# Spokesperson Contract + Rights Checklist A practical checklist of clauses that show up in well-written B2B spokesperson contracts. Use this as a starter. Have your own lawyer review for your jurisdiction before you sign anything. The clauses below cover the load-bearing items we have seen across thousands of B2B engagements. Paired with: [The B2B Video Spokesperson Hiring Playbook](https://videorep.co/resources/spokesperson-hiring-playbook). --- ## A. Scope and deliverables - [ ] **Project description.** Plain language summary of what is being made. - [ ] **Number of videos.** Exact count. - [ ] **Length per video.** In seconds or a range (e.g. 30 to 45 seconds). - [ ] **Aspect ratios delivered.** 9:16, 1:1, 16:9, etc. - [ ] **File formats and resolution.** ProRes, H.264, 4K, 1080p. - [ ] **Number of clean takes per script.** Typical: 3. - [ ] **Delivery channel.** Frame.io, Drive, Dropbox. - [ ] **Final-delivery date.** A specific calendar date, not "ASAP". - [ ] **What counts as a revision round.** Words versus full re-record. - [ ] **Maximum number of revision rounds.** Typical: 2. --- ## B. Usage rights (the most-skipped section) - [ ] **Usage period.** Perpetual, 12 months, 6 months, or campaign-bound. - [ ] **Geographic scope.** Worldwide, country-specific, or region-specific. - [ ] **Platforms.** Paid social, organic, web, email, sales enablement. - [ ] **Channels.** Meta, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, owned channels. - [ ] **Exclusivity in your industry.** None, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months. - [ ] **Edit rights after delivery.** Client can recut without further fee, yes or no. - [ ] **Still-image rights.** Screenshots from video allowed in ads, yes or no. - [ ] **Renewal terms.** Auto-renew, manual renew, what triggers a new fee. - [ ] **Termination rights.** When either side can exit and what gets returned. --- ## C. AI / synthetic media (new in 2026, do not skip) - [ ] **AI cloning prohibited.** No AI voice clone or face clone of the presenter. - [ ] **AI-generated derivative work prohibited.** No HeyGen / Synthesia / similar. - [ ] **AI editing tools allowed.** Cutting, captioning, color, sound cleanup are fine. - [ ] **Deepfake protection.** Likeness cannot be used in any synthetic context. - [ ] **Training data exclusion.** The footage cannot be used to train any AI model. This single section is the biggest legal gap in 2026 B2B spokesperson contracts. Most contracts written before 2024 do not address it at all. If a presenter is unwilling to include these protections in your favor, that's a green flag. If they refuse to include them in their own favor, that's a red flag. --- ## D. Payment - [ ] **Total fee.** Stated in a specific currency. - [ ] **Deposit.** Typical: 50 percent on contract signing. - [ ] **Balance.** Typical: 50 percent on final delivery. - [ ] **Late payment terms.** Interest rate, grace period. - [ ] **Currency.** USD, AUD, EUR, etc. Specify. - [ ] **Tax handling.** Withholding, GST/VAT, who pays. - [ ] **Refund policy.** What happens if the client cancels mid-shoot. - [ ] **Kill fee.** What the presenter receives if the project is cancelled after recording starts. --- ## E. Approvals and direction - [ ] **Who gives notes.** A single named person from the client side. - [ ] **Response time on notes.** Typical: 48 hours. - [ ] **What "approval" looks like.** Email confirmation, signed-off Frame.io comment, etc. - [ ] **Scope-creep clause.** If new scripts are added mid-project, new fee applies. - [ ] **Director's note attachment.** Reference a director's note doc by name. --- ## F. Talent obligations - [ ] **Performance standard.** Spoken voice, professional delivery, on-brief. - [ ] **Equipment minimums.** Lav mic, 1080p minimum, good lighting. - [ ] **Wardrobe.** Specified in the casting brief, attached as exhibit. - [ ] **Confidentiality.** NDA scope, if scripts contain unreleased product info. - [ ] **Original scripts only.** Talent does not write client's scripts unless agreed. - [ ] **No likeness in competitor work.** Industry-exclusivity clause covers this. --- ## G. Client obligations - [ ] **Script delivery deadline.** Client provides script X days before shoot. - [ ] **Notes delivered through one channel.** Frame.io, Loom, a single doc. - [ ] **Single point of contact.** One named person, not a committee. - [ ] **Payment punctuality.** As above. - [ ] **Asset delivery.** Client provides brand assets, logos, etc., on time. --- ## H. Raw footage and project files Two industry-standard positions. Pick one and write it into the contract. - [ ] **Position A. Final video only.** Raw footage and project files stay with the producer or talent. This is the recommended default. It prevents resale, re-edit by a third party, and AI / deepfake risk. - [ ] **Position B. Raw included.** If you absolutely need raw, it costs more and the rights and AI-clone clauses still apply. We recommend Position A. Across thousands of B2B engagements, the times raw footage has saved a client outnumber zero, but the times raw footage has been misused (recut without context, fed to AI, ended up in a competitor's deck) are real and rising. --- ## I. Likeness and credit - [ ] **Likeness consent.** Talent grants likeness use within the scoped channels and period. - [ ] **Reverse-clause.** Talent may not use the client's brand or product name in personal portfolio without permission. - [ ] **Credit on owned channels.** Required, optional, or not required. - [ ] **Talent reel rights.** Talent can use the footage in their own reel after delivery, yes or no. --- ## J. Liability and indemnity Standard boilerplate. Have a lawyer write the language for your jurisdiction. The shape of the clauses: - [ ] Talent represents the work is original. - [ ] Talent indemnifies the client against claims arising from talent's prior work or likeness misuse. - [ ] Client indemnifies the talent against claims arising from the script content provided by client. - [ ] Mutual non-disparagement. - [ ] Governing law and venue. - [ ] Arbitration vs litigation. --- ## K. Termination - [ ] **For cause.** What constitutes a breach (missed delivery, unprofessional conduct, etc.). - [ ] **For convenience.** Either party may exit with notice. Specify the notice period. - [ ] **Cure period.** Days to fix a breach before termination. - [ ] **Survival clauses.** Which clauses survive termination (confidentiality, IP, AI protections). --- ## L. Signature - [ ] **Date signed.** - [ ] **Printed name.** - [ ] **Signature.** - [ ] **Title (if applicable).** - [ ] **Witness or notary (jurisdiction-dependent).** --- ## Final check - [ ] You have read every clause out loud - [ ] You have priced in the unspoken costs (revisions, kill fee, etc.) - [ ] You have addressed AI / synthetic media protections explicitly - [ ] Your lawyer has reviewed the document for your jurisdiction - [ ] You have the casting brief attached as an exhibit - [ ] You have the director's note attached as an exhibit - [ ] You have the rate card / scope of work attached as an exhibit --- **A note on jurisdiction.** This checklist is built on patterns we have seen across B2B spokesperson engagements globally. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for a lawyer in your jurisdiction. The AI / synthetic-media clauses in section C are the newest and most-needed addition to standard contracts in 2026. Make sure your lawyer is current on the issues there. **A note on raw footage.** We do not offer raw footage on VideoRep engagements. The recommended default in section H reflects what we do for our own clients and why. Beyond AI / deepfake risk, raw footage in third-party hands consistently shows up in poorly-recut versions years later. The final video is the value. The raw is the risk. Eric Presnall. VideoRep. [videorep.co](https://videorep.co)