Brand Film Editorial Direction Proposal

Editor-Director Proposal Template: Brand Film Editorial Direction

This Brand Film Editorial Direction Proposal template is a client-ready estimate for editor-directors shaping the story, visual rhythm, and final cut of a branded film. It gives agencies, production companies, and independent director-editors a clear framework for quoting editorial leadership before post-production begins.

Use this editor-director proposal to price creative treatment development, editorial direction, offline editing, client review rounds, finishing supervision, and delivery versions. It separates the creative fee from edit time, assistants, music, graphics, color, sound, and usage-related costs, so the approved scope is easy to understand.

Why use this editor-director proposal template?

• Define the editorial vision. Set out the narrative approach, tone, pacing, interview structure, archive or product integration, and reference films before the first edit begins.
• Protect the edit schedule. Specify edit days, client feedback windows, review rounds, and the delivery date so open-ended amends do not become unpaid work.
• Separate creative direction from post-production costs. Quote your editorial direction fee independently from assistant editor, online, color grade, sound mix, motion graphics, and stock licensing.
• Make deliverables unambiguous. List the master film length, social cutdowns, vertical versions, captions, aspect ratios, and export formats included in the proposal.
• Control scope changes. State the day rate or hourly rate for additional revisions, new deliverables, late footage, or a change in the approved creative direction.

What the template includes

• Client, project, and campaign details: Brand name, agency or production partner, project title, primary contact, project objective, and intended release date.
• Creative brief and editorial approach: Your reading of the brief, target audience, key message, storytelling device, tonal references, and editorial treatment.
• Scope of editorial direction: What you will lead, such as reviewing rushes, building the narrative arc, selecting interviews, creating an assembly, shaping the offline, and directing the finishing handoff.
• Deliverables: The agreed hero film, for example one 60–90 second brand film, plus defined cutdowns such as 30-second, 15-second, and 6-second edits in 16:9, 9:16, or 1:1 formats.
• Fee schedule: Line items for treatment and prep, editorial direction, edit days, assistant edit support, revisions, and project management.
• Third-party and finishing costs: Allowances or estimates for music licensing, voice-over, subtitles, motion design, color correction, online conform, sound design, and final mix.
• Timeline and review process: Kickoff date, footage handover, first assembly, agency and client review stages, picture lock, finishing, and final delivery.
• Assumptions and exclusions: Number of shoot days or footage hours supplied, review rounds included, source-media readiness, travel, rush fees, and items not covered by the fee.
• Payment terms and approval: Deposit or booking fee, invoicing milestones, proposal validity, cancellation terms, and a signature field to approve the scope.

How much to charge for editorial direction

Editor-director fees depend on campaign scale, footage volume, number of stakeholders, and how much creative responsibility you carry. The figures below are North American market guidelines to adjust for your experience, city, union status, and the production’s post budget.

• Editorial treatment and creative prep: $1,200–$3,500 per project for reviewing the brief, references, and footage plan, then presenting an editorial approach or treatment.
• Editor-director day rate: $1,200–$2,500 per edit day for senior editorial leadership on a brand film. Complex narrative, celebrity, automotive, beauty, or high-visibility campaign work may command more.
• Offline edit package: $6,000–$18,000 for a focused brand film edit, typically covering an assembly, a director’s cut, agreed review rounds, and picture lock. Quote by project only when the footage and approval process are well defined.
• Assistant editor: $500–$900 per day for ingest, sync, stringouts, turnovers, versioning, and media management. Do not absorb this cost if the project has extensive footage or multiple deliverables.
• Additional edit or revision time: $150–$300 per hour, or your stated day rate, once included feedback rounds are used. New scripts, new messaging, or a new cut structure should be quoted as additional scope.
• Finishing and delivery versions: Budget separately for color, sound, graphics, captions, localization, and platform exports. A multi-format social package can add $1,500–$6,000 or more depending on the number of masters and adaptations.

Who this proposal is for

• Freelance editor-directors pitching a creative and editorial role on a commercial or branded-content project.
• Directors who edit their own work and need to distinguish directing, editing, and post-production responsibilities.
• Post-production studios presenting an editorial direction package to an agency or brand team.
• Creative agencies sourcing an editor-director for a launch film, manifesto film, case study, documentary-style campaign, or product story.
• Production companies that need a clear editorial scope before booking post, assistants, and finishing vendors.

Frequently asked questions

Should I quote editorial direction separately from the edit?

Yes, when you are responsible for the film’s creative shape as well as cutting footage. A separate editorial direction fee makes the value of treatment development, narrative decisions, client presentations, and finishing oversight visible. It also prevents the client from treating senior creative involvement as unlimited edit time.

How many review rounds should a brand film proposal include?

Two rounds after the first assembly is common for a defined project, followed by one technical check after picture lock. Name who consolidates feedback and require one set of notes per round. Without a consolidated approval process, conflicting agency and brand comments can significantly extend the edit.

Are music, color grade, and sound mix included in my editor-director fee?

Usually, no. You can include supervision and creative direction for those stages, but list vendor costs as separate estimates or client-paid third-party expenses. This is especially important when music licensing, custom composition, or a premium color facility is involved.

What happens if the client sends more footage or changes the brief mid-edit?

Treat material additions and major creative pivots as a scope change. The proposal should state the assumed footage volume and identify your rate for added edit days, assistant support, or a revised treatment. Get written approval before beginning the extra work.