Master Services Agreement for Creative Director: What to Include (Customizable Template)

Introduction

As a Creative Director, having a clear Master Services Agreement is essential for navigating multi-phase projects, approvals, and handoffs. A well-drafted agreement ensures everyone is on the same page, allowing you to focus on your creative work without misunderstandings. Customize your Master Services Agreement now to get started!

Legal Terms: What Matters Most for Creative Directors

IP Ownership and Usage Rights

• Establish that IP ownership is granted only upon full payment of fees. This protects you from clients using your work without compensation.
• Include a clause preventing clients from feeding your work product into AI models, ensuring your creativity remains unique and protected.
• Clarify attribution requirements, allowing you to retain rights to source files while providing limited licenses for usage.

Revision Limits, Acceptance, and Payment Milestones

• Set round caps on revisions to manage expectations and avoid endless changes that can derail your project timeline.
• Define acceptance criteria to ensure that what you deliver meets the client's expectations before final payment.
• Outline a simple milestone payment schedule that aligns with key project phases to ensure timely payments.

Scope Creep and Change Orders

• Be clear about what constitutes a change order, including specific triggers for when modifications to the original agreement are necessary.
• Provide pricing guidance for additional work to keep finances transparent and manageable.
• Include language that describes how changes will impact the project schedule to keep all parties informed.

Other Helpful Clauses for Creative Directors

• **Portfolio Rights:** Always retain the right to showcase your work in your portfolio unless otherwise specified.
• **Limitation of Liability:** Protect yourself with a clause that limits your liability in case of disputes; this can save you from potential financial burdens.

How Counsel Club Helps

Counsel Club re-imagines legal for startups, freelancers, and creative entrepreneurs. Our platform allows you to search for lawyer-drafted forms for startups, freelancers, content creators, and other creative entrepreneurs. Our platform guides you through modifications, both to the contract and the scope of work. Counsel Club has the most sophisticated drafting tool on the market, and it was designed and developed by lawyers. If you want more help, reach out to a Counsel Club lawyer through our Concierge program. Our legal agent, Amicus, was trained on proprietary legal data to be your best legal assistant. Finally, legal for today, that is fast, protective, and cost effective.

Questions to Ask Amicus

• What rights do I retain if a client wants to use my work beyond our agreed scope?
• How can I set reasonable limits on revisions to avoid extra work?
• What should I consider when pricing change orders during a project?

Closing CTA

Ready to protect your work and set clear expectations? Create your Master Services Agreement and pair it with Statements of Work (SOWs) to ensure a smooth process. Customize your Master Services Agreement now!