepts in the client portal, and an accepted proposal converts into the deposit invoice.
During the job, use a project with tasks for script, shoot and each cut, and share review links and files through the project so feedback sits next to the right version. Expenses such as kit hire and location fees can be recorded with receipts and linked to the project.
Common mistakes
- Booking crew before the script is approved. Changes after booking cost day rates.
- Hourly shoot pricing. It ignores setup and pack-down. Use half and full days.
- Licensing music for "everything forever." Name channels and duration.
- No weather or cancellation clause for outdoor shoots.
- Delivering one file. List every aspect ratio, caption file and format.
FAQ
Q: What should a video production proposal include?
The concept and purpose of the video, deliverables with length and aspect ratio, pre-production tasks, number of shoot days and crew, equipment, locations, post-production, music and talent licensing, revision rounds, delivery specs, timeline and budget.
Q: How do videographers price a video project?
Most build the price from three blocks, pre-production, production days and post-production, plus third-party costs such as crew, kit hire, locations, talent and music. Day rates are common for shoot days and editing is often priced per finished minute or per deliverable.
Q: How many revision rounds should a video include?
Two rounds of edits on the main cut is common, plus one round on cutdowns. Specify that revisions cover edit changes and that reshoots or new footage are quoted separately.
Q: Who pays for music and talent?
The client, through the production budget. Licensed music, actors, voice-over artists and model releases have their own costs and usage terms, which should be listed so the client knows where and how long the video can run.
Q: What happens if a shoot is cancelled or delayed by weather?
The proposal should state a cancellation and rescheduling policy, for example a fee for cancellations inside a set number of days and a weather day held in reserve for outdoor shoots. See solutions for videographers.