Invoicing is one thing, being paid is another. Here the route the money takes counts as much as the amount written on the quote.
The local client
Three points to settle before the shoot.
The form of payment, which must match what your administrative situation allows. A sum received through a channel that leaves no trace is not income you can declare.
The date, expressed as a day of the month rather than as a delay. Payment at thirty days rarely means thirty days.
And indexation, when the job spreads over several weeks. A quote accepted today and paid in two months does not have the same value, and neither the client nor you should carry that gap alone: the solution is a short validity date on the quote.
The foreign client
That is the most profitable part of the business, and the most technical to collect.
Four elements to write down before accepting.
The invoicing currency and the receiving currency, which are not always the same.
The payment channel, named precisely, with who bears the fees.
The delay, in working days, from receipt of the invoice and not from delivery.
And the deposit, described above.
Add the administrative check: invoicing abroad does not follow the same rules as a local service, and the required mentions change. They are checked with an accountant before the first invoice.
The clauses that avoid working for nothing
Five lines, always the same, fitting into a one-page quote.
The number of revisions included and the price of the next one.
What triggers final delivery: payment of the balance, not approval.
The duration of the rights, with a start date and an end date.
The price of exclusivity, quoted even when it is not requested.
And the consequence of a shoot postponed at the client's request, when the product does not arrive.
That last line is the one most often missing, and the one that costs most.
The warning signs
Four, and they all appear before signature.
The client who refuses to write anything down and prefers to settle everything by voice messages.
Payment conditional on the video's performance.
The request to deliver the final files before the balance.
And permanent urgency, which serves to prevent any negotiation.
One of those signals alone does not condemn a job. Two together do.
What is settled before, during and after
| Moment | The safeguard | What it prevents |
|---|---|---|
| Before | A signed quote and a deposit | Working entirely on credit |
| During | A watermarked version for approval | A release with no payment |
| After | A follow-up dated at seven days | An oversight that settles in |
What an effective follow-up says
The invoice number, the missed due date, the amount and one question only: what payment date is planned. No apology, no threat.
What you do when nothing moves
Stop any new order, send a formal reminder with a deadline, then examine the remedies available, to be confirmed with a lawyer.
Earning more without raising your price
Three levers, all available immediately.
Group the shoots: three videos filmed on the same day cost less time than three videos filmed on three different days, and are invoiced almost as much.
Sell the second language rather than the discount: it is produced in one extra hour and doubles the value for a client that exports.
And invoice the renewal of rights on a fixed date, rather than letting a licence expire without saying anything. A brand still using your video a year later almost always prefers to pay an extension than to reshoot content.
Finally note, at every payment, the amount invoiced, the amount received and the gap. After six months, that table will tell you which client really costs the most.
Sources
Checked on 4 September 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.
