A clean invoice with formulas that do the math for you — and a few hard-won opinions about getting paid on time.
Video work bills in phases — an upfront deposit or retainer when the proposal is signed, sometimes milestones, and a final balance on approval. Your invoice should say which phase it covers ("50% retainer — Coastal Realty brand film") so the client's accounting team can match it to the agreement without emailing you.
Mirror your proposal's language exactly. If the proposal said "Shoot day (10 hr) × 2," the invoice says the same — not "videography services." Every mismatch between proposal and invoice is a phone call, and every phone call is a payment delay.
Net-14 beats net-30 for small studios — you're not a bank. Put the due date as a date, not a formula the client has to compute. State your late fee if you have one (and actually apply it once; word gets around your client's AP department). And accept online payment if you can: checks add a week minimum, and "the check is in the mail" has been a punchline since before video had color.
Note: sales tax on video production varies by state and by deliverable type. This template computes tax from a rate you enter; ask your accountant what rate (if any) applies to your work.
In Cutvey, deposits go out when proposals are signed and finals when the cut's approved — with online payment, automatic reminders, and late fees you configure once.
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