Free voice-over contract template
with every clause that matters.

Why it matters: A voice-over contract without a clear description of what is being recorded invites disputes about word count, take count, audio format, and file delivery standards. Specifying the script (or that the talent will record from a client-supplied script), the approximate duration, the file format, and the number of takes included in the session fee eliminates the most common post-session disputes.

What Clausio checks: That both parties are identified, the project is described (including script version or reference), expected recording length, and deliverable file specifications.

Legal basis: Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 201–203 — ambiguities construed against the drafter; an undefined scope creates disputes resolved in favor of the non-drafting party. [Confidence: medium — Restatement widely cited persuasive authority]

Why it matters: This is the most commercially significant clause in a voice-over contract. A session fee buys a recording session — not unlimited use of the recording across every medium, territory, and time period. A usage rights clause defines exactly what the client may do with the audio: broadcast TV, online pre-roll advertising, IVR telephony, podcast, e-learning, trade show, internal corporate use, or any combination. Without it, scope of use is undefined and disputed.

What Clausio checks: That permitted media, geographic territory, and usage duration are each specified; that any right to sublicense or transfer usage rights to third parties is addressed; and that usage outside the granted rights triggers additional fees.

Legal basis: 17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq. — copyright in a sound recording encompasses the right to reproduce, distribute, and publicly perform; a limited license grants only the rights expressly stated. Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 201–203 — ambiguous grant of rights construed against the drafter. [Confidence: high for copyright; medium for Restatement]

Why it matters: Exclusivity means the talent agrees not to record for competing clients or products during a specified window. Clients in the consumer goods and financial services advertising industries routinely request category exclusivity — the talent cannot voice a competing product in the same category. Without a written exclusivity clause, neither a broad claim nor a complete absence of exclusivity can be enforced.

What Clausio checks: That exclusivity is either expressly granted (with defined category, territory, and duration) or expressly disclaimed. Flags any open-ended or undefined exclusivity language.

Legal basis: General contract law — exclusivity as an express contractual covenant. California voids non-compete agreements under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16600(a), but industry-standard exclusivity windows tied to a specific campaign or product category have generally been treated as distinct from employment non-competes in commercial contexts. [Confidence: medium — California treatment of short-term commercial exclusivity versus non-competes is not fully settled by case law]

Why it matters: Voice-over compensation typically has two components: a session fee (for the recording) and a usage fee (for the right to use the recording in specified media and markets). Without a clear distinction, clients may assert the session fee covered unlimited usage — a position that leaves the talent significantly underpaid for high-exposure commercial work.

What Clausio checks: That session fees and usage fees are separately specified (or explicitly combined into a buyout), that the payment schedule and invoicing process are defined, and that late-payment consequences are included.

Legal basis: Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 347 — measure of damages for breach (expectation interest); without agreed payment terms a court determines "reasonable value." N.Y.C. Admin. Code § 20-928 — NYC freelancers on engagements over $800 may have rights under the Freelance Isn't Free Act. [Confidence: medium for Restatement; high for NYC statute]

Why it matters: Clients frequently request re-records after the session — because the script changed, the director's notes were not communicated in advance, or the client simply wants a different tone. A revision clause specifies how many re-takes are included in the session fee and what additional sessions or pickups cost, preventing unbounded unpaid revision cycles.

What Clausio checks: That a specific number of included revision passes is stated, that the definition of a "revision" (editorial vs. directorial vs. script change) is addressed, and that the rate for additional pickups is specified.

Legal basis: Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 201–203 — scope ambiguity construed against the drafter. UCC § 2-209 — contract modifications enforceable if made in good faith (persuasive by analogy for service agreements). [Confidence: medium]

Why it matters: A sound recording is a copyrightable work. Without a written assignment, the copyright may be held by the talent, the producer, or both — depending on how the session was structured. A buyout agreement typically includes a full copyright assignment to the client; a licensing arrangement does not. The contract must be explicit about which structure applies.

What Clausio checks: That the ownership of the recorded audio files is specified — either a full assignment to the client or a retained-ownership license model — and that the assignment (if any) is in writing as required by 17 U.S.C. § 204(a).

Legal basis (high confidence): 17 U.S.C. § 204(a) — any transfer of copyright ownership must be in a signed writing; oral agreements are not valid. 17 U.S.C. § 101 — sound recordings are a separately protected category of copyrightable work.

Why it matters: Whether the voice talent is credited publicly depends entirely on the type of engagement. Broadcast commercial talent is typically anonymous; audiobook narrators are prominently credited; documentary voice-over may go either way. A credit clause specifies whether attribution is required, how the talent's name appears, and whether the talent may list the project in their portfolio.

What Clausio checks: That credit terms are addressed — either credit is granted in a specified form, or it is expressly waived — and that the talent's portfolio-use rights are addressed.

Legal basis: Contract law — attribution is a contractual covenant in the US; there is no federal moral right of attribution for most works (17 U.S.C. § 106A applies to visual art only). The talent's right to credit is therefore purely what the contract provides. [Confidence: high]

Why it matters: Voice talent who hold a session date and decline other bookings suffer real economic loss if the client cancels at the last minute. A cancellation fee schedule (for example, 50% of the session fee for cancellations within 48 hours, 100% for cancellations on the day) compensates the talent for opportunity cost. A kill fee addresses projects that are cancelled after recording is complete.

What Clausio checks: That a cancellation fee schedule is specified, that the timing thresholds are defined, and that a kill fee percentage is included for post-session cancellations.

Legal basis: Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 237, 241 — termination conditions and material breach. Contractual cancellation fees are generally enforceable as liquidated damages if they reasonably approximate anticipated harm. [Confidence: medium]

Why it matters: A voice talent whose recording is used in a campaign that later draws a regulatory challenge, consumer complaint, or brand backlash faces potential exposure entirely disproportionate to their session fee. A liability cap — typically equal to the total fees paid — limits the talent's exposure to the value of the engagement.

What Clausio checks: That a liability cap is present and that categories of excluded damages (consequential, indirect, lost profits) are specified.

Legal basis (high confidence): UCC § 2-719 — parties may contractually limit or exclude consequential damages unless unconscionable; limitation of commercial consequential damages is not prima facie unconscionable.

Why it matters: Voice talent and clients are frequently in different states or countries. Without a governing-law clause, a court applies conflict-of-laws rules that may select an unintended jurisdiction. For a mid-value engagement, a mediation-first or arbitration clause avoids state-court litigation costs that would exceed the amount in dispute.

What Clausio checks: That governing law and a dispute resolution mechanism are specified. Flags missing governing-law clauses.

Legal basis: Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 2 (high confidence) — written arbitration clauses are "valid, irrevocable, and enforceable." Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 187 — courts enforce the parties' chosen governing law if the state has a substantial relationship to the transaction. [Confidence: high for FAA; medium for Restatement]