The United States is a huge market for this work. Here are the steps, self-employed status, the forms, pricing in dollars and secure payment.
Why target the American market
The advertising market is larger, video budgets are better accepted, and the format has become a standard line of spending rather than an experiment. For somebody based in Europe, that mostly means higher rates for the same work, provided you sell in dollars and present yourself as a production supplier, not as a creator to follow.
What the American format actually expects
Seven expectations that recur in almost every brief.
An opening that states the problem in the first sentence.
A benefit stated clearly, without detours and without modesty.
A visible demonstration of the product in use, not a description.
An objection handled explicitly, often price or durability.
A conclusion that says what to do, with no ambiguity.
A fast pace, with few contemplative shots.
And delivery in several framing formats, planned in the brief.
A portfolio of three videos, with no client
Seven rules for building a credible portfolio before the first assignment.
Choosing three products you already use, in three different categories.
Never displaying a logo as though it were a client, which is visible and remembered.
Filming each in a different setting, to show your range.
Writing a script per video, and sticking to it, rather than improvising.
Getting the sound right before the picture, in that order.
Showing your face in at least two of the three.
And adding a line under each video explaining the intent, which almost nobody does.
Setting your rates in dollars
Seven markers for building a readable rate card.
Separating the production price and the usage rights price.
Quoting a price in dollars, never a rough conversion.
Providing for a paid-advertising supplement, systematically.
Charging additional formats per unit, not as a vague package.
Counting preparation time, often longer than the shoot.
Building currency conversion and international transfer fees into the price.
And checking the applicable tax rules with an accountant in your country, this remaining general information.
Finding American brands
Seven channels, from the most profitable to the slowest.
Specialised marketplaces, which settle the question of trust.
Brands you are already a customer of, with proof of purchase.
Young funded brands, which produce a lot and fast.
Video production agencies, which subcontract in volume.
Sellers on the large marketplaces, heavy consumers of this format.
Recommendations from other creators, often underestimated.
And written outreach, which works provided it is precise and short.
The paperwork, simply explained
Seven points to know, all to be confirmed with an accountant.
A foreign supplier generally fills in a tax status declaration form.
A tax treaty between countries can change the withholding that applies.
The threshold and form of declarations depend on your country of residence.
Setting up a local company is not necessary to start.
Invoices have to carry the mentions required by your country of establishment.
International bank charges are deductible under most regimes.
And every situation is particular, which makes an accountant's advice cheaper than the mistake.
What to prepare before the first exchange
Seven items to have on hand, all ready before writing.
One link gathering your three videos, with no sign-up needed to view it.
A rate card in dollars, priced and dated.
A sentence saying what you film best, in one line.
An example delivery, formats and file naming included.
Your usual turnaround, from brief to first version.
The number of corrections included in the price.
And your availability for the next three weeks, in plain terms.
How to stand out from an American creator
Six differences that work in your favour, if you name them.
A setting that does not look like the ones the brand sees every day.
A lower production cost at equal quality, without undercutting the market.
Availability outside their hours, useful for urgent work.
Experience with several languages, if the brand exports.
Consistency of delivery, rarer than people think.
And an accent, which stays an asset as long as it is owned rather than erased.
Getting paid without nasty surprises
Seven precautions, in the order they are useful.
Having the scope and the price written down before shooting.
Asking for a deposit on a first collaboration.
Using secure payment, where the funds are authorised before the shoot and released on approval.
Never delivering the source files before full payment.
Writing the payment term in days, with a date.
Providing for the payment method and who bears the fees.
And keeping all written approvals, including messages.
What sets this market apart
| Point | What you find there | What it implies |
|---|---|---|
| The order volume | Very high | Dense competition |
| Compliance requirements | Strict | Notices you never forget |
| Expected deadlines | Short | A production system |
What matters more than the rest
Delivery compliance. Formats, length, subtitles, documented rights: a gap brings a rejection rather than a negotiation, and that often surprises profiles coming from elsewhere.
What is confirmed before the first invoice
The tax framework for income received from abroad, any withholdings and the documents required. These are confirmed with an accountant, never on the basis of an example read elsewhere.
The mistakes that lose the American client
Six behaviours that cost the most.
Answering a price request with a question instead of a figure.
Delivering late without warning, which weighs more than quality.
Sending a file that is too heavy, with no clear download link.
Negotiating rights after release, never before.
Ignoring a correction request that the contract in fact provides for.
And disappearing after delivery, instead of asking whether the video was used.
One last marker: the American market rewards consistency more than talent. Somebody who delivers cleanly, follows up once and offers the next variant ends up occupying a recurring budget, while others wait for an answer that will not come.
Sources
- Urssaf, official auto-entrepreneur portal
- Service Public, how to become a micro-entrepreneur
- Service Public, crossing the micro-entrepreneur turnover thresholds
- Agencia Tributaria, Spanish tax authority
- Spanish Social Security, self-employed registration (RETA)
- IRS, self-employed individuals tax center
- IRS, About Form 1099-NEC
Checked on 4 September 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.
