Corporate video contracts and usage rights: what to include

Almost nobody asks about usage rights before filming a corporate video. People talk about dates, budget and how many interviews fit into the day, and the contract gets signed on the assumption that "the video is mine because I paid for it". That idea is only partly true, and the missing part is what causes problems later.

I've spent years closing this kind of agreement with clients in Madrid, and every contract carries the same core clauses even when the video format changes. Here I explain what should be put in writing before the camera is switched on, so neither the client nor I have any doubts about what can be done with the footage once it's delivered.

What it is and why it matters

When I film a corporate video, the client isn't simply buying the raw file: they're buying a license to use a work in which I, as the author, retain the moral rights by default. What gets negotiated in the contract is the scope of that license: which channels, for how long, in which territory and whether it's exclusive or not.

It matters because without that clause in writing, any use beyond what was agreed verbally falls into a gray area. I've seen companies film a video meant for their website and end up using it in a paid campaign without having agreed to it, or hand a clip to a business partner without knowing that also requires explicit permission.

It also matters to me as a filmmaker: without clear usage limits, I can't price the project properly. A video licensed for social media only for one year costs something different from one with unlimited use and full exclusivity. The price depends on the rights being granted, not just the hours of filming.

How to do it well

Define the scope of channels and formats

Before filming, I put in writing where the video will be used: website, organic social media, paid advertising, trade show screens, internal presentations. Any channel added after the original contract is negotiated separately, because it involves a different exploitation right from the one agreed.

Set the license term and territory

A corporate video isn't usually licensed "forever and worldwide" unless that's specifically paid for. The norm is to limit the license to a term, for example three or five years, and to a territory, such as Spain or the European Union. Once that term ends, the license is renewed or the content is taken out of circulation.

Clarify exclusivity and use of behind-the-scenes footage

If the client wants the footage not to be used by any other filmmaker, and doesn't want me to show it in my portfolio either, that's exclusivity and it's charged separately. By default, unless agreed otherwise, I usually reserve the right to show excerpts on my own site and social media as work samples, always crediting the client.

Common mistakes

• Assuming that paying for the shoot includes unlimited rights to the footage without agreeing it in writing.
• Not setting an expiry date for the license, which leaves the video's use ambiguous after several years.
• Forgetting to specify who can use the raw footage in addition to the edited, delivered video.
• Not clarifying whether third parties, such as a media agency or a business partner, can reuse the video.
• Agreeing exclusivity only verbally, without reflecting it in the quote or the contract.
• Not addressing the image rights of the employees filmed, which is a separate permission from the rights to the audiovisual work.

Frequently asked questions

If you're about to commission a corporate video and want usage rights to be clear from the very first quote, get in touch via /en/contacto and we'll put it in writing before filming, with no surprises later.