Production agreements, releases on set and final-cut approvals
Video work needs more signatures than people expect. There's the production agreement or wedding film contract, a release from everyone on camera, a location release, deal memos for your freelance crew, and an approval on every cut. SignMaster gets each one signed at the right moment, including releases from a room full of people who are about to be on screen.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
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What a video business gets signed
- Production agreementPre-production, shoot days, crew, post, revision rounds, deliverables and usage. Start from the videography contract.
- Wedding film contractHours of coverage, the highlight film, the full ceremony edit, whether raw footage is delivered, music and the delivery timeline.
- Appearance releasesEveryone on camera: interviewees, actors, extras. See the video release form.
- Location releaseThe owner's permission to film at the property, with dates, access and what happens if something gets damaged.
- Crew deal memosDay rate, kit fee, overtime and credit for each freelancer on the job.
- Cut approvalsThe client's approval of the rough cut and the final cut, so revision rounds are counted, not argued about.
Releases from a whole set
Interviewing one person? Send the release and choose Sign in person on your iPad before the mic goes on. Each in-person session covers one signer, so start another for the next interview. Filming a crowd, a conference or a busy shop? Turn the release into a public signing link and print its QR code on a sign at the door. Each person scans it, fills in their name and email and signs their own release on their own phone. See collect signatures at an event.
On paid plans, the template's Responses tab lists everyone who signed in one table you can export. Your editor checks it before a face makes the final cut.
Approvals that end revision loops
- 1
Share the cut where you always do
Post the rough cut on your review platform. SignMaster doesn't host video.
- 2
Send the approval
Send a one-page approval naming the version, with an Approve field and a text box for notes. If the client declines, they give a reason, and that's your revision list.
- 3
Count the rounds
Each approval or decline is a sealed record with a date. When the contract allows two revision rounds, you both know which round you're on.
- 4
Approve the final
The final cut gets the same treatment. Deliver once it's approved, and the client can't say they never signed off.
Say it about raw footage
Couples and clients often assume they'll get every clip. Say in the contract whether raw footage is included, for an extra fee or not at all, and have them initial the line.
Crew and corporate clients
Send each freelancer's deal memo from a template with their rate and dates in text boxes; they sign from their phone between jobs. For corporate clients, send the production agreement with their producer first and their legal team second, and use a signer group when any one of several people can approve. On paid plans, with Save signers to Contacts on, each client and crew member who signs is saved for the next job.
Pricing
A solo shooter-editor runs well on Solo: $15 a month with unlimited envelopes, enough for every release on a busy shoot. A production company with producers who send their own paperwork shares Crew, $49 a month for 5 people, plus $8 a month per extra seat. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. Compare plans.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It doesn't host or review video. Keep your review platform.
- It doesn't clear music or license stock footage.
- It doesn't take deposits or pay crew.
- It emails signing links; copy one to text a crew member.
Questions? Answers.
How do I get appearance releases from lots of people on set?
Turn the release into a public signing link and show its QR code at the door. Each person signs their own release on their phone, and every response is listed for your editor.
Can clients approve a video edit with SignMaster?
Yes. Share the cut on your review platform, then send a one-page approval with an Approve field. They approve or decline with a reason, and you keep the record.
Can freelance crew sign deal memos from their phones?
Yes. They sign from a link on any phone or computer, without an account, and both of you get the sealed PDF.
Do I have to give clients raw footage?
Only if your contract says so. Write down whether raw footage is included, extra or not offered, and have the client initial it.