Asking for a custom

What a custom is

A custom is a clip or set a creator makes to your description. On VestaVids you send the request, the creator quotes a price and a delivery time, and if you agree and pay, they make and deliver it. It is the most personal thing a creator sells and it costs more than a catalogue clip, because it is made for one person and may never be sold again.

Some creators require credits per message to open a conversation. The profile says so. Treat that as the cost of a serious enquiry rather than a barrier.

Read the creator's profile. Most who take customs list what they do and do not offer, their minimum price, and their usual turnaround. If what you want is outside their stated limits, do not ask; asking anyway is tiresome and marks you as someone to avoid.

Watch a few of their clips first. You will write a better brief if you know their style, and you will be asking for something they are good at.

Writing the brief

A good brief is specific, short and respectful. Include:

• The premise in a few sentences.
• The length you have in mind.
• Any specifics that matter to you: outfit, setting, mood, point of view, whether you want to be addressed by a name and which one.
• Anything you definitely do not want.
• When you would like it by, if there is a date.

Leave room for the creator's judgement. Over-scripting every second usually produces a stiff clip; a clear premise with a few essentials lets them do what they do well.

Quotes and paying

The creator will quote a price. It will often be higher than their store clips. Length, props, outfits, learning a script, a fast turnaround and exclusivity (the clip never being sold to anyone else) all add to it. If the quote is beyond your budget, say so politely and either adjust the scope or thank them and step back. Do not haggle as though the price were arbitrary.

Pay when and how the creator asks, with credits or through their listed payment links, after the scope is agreed and before they film. Many ask for full payment up front for smaller customs and a deposit for larger ones.

Delivery and after

Expect delivery around the date agreed. If it is late, a courteous check-in is fine; a demand is not. When it arrives, watch it and, if it matches the brief, say thank you and consider a review. If something is clearly missing from what was agreed, say so specifically and calmly; most creators will make a small fix. Changes of mind after delivery are a new order.

The clip is for your personal viewing. Do not share it, and never post it. Beyond the legal problem, it is the quickest way to end a relationship with a creator who made something for you.