These are the everyday booking rules at Elite Media Studio. They're written to be clear, fair, and balanced — the full legal version sits inside the Client Agreement you sign for each project.
50% to confirm
your date.
A non-refundable Booking Fee of 50% of the total quoted fee is required to confirm the booking and secure your Shoot Date. Dates are not held without a confirmed Booking Fee.
The Booking Fee is non-refundable because it compensates the Studio for the date being held and for preparatory work including pre-production planning, communication, equipment preparation, and the loss of other bookings. This is a genuine pre-estimate of our loss if a booking is later cancelled, consistent with the Australian Consumer Law's requirements for a valid non-refundable deposit.
For projects of $5,000 or above, a milestone structure may apply: 40% Booking Fee on acceptance, 30% seven days pre-shoot, 30% on delivery. We'll confirm this in your proposal.
Balance due
7 days before shoot.
The balance of the total fee is due seven (7) days prior to the Shoot Date. We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule the booking if the balance has not been received and cleared at least forty-eight (48) hours before the scheduled Shoot Date. Cancellation terms apply in that event.
Commercial clients with formal procurement requirements can request Net 14 or Net 30 terms on the balance in exchange for a higher Booking Fee (60–70%). This is a negotiated exception rather than a standard offering — ask us and we'll work something out.
Cancellation
policy.
If you need to cancel a booking after the Client Agreement has been signed:
- More than 14 days before the Shoot Date: the Booking Fee is forfeited. No further amount is payable.
- 7 to 14 days before the Shoot Date: the Booking Fee is forfeited, plus 25% of the remaining balance.
- Less than 7 days before the Shoot Date: the Booking Fee is forfeited, plus 50% of the remaining balance.
If the Studio cancels a booking (other than for a Force Majeure Event or a breach by you), we refund the full Booking Fee within 5 business days and work with you to reschedule or cancel the Agreement entirely.
These cancellation fees represent a genuine pre-estimate of our loss — lost bookings, sunk preparation costs, and equipment reservations — and are structured to comply with the Australian Consumer Law's unfair contract term provisions (Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Schedule 2, ss.23–25).
Rescheduling
policy.
Things change. Here's how rescheduling works:
- More than 14 days' notice: one reschedule at no extra charge, subject to Studio availability.
- Less than 14 days' notice: a $150 rescheduling fee applies to cover lost time and rebooking administration.
Rescheduling requests must be made in writing (email is fine). Availability depends on the Studio's calendar — we do our best to find a date that works for everyone.
Acts of nature
& events outside our control.
If a Force Majeure Event (severe weather, natural disaster, pandemic, government directive, venue closure, or other event outside the reasonable control of either party) prevents the shoot from proceeding on the agreed date, neither party is in breach of the Agreement.
We will work with you to reschedule at no rescheduling fee. If rescheduling is not possible within a reasonable time, we will refund the Booking Fee less any costs already incurred.
Late payment
fees.
Payments not received by the due date may attract a late payment fee of 1.5% per month on the outstanding amount, calculated daily. We reserve the right to suspend or withhold delivery of final files until outstanding amounts are paid.
Travel zones
& expenses.
We're based in Canterbury-Bankstown, Sydney. Travel within 30km of Roselands Shopping Centre is included in most packages. Beyond that:
- Zone 1 (within 30km of Roselands Shopping Centre): included in the base package fee.
- Zone 2 (outer Sydney, 30–75km): a flat travel fee applies — quoted in your proposal.
- Zone 3 and beyond (regional NSW, interstate, international): custom quote including flights, accommodation, per diems, and a daily rate for travel days.
Any out-of-pocket expenses incurred on your behalf (location permits, third-party supplier costs, specialist equipment hire) are invoiced at cost in addition to the agreed fee. We'll always seek your approval before incurring significant third-party expenses.
Questions or
special circumstances?
If your situation doesn't fit the standard pattern — multi-day shoots, ongoing retainers, unusual cancellation scenarios, interstate travel, procurement-driven payment terms — reach out. We prefer to talk it through upfront rather than discover issues mid-project.
Email hello@elitemedia.studio. We reply by the next business day.