Sleepy Robot Club

Client Onboarding & Project Guidelines

Please read this before we kick off — it explains how we work together, what we need from you and when, and what happens if deadlines slip.

1. Welcome

Thanks for choosing to work with us. This document sets out how projects run from kickoff to delivery, including timelines, revision policy, communication expectations, and payment terms. It exists so that every project — yours included — moves smoothly and finishes on time. We ask every client to read and sign off on it before work begins.

2. How a Project Runs

• Discovery & scope — we agree the brief, deliverables, timeline, and price in writing.
• Content collection — you provide all raw materials (script, footage, copy, brand assets, references).
• Production — we edit / design / build based on the approved content.
• Review & revisions — you review drafts within the included revision rounds.
• Final delivery — approved files are exported and delivered in the agreed formats.

3. Content & Asset Deadlines ("Content Lock")

This is the single biggest factor in whether a project finishes on time, so it gets its own section. Late or incomplete content is the #1 cause of missed deadlines industry-wide — this policy exists to protect your delivery date, not to penalise you.

All content (scripts, copy, footage, voiceover, images, brand assets, references, and any written direction) is due by the Content Lock Date stated in your project schedule — not the final deadline.

The Content Lock Date is typically set 3–5 business days before production begins, to leave real working time for editing/design.

"Content" means final, usable material — not placeholder text, unfinished drafts, or files that still need your own review. If what's submitted isn't usable, it's treated as not submitted.

4. What Happens If Content Is Late

If content arrives after the Content Lock Date, one of the following applies (agreed at kickoff and confirmed in your contract):

Option	What it means
Reschedule	The final delivery date moves back by the same number of days the content was late, subject to our availability.
Rush fee	If you need to keep the original deadline, a rush fee (commonly 25–50% surcharge) applies to cover expedited turnaround.
Scope reduction	For fixed deadlines that can't move, the deliverable may be simplified (fewer revisions, simpler edit) to stay on schedule.

This isn't unusual — it's standard practice across agencies, production houses, and freelance creatives. Naming it up front (rather than absorbing it silently) is what keeps a business sustainable and keeps other clients' timelines from being pushed by one late client.

5. Revisions & Approvals

Each project includes a set number of revision rounds (specify in your quote — commonly 2).

A revision round means consolidated, written feedback delivered in a single message — not incremental notes trickling in over several days.

Feedback must relate to the brief that was agreed at kickoff. New ideas, new footage, or a changed direction at revision stage counts as a scope change (see Section 6), not a revision.

Additional revision rounds beyond what's included are billed at your standard hourly/day rate.

If we don't hear back on a draft within 5 business days, the project is considered paused; resuming it may affect the delivery date.

6. Scope Changes

Projects are quoted against an agreed brief. If the direction, length, platform, or deliverables change after kickoff, that's a scope change, not a free revision. We'll confirm any additional cost and timeline impact in writing before proceeding — nothing gets added to your bill without your sign-off first.

7. Communication

• Primary channel: email.
• Standard response time: within 1 business day.
• Please consolidate feedback from your team into one message rather than sending it from multiple people separately — conflicting notes slow things down.
• Urgent, deadline-affecting issues should be flagged by phone/text, not just email.

8. Payment Terms

• A deposit of 50% is due before work begins; the project is scheduled once the deposit clears.
• Final balance is due on delivery of final files, before high-res/unwatermarked exports are released, unless otherwise agreed.
• Invoices are payable within 14 days. Late payment may incur a 5% monthly late fee and pause active work.

9. Cancellation & Kill Fees

• Cancellations before content lock: deposit is non-refundable but no further fees apply.
• Cancellations after production has started: a kill fee covering work completed to date applies (typically 50–100% depending on stage).
• Projects paused by the client for more than 30 days may be closed out and require a new deposit to resume.

10. Your Checklist Before We Start

• Final script/copy, approved by anyone on your side who needs to sign off — not a working draft.
• All raw footage, images, or source files, organised and accessible (shared drive link, not scattered attachments).
• Brand assets: logo files, brand colours/fonts, any brand guidelines.
• A single point of contact authorised to give feedback and final approval.
• Reference examples of the style/tone you want, if you have them.

11. Acknowledgement

By signing below, you agree to the content deadlines, revision policy, and payment terms outlined in this document.