Freelancers often underestimate AI projects because the brief says “one video,” while the delivered project may require dozens of generations, client review cycles, and final-format adjustments. The fix is not charging a mysterious “AI tax.” It is defining what is included, what constitutes a change, and what the next revision costs.
Separate three different kinds of revision
A generation retry fixes an output that does not meet an already agreed acceptance test. A creative revision changes the desired mood, action, scene, or text after the brief was approved. A technical fix resolves delivery issues such as incorrect export format or a broken caption track. These categories should not be blended into one unlimited promise.
For instance, assume a hypothetical project has 10 approved five-second shots. A producer estimates two generations per accepted shot at an illustrative three credits per generated second:
10 × 5 × 2 × 3 = 300 credits.
The 300-credit figure covers the initial generation envelope. The proposal should still say whether voiceover, editing, music clearance, brand compliance, and two output formats are included.
Describe a review round precisely
A review round is one consolidated set of notes delivered by a specified deadline. It is not unlimited messages across the month. Offer an approval document that maps each request to a shot ID and distinguishes in-scope fixes from newly added deliverables.
| Client note | Classification | Budget response |
|---|---|---|
| “The logo must not deform” when that was in the agreed brief | Generation retry | Use agreed retry reserve |
| “Change the whole style to documentary” after rough cut approval | Creative change | Quote a new scope |
| “The final export has the wrong size” | Technical fix | Correct before acceptance |
| “Please add two new scenes” | Scope expansion | Add shot budget and review time |
The legal interpretation of a contract depends on its language and jurisdiction. These classifications are project-management suggestions, not legal advice.
Add a stop-loss and contingency
Set a maximum number of attempts before a creative review. If the provider cannot produce a brand-accurate shot, alternatives may include licensed source footage, editing, or a different visual treatment. Explain the fallback before the client has paid for five additional attempts.
Track actual spending separately from the quoted reserve. If generation attempts use fewer credits than expected, that does not automatically mean every other hour was free; the client purchased a finished deliverable and your labor. Conversely, if the project exceeds the scope because a new requirement was added, the change should be documented and priced.
Example proposal sentence
“This estimate covers ten approved five-second scenes, one consolidated creative review round, technical corrections required to meet the agreed specification, and a defined generation retry allowance. New scenes, changed creative direction after approval, and additional deliverable formats will be quoted separately.”
Make the quote understandable without forcing clients to learn provider credits. Keep the credit math in an internal budget worksheet and translate it into a clear fixed-price or time-and-materials offer. See our calculator for the underlying generation estimate.
Check the source and keep your inputs
Our examples show a decision-making method, not a live price quotation. Before purchasing credits, verify the provider’s billing method and current plan rules in its official credit documentation or the equivalent official page for the tool you use. Keep your calculations reproducible with our shot-by-shot CSV worksheet. See the methods and sources page for limitations and a full cost ledger.