FREELANCE ANIMATION CONTRACT

Freelance Animation Contract

A freelance animation contract from Northwind Studio covering concept, production, and final delivery of the animated piece.

PREPARED FOR

Acme Co

PREPARED BY

Northwind Studio

DATE

August 18, 2026

Northwind Studio

FREELANCE ANIMATION CONTRACT

Overview

This contract sets out the animation work Northwind Studio will produce for Acme Co. It covers concept and storyboards, animation production, and final delivery with sound, along with revision rounds and usage rights.

STYLE

2D motion

Frame-based motion graphics with hand-drawn accents.

DURATION

60 seconds

Delivered length of the final piece.

DELIVERY FORMAT

Multi-cut

16:9, 1:1, and 9:16 masters plus captioned versions.

Objectives

Deliver a polished animated piece on the agreed timeline.
Keep the story on-brand across concept, production, and edit.
Provide the aspect ratios the Client actually needs.
Cover usage rights and revision rounds in writing.

Northwind Studio

FREELANCE ANIMATION CONTRACT

Scope of Work

The project runs across three phases. Each closes with a written deliverable and an approval checkpoint before the next begins.

PHASE 1 · CONCEPT + STORYBOARDS

Concept and storyboards

Kickoff, script polish, style frames, and animatic. The Client approves the script and storyboards in writing before production begins.

PHASE 2 · ANIMATION PRODUCTION

Animation production

Design of key frames, animation of scenes, and two rounds of feedback on the working cut. Additional rounds are billed at the hourly rate below.

PHASE 3 · FINAL DELIVERY

Final delivery and sound

Sound design and mix, color grade, captioned versions, and delivery of masters in the agreed aspect ratios and codecs.

What is included

Kickoff, script, and animatic
Style frames and character design as required
Two rounds of revisions on the working cut
Sound design, mix, and captioned versions
Final delivery in 16:9, 1:1, and 9:16 masters

Not included: voice-over talent, music licensing, live-action footage, extensive character design outside the agreed cast, and translated versions beyond the agreed languages. Additional scope can be added in writing at any time.

Northwind Studio

FREELANCE ANIMATION CONTRACT

Fees and Payment

The project is billed in three fixed installments tied to the phases above. Additional revision rounds and out-of-scope work are billed at $150 per hour.

Item	Rate	Qty	Amount
Concept and storyboards	$3,500	1	$3,500
Animation production	$9,500	1	$9,500
Final delivery and sound	$3,000	1	$3,000
Total			$16,000

Payment Schedule

Milestone	Share	Amount
On signature (deposit)	25%	$4,000
On animatic approval	50%	$8,000
On final delivery	25%	$4,000

Invoices are due within 15 days. Production is not scheduled until the deposit is received. Usage rights transfer to the Client on receipt of final payment.

Northwind Studio

FREELANCE ANIMATION CONTRACT

Acceptance

To start the animation, complete the fields below and sign. Kickoff is scheduled within one week of the deposit being received.

PROJECT START DATE

e.g. October 6, 2026

PRIMARY PROJECT CONTACT

Name and email

I confirm I am authorized to approve this project and its budget.

CLIENT

Sign here

Acme Co

PROVIDER

Sign here

Northwind Studio

About this template

The Freelance Animation Contract template is a five-page agreement for locking in an animation project with a client. It includes an overview with stat cards for style, duration, and delivery format, a three-phase scope of work, a fee table with a computed total, and an acceptance page with inputs and signatures.

Use it to make the deliverable length, revision rounds, and usage rights explicit. Merge fields handle the client details and date, and the last page collects a start date, project contact, and both signatures.

Details

Format: Doc · 5 pages

Recipients: Client + Provider

Signature: Client + Provider

Merge fields: Sender, Receiver, Date

Freelance Animation Contract Template

Freelance Animation Contract Template