Caution

Unbounded Scope / Scope Creep

The contract extends your obligation beyond the named deliverables via open-ended catch-all language.

Show it
Look in the deliverables, scope of work, services, or statement of work section for catch-all phrases like "such other deliverables as may be reasonably required", "any additional content the Brand may request", "and related services", "including but not limited to", "reasonable assistance", or "as needed". The clause often sits at the end of a named list.
Decode it
Catch-all language extends your contractual obligations beyond the named deliverables. You agreed a fee for the listed items, but the contract covers whatever the brand subsequently asks for within the scope of the catch-all. The effective hourly rate erodes with each additional request. The clause becomes worse when paired with brand-discretion language, no change-order process, and a long engagement period.
Fix it
Push for three protections in priority order: an enumerated deliverables schedule with counts/lengths/ specifications, a change-order mechanism that triggers additional payment for material scope expansion, and tighter qualifying language on the catch-all (tether it to the named deliverables rather than leaving it open-ended). Change-order processes give brands the flexibility they want without leaving the creator exposed.

What it means

This contract names a set of deliverables and then extends your obligations beyond them via open-ended language, "such other deliverables as may be reasonably required", "any additional content the Brand may request", "and related services". You agreed a fee for the named items, but the contractual obligation covers whatever the brand subsequently asks for within the scope of the catch-all.

The fee was calibrated for the named deliverables. Any additional work that falls under the catch-all is effectively unpaid; your effective hourly rate erodes with each new request. Where the catch-all is broad and the engagement is long, the cumulative additional workload can be substantial. The clause becomes worse when paired with brand-discretion language ("at the Brand's request"), no defined change-order mechanism, and a long engagement period.

What to check before you sign

  • ·Are the named deliverables enumerated in a schedule with a defined count, length, or specification?
  • ·Is the catch-all language qualified by an effort qualifier ("reasonably required to complete the named deliverables") or unqualified?
  • ·Does the contract include a change-order or additional-fee mechanism for material scope expansions?
  • ·How is "reasonable" defined, and who determines what is reasonable?
  • ·Does the catch-all survive the engagement period or expire on completion?
  • ·Are there warranty, indemnity, or quality standards that attach to the expanded scope?

How to fix it

  • moderate

    Move the deliverables list into a populated schedule with specific counts, durations, formats, and acceptance criteria. Reduce the catch-all to a clean-up clause for incidental items.

  • moderate

    Add a defined change-order process; material scope additions trigger a written change order with associated additional fee before work commences.

  • easy

    Rewrite the catch-all to be tethered to the named deliverables ("reasonably required to complete the deliverables set out in Schedule A") rather than as an independent obligation.

  • moderate

    Where the catch-all is preserved, define an hourly rate or per-deliverable rate that applies to work beyond the named scope.

  • easy

    Limit the open-ended obligation to the engagement period only, with no surviving obligation to produce additional content after completion.

Negotiating it

A good opening

"I'd like to firm up the deliverables scope before signing. Could we enumerate the named items in a schedule, add a change-order process for material additions, and tighten the catch-all to incidental work needed to complete the named deliverables? "

When to walk away

Broad catch-all language paired with brand-discretion additions, no change-order mechanism, no enumerated deliverables schedule, and a long engagement period is a strong walk-away signal where the named fee is bounded. The structure creates open-ended workload obligation against a fixed fee.

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Educational guidance, not legal advice. For high-value or complex deals, consult a qualified solicitor.