What should a video editing proposal include?

The source footage, each finished video with its length, aspect ratio and format, the editing work included, revision rounds, music and stock licensing, turnaround times, pricing options and terms for payment, ownership and storage.

How do video editors charge?

Per finished video, per finished minute, by the hour, or with a monthly package for regular content. Per video and package prices are the easiest for clients to agree to, while hourly suits projects where the footage is unknown.

How many revisions should a video edit include?

Pick a fixed number that fits your price, and split them across the rough cut and the fine cut. Ask for each round as one list of timecoded notes and price extra rounds separately.

Who is responsible for music licensing?

Whoever the proposal says. Either the client licenses tracks on their own account, or you license them on their behalf and pass on the cost. Make sure the licence covers how the video will be used, for example paid ads as well as organic posts.

Should I give the client the project files?

It's your call, but decide before you quote. Some editors include project files and organised footage, others charge for them. Say it in the proposal, along with how long you'll keep the raw footage.

Which aspect ratios should a video editing proposal list?

Ask where each video will be published. Standard YouTube videos are widescreen 16:9. At the time of writing, YouTube treats square or vertical videos of up to three minutes as Shorts, and Reels and TikTok clips are usually vertical 9:16. List each version as a separate deliverable.

Proposal template

Video editing proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

A video editing proposal should confirm what footage you're working from, list every finished video with its length, aspect ratio and format, set the number of revision rounds, say who supplies and licenses the music and stock footage, and give a price per video or per monthly package. Copy the template below and replace each [bracket] with the client's project details.

The video editing proposal template

Video projects go wrong in predictable ways: the footage arrives late, the client wants a vertical version nobody quoted for, or the music gets a copyright claim after upload. A proposal that pins down footage, formats, revisions and licensing prevents most of it.

This template works for YouTube videos, short-form social clips, corporate and event videos, ads and video podcasts. Keep the parts that apply to the job in front of you.

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, prices and dates are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

VIDEO EDITING PROPOSAL

Project: [e.g. Monthly YouTube editing for [Channel name]]
Prepared for: [Client name], [Company or channel]
Prepared by: [Your name], [Your business name]
Date: [Date]
Valid until: [Date]

1. Overview
[Company or channel] makes [type of video] for [audience]. You have [amount of footage, e.g. about 2 hours per episode from two cameras] and need [the finished videos] that [the outcome, e.g. keep viewers watching past the first minute / look polished enough for investors]. You publish on [YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, your website] and your main concern is [their worry, e.g. reliable turnaround every week].

2. Goals
- A clear structure and pace that suits [audience and platform]
- A consistent look and sound across every video
- Versions ready for each platform you publish on
- Reliable turnaround of [number] days per video

3. Scope of work
- Reviewing the footage and your notes or script
- Assembly and rough cut for content feedback
- Fine cut with b-roll, [lower thirds, titles, motion graphics]
- Colour correction [and grading]
- Audio clean-up, levelling and music mix
- [Captions or subtitles in [languages]]
- [Thumbnails: [number] per video]
- Exports in the formats below
Not included unless agreed in writing: filming, scriptwriting, voiceover, custom animation beyond [scope], music or stock licence fees, uploading and channel management.

4. Deliverables
For each [video / episode]:
- Main edit: [length] minutes, [16:9], [resolution], [file format]
- [Number] short clips: up to [length] seconds, vertical 9:16, with burned-in captions
- [Number] thumbnail(s)
- Caption file [e.g. SRT], if included
Delivered via [download link / shared drive], named and organised by date.

5. Timeline and revisions
- Rough cut: [number] working days after all the footage arrives
- Fine cut: [number] working days after your rough cut feedback
- Final exports: [number] working days after final approval
- [Number] revision rounds per video. A round is one consolidated list of timecoded notes.
Late footage or feedback moves the delivery date by the same amount.

6. Pricing options
Option A, Single video: one edit up to [length] minutes, [number] revision rounds. [price]
Option B, Video plus clips: Option A plus [number] vertical clips and a thumbnail. [price]
Option C, Monthly package: [number] videos and [number] clips a month, priority turnaround. [price] per month
Extra revision rounds: [price]. Extra clips or versions: [price] each. Rush delivery: [price or percentage] extra.

7. What I need from you
- All footage, audio and files via [method], with a note on which takes to use
- Brand assets: logo, fonts, colours, intro or outro files
- A script, outline or notes on the story you want
- Music preferences, and either a licence you hold or approval to license tracks [on your account / at your cost]
- One person to send consolidated, timecoded feedback

8. Terms
Payment: [50]% upfront for single projects, balance before final exports. Monthly packages are paid in advance.
Revisions: [number] rounds per video. Changes to the brief, or new footage after the rough cut, are quoted separately.
Music and stock: licensed by [you / me on your behalf], with the licence covering [your intended use, e.g. YouTube and paid social ads]. I'll keep a list of every licensed asset used.
Ownership: on full payment you own the final videos. Project files and raw footage: [included / available for [price]].
Storage: I'll keep footage and project files for [number] days after delivery, then delete them.
Portfolio: I may show finished videos in my portfolio once they're published, unless you ask me not to.

9. Next steps
1. Choose an option and reply to confirm.
2. I'll send the agreement, the first invoice and an upload link.
3. You send the footage and we agree the first delivery date.

[Your name]
[Email] | [Showreel link]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a video editing proposal

An editor's price depends on things the client often hasn't thought about yet, so the proposal is a good place to ask and agree them.

The source material: how much footage, from how many cameras, how it will be delivered and whether it's organised.
Each finished video: running time, aspect ratio, resolution and file format. Widescreen 16:9 suits standard YouTube videos; vertical 9:16 suits Shorts, Reels and TikTok.
The editing work included: cutting, colour correction, audio clean-up and mixing, captions, titles, motion graphics and thumbnails.
Music and stock footage: who chooses it, who pays for it and whose licence it's under.
Revision rounds, how feedback is given and turnaround times.
Price, payment schedule, and what happens to raw footage and project files afterwards.

How to describe your editing process

Break the edit into stages the client recognises and show where their feedback fits. It signals experience and protects you from endless small tweaks at the end.

Ask for feedback as timecoded notes, for example "01:42, cut this line", in one consolidated list per round. It speeds up revisions and avoids two people giving opposite notes on the same scene.

Assembly: selecting the best takes and laying out the structure.
Rough cut: the story in order, for feedback on content and pacing.
Fine cut: tightened timing, b-roll, graphics and captions.
Finishing: colour, audio mix and final quality checks.
Delivery: exports in every agreed format, plus thumbnails if included.

How to price video editing

Video editors commonly price per finished video, per finished minute, by the hour, or as a monthly package for regular content, such as a set number of long videos and short clips each month. Per video and package pricing suit most clients because they know the cost upfront; hourly pricing suits open-ended projects where the footage is unknown.

What drives the price: the amount of raw footage compared with the finished length, the number of cameras, graphics and animation, colour and sound work, captions, turnaround time, the number of versions (cut-downs and extra aspect ratios) and the number of revision rounds.

Ask how much raw footage there is before you quote anything.
Price each extra aspect ratio or cut-down as its own deliverable.
Charge a rush rate for turnarounds shorter than your standard.

Music, stock footage and copyright claims

Music can cause trouble long after you've delivered the edit. On YouTube, Content ID automatically matches uploads against reference files from copyright owners, and a match can lead to a claim that monetises, tracks or blocks the video. Agree in the proposal who licenses music and stock footage, under whose account, and that the licence covers the client's use, such as paid ads.

Also say what you hand over at the end: final exports only, or project files and organised footage too. Large files take storage, so state how long you'll keep the raw footage after delivery.

Video editing proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up prices and dates.

VIDEO EDITING PROPOSAL: The Workshop Hour podcast
Prepared for: Dan Kowalski, The Workshop Hour
Prepared by: Aisha Bello

Overview
Dan records a weekly woodworking podcast on two cameras, about 75 minutes of raw footage per episode. He wants a 40-minute YouTube edit that cuts the slow parts, plus short vertical clips to bring new viewers to the channel.

Deliverables per episode
- Main edit, about 40 minutes, 16:9, 1080p, with chapter titles and a branded intro
- Four vertical 9:16 clips under 60 seconds, with burned-in captions
- One thumbnail

Timeline and revisions
Rough cut in 3 working days, final in 2 working days after feedback. Two rounds of timecoded notes.

Pricing options
Option A, main edit only: $180 per episode
Option B, main edit plus clips and thumbnail: $260 per episode
Option C, four episodes a month with all deliverables and 48-hour turnaround: $950 per month

Music
Dan licenses tracks through his own music library subscription. I'll keep a list of the tracks used in each episode.

Terms
Monthly package paid in advance. Raw footage kept for 30 days after delivery.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short video editing bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

You've got [footage, e.g. weekly two-camera podcast recordings] and need [the finished output] that [their goal, e.g. keeps viewers past the first minute], delivered reliably every [week].

Here's how I'd handle it:
1. Review the footage and your notes, then send a rough cut so you can check the structure and pacing
2. Tighten the edit with b-roll, captions, colour and a clean audio mix
3. Export the main video plus [number] vertical clips for [platforms]

[Proof: a similar edit you've done, with a link to your showreel or the published video]

Quick question: do you already have licensed music, or should I source tracks for you?

I can turn each video around in [timeline] for [price].

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose video editing clients

Quoting without asking how much raw footage there is. Two hours of footage for a five-minute video is a very different job from twenty minutes.
Leaving vertical versions and cut-downs out of the quote, then making them for free.
Accepting feedback in scattered messages instead of one timecoded list per round.
Using music without a licence that covers the client's use, which can lead to claims, muted audio or blocked videos.
Not saying how long you'll store the footage, or whether project files are included.
Promising a turnaround that starts before all the footage has arrived.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

What should a video editing proposal include?: The source footage, each finished video with its length, aspect ratio and format, the editing work included, revision rounds, music and stock licensing, turnaround times, pricing options and terms for payment, ownership and storage.
How do video editors charge?: Per finished video, per finished minute, by the hour, or with a monthly package for regular content. Per video and package prices are the easiest for clients to agree to, while hourly suits projects where the footage is unknown.
How many revisions should a video edit include?: Pick a fixed number that fits your price, and split them across the rough cut and the fine cut. Ask for each round as one list of timecoded notes and price extra rounds separately.
Who is responsible for music licensing?: Whoever the proposal says. Either the client licenses tracks on their own account, or you license them on their behalf and pass on the cost. Make sure the licence covers how the video will be used, for example paid ads as well as organic posts.
Should I give the client the project files?: It's your call, but decide before you quote. Some editors include project files and organised footage, others charge for them. Say it in the proposal, along with how long you'll keep the raw footage.
Which aspect ratios should a video editing proposal list?: Ask where each video will be published. Standard YouTube videos are widescreen 16:9. At the time of writing, YouTube treats square or vertical videos of up to three minutes as Shorts, and Reels and TikTok clips are usually vertical 9:16. List each version as a separate deliverable.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.

Proposal template

Video editing proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

The video editing proposal template

This template works for YouTube videos, short-form social clips, corporate and event videos, ads and video podcasts. Keep the parts that apply to the job in front of you.

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, prices and dates are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

VIDEO EDITING PROPOSAL

Project: [e.g. Monthly YouTube editing for [Channel name]]
Prepared for: [Client name], [Company or channel]
Prepared by: [Your name], [Your business name]
Date: [Date]
Valid until: [Date]

1. Overview
[Company or channel] makes [type of video] for [audience]. You have [amount of footage, e.g. about 2 hours per episode from two cameras] and need [the finished videos] that [the outcome, e.g. keep viewers watching past the first minute / look polished enough for investors]. You publish on [YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, your website] and your main concern is [their worry, e.g. reliable turnaround every week].

2. Goals
- A clear structure and pace that suits [audience and platform]
- A consistent look and sound across every video
- Versions ready for each platform you publish on
- Reliable turnaround of [number] days per video

3. Scope of work
- Reviewing the footage and your notes or script
- Assembly and rough cut for content feedback
- Fine cut with b-roll, [lower thirds, titles, motion graphics]
- Colour correction [and grading]
- Audio clean-up, levelling and music mix
- [Captions or subtitles in [languages]]
- [Thumbnails: [number] per video]
- Exports in the formats below
Not included unless agreed in writing: filming, scriptwriting, voiceover, custom animation beyond [scope], music or stock licence fees, uploading and channel management.

4. Deliverables
For each [video / episode]:
- Main edit: [length] minutes, [16:9], [resolution], [file format]
- [Number] short clips: up to [length] seconds, vertical 9:16, with burned-in captions
- [Number] thumbnail(s)
- Caption file [e.g. SRT], if included
Delivered via [download link / shared drive], named and organised by date.

5. Timeline and revisions
- Rough cut: [number] working days after all the footage arrives
- Fine cut: [number] working days after your rough cut feedback
- Final exports: [number] working days after final approval
- [Number] revision rounds per video. A round is one consolidated list of timecoded notes.
Late footage or feedback moves the delivery date by the same amount.

6. Pricing options
Option A, Single video: one edit up to [length] minutes, [number] revision rounds. [price]
Option B, Video plus clips: Option A plus [number] vertical clips and a thumbnail. [price]
Option C, Monthly package: [number] videos and [number] clips a month, priority turnaround. [price] per month
Extra revision rounds: [price]. Extra clips or versions: [price] each. Rush delivery: [price or percentage] extra.

7. What I need from you
- All footage, audio and files via [method], with a note on which takes to use
- Brand assets: logo, fonts, colours, intro or outro files
- A script, outline or notes on the story you want
- Music preferences, and either a licence you hold or approval to license tracks [on your account / at your cost]
- One person to send consolidated, timecoded feedback

8. Terms
Payment: [50]% upfront for single projects, balance before final exports. Monthly packages are paid in advance.
Revisions: [number] rounds per video. Changes to the brief, or new footage after the rough cut, are quoted separately.
Music and stock: licensed by [you / me on your behalf], with the licence covering [your intended use, e.g. YouTube and paid social ads]. I'll keep a list of every licensed asset used.
Ownership: on full payment you own the final videos. Project files and raw footage: [included / available for [price]].
Storage: I'll keep footage and project files for [number] days after delivery, then delete them.
Portfolio: I may show finished videos in my portfolio once they're published, unless you ask me not to.

9. Next steps
1. Choose an option and reply to confirm.
2. I'll send the agreement, the first invoice and an upload link.
3. You send the footage and we agree the first delivery date.

[Your name]
[Email] | [Showreel link]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a video editing proposal

An editor's price depends on things the client often hasn't thought about yet, so the proposal is a good place to ask and agree them.

The source material: how much footage, from how many cameras, how it will be delivered and whether it's organised.
Each finished video: running time, aspect ratio, resolution and file format. Widescreen 16:9 suits standard YouTube videos; vertical 9:16 suits Shorts, Reels and TikTok.
The editing work included: cutting, colour correction, audio clean-up and mixing, captions, titles, motion graphics and thumbnails.
Music and stock footage: who chooses it, who pays for it and whose licence it's under.
Revision rounds, how feedback is given and turnaround times.
Price, payment schedule, and what happens to raw footage and project files afterwards.

How to describe your editing process

Break the edit into stages the client recognises and show where their feedback fits. It signals experience and protects you from endless small tweaks at the end.

Ask for feedback as timecoded notes, for example "01:42, cut this line", in one consolidated list per round. It speeds up revisions and avoids two people giving opposite notes on the same scene.

Assembly: selecting the best takes and laying out the structure.
Rough cut: the story in order, for feedback on content and pacing.
Fine cut: tightened timing, b-roll, graphics and captions.
Finishing: colour, audio mix and final quality checks.
Delivery: exports in every agreed format, plus thumbnails if included.

How to price video editing

Ask how much raw footage there is before you quote anything.
Price each extra aspect ratio or cut-down as its own deliverable.
Charge a rush rate for turnarounds shorter than your standard.

Music, stock footage and copyright claims

Also say what you hand over at the end: final exports only, or project files and organised footage too. Large files take storage, so state how long you'll keep the raw footage after delivery.

Video editing proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up prices and dates.

VIDEO EDITING PROPOSAL: The Workshop Hour podcast
Prepared for: Dan Kowalski, The Workshop Hour
Prepared by: Aisha Bello

Overview
Dan records a weekly woodworking podcast on two cameras, about 75 minutes of raw footage per episode. He wants a 40-minute YouTube edit that cuts the slow parts, plus short vertical clips to bring new viewers to the channel.

Deliverables per episode
- Main edit, about 40 minutes, 16:9, 1080p, with chapter titles and a branded intro
- Four vertical 9:16 clips under 60 seconds, with burned-in captions
- One thumbnail

Timeline and revisions
Rough cut in 3 working days, final in 2 working days after feedback. Two rounds of timecoded notes.

Pricing options
Option A, main edit only: $180 per episode
Option B, main edit plus clips and thumbnail: $260 per episode
Option C, four episodes a month with all deliverables and 48-hour turnaround: $950 per month

Music
Dan licenses tracks through his own music library subscription. I'll keep a list of the tracks used in each episode.

Terms
Monthly package paid in advance. Raw footage kept for 30 days after delivery.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short video editing bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

You've got [footage, e.g. weekly two-camera podcast recordings] and need [the finished output] that [their goal, e.g. keeps viewers past the first minute], delivered reliably every [week].

Here's how I'd handle it:
1. Review the footage and your notes, then send a rough cut so you can check the structure and pacing
2. Tighten the edit with b-roll, captions, colour and a clean audio mix
3. Export the main video plus [number] vertical clips for [platforms]

[Proof: a similar edit you've done, with a link to your showreel or the published video]

Quick question: do you already have licensed music, or should I source tracks for you?

I can turn each video around in [timeline] for [price].

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose video editing clients

Quoting without asking how much raw footage there is. Two hours of footage for a five-minute video is a very different job from twenty minutes.
Leaving vertical versions and cut-downs out of the quote, then making them for free.
Accepting feedback in scattered messages instead of one timecoded list per round.
Using music without a licence that covers the client's use, which can lead to claims, muted audio or blocked videos.
Not saying how long you'll store the footage, or whether project files are included.
Promising a turnaround that starts before all the footage has arrived.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

What should a video editing proposal include?: The source footage, each finished video with its length, aspect ratio and format, the editing work included, revision rounds, music and stock licensing, turnaround times, pricing options and terms for payment, ownership and storage.
How do video editors charge?: Per finished video, per finished minute, by the hour, or with a monthly package for regular content. Per video and package prices are the easiest for clients to agree to, while hourly suits projects where the footage is unknown.
How many revisions should a video edit include?: Pick a fixed number that fits your price, and split them across the rough cut and the fine cut. Ask for each round as one list of timecoded notes and price extra rounds separately.
Who is responsible for music licensing?: Whoever the proposal says. Either the client licenses tracks on their own account, or you license them on their behalf and pass on the cost. Make sure the licence covers how the video will be used, for example paid ads as well as organic posts.
Should I give the client the project files?: It's your call, but decide before you quote. Some editors include project files and organised footage, others charge for them. Say it in the proposal, along with how long you'll keep the raw footage.
Which aspect ratios should a video editing proposal list?: Ask where each video will be published. Standard YouTube videos are widescreen 16:9. At the time of writing, YouTube treats square or vertical videos of up to three minutes as Shorts, and Reels and TikTok clips are usually vertical 9:16. List each version as a separate deliverable.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.