Terms of Service

These terms govern any work you commission from Animate My Storybook ("AMS"). They are written in plain English. For high-value engagements ($1,500+) we also issue a separate Production Agreement that takes precedence over anything here.

1. Scope of services

AMS provides cinematic animation services for children's-book authors and publishers. Our current offerings include:

• $497 Storybook Trailer — a 30-second self-serve animated trailer, paid online, with a 5-day delivery target after intake. See the Refund & Delivery Policy for exact timing rules.
• The Spark, The Story, The Universe, The Legacy — custom commissioned packages starting at $4,997. These engagements are governed by a separate written Production Agreement signed by both parties before work begins.

2. Self-serve vs custom projects

3. Payment

• The $497 trailer is paid in full up front via PayPal at /trailer. Work starts when payment AND completed intake are received.
• Custom packages typically run on a 50% deposit / 50% on delivery schedule, documented in the Production Agreement.
• All prices are in USD unless we specify otherwise in writing.
• Refunds and delivery guarantees are governed by the Refund & Delivery Policy.

4. Your responsibilities as the client

• You confirm that you own — or have written permission to use — the book, story, characters, illustrations, photographs, audio, and any other material you give us.
• You provide your intake material (manuscript, cover, key scenes, brand notes) on the timeline we agree.
• You respond to drafts and revision rounds within a reasonable window. Excessive silence may pause the project.
• You let us know promptly if you change a key element (book title, character name, launch date) so we can adjust scope.

5. Our responsibilities

• We treat your manuscript and project material as confidential (see Privacy Policy §4).
• We deliver to the scope and timeline agreed in writing.
• We communicate clearly when something changes.
• We honor the refund commitments in the Refund & Delivery Policy.

6. Projects we will not take

We reserve the right to decline or stop work on projects involving content that is illegal in Jamaica or the client's jurisdiction; material that exploits or sexualises minors; hate speech or incitement; content the client does not have rights to use; or material that misrepresents real people without consent. If we decline before substantial work has been done, any deposit is fully refunded.

7. Revisions and change orders

Each package documents its included revisions. Once those are used, additional revisions or scope changes are quoted as a change order and require written approval before we proceed. Re-opening a stage that has already been approved (or Deemed Approved — see §7a) requires a re-open fee in addition to the cost of the additional revision round.

7a. Stage approvals & the Deemed Approval rule

Every project moves through approval stages — typically Concept, Style Frames, Rough Cut, Final Cut, Delivery. When we send you a deliverable at any stage, you have two (2) business days (Monday-Friday, Jamaica time, excluding Jamaican public holidays) to do one of three things:

1. Approve in writing (reply "Approved" by email or submit the Stage Sign-Off Form).
2. Send a single consolidated message with all your revision notes for that stage.
3. Request a written extension (we'll grant up to 5 additional business days if asked before the original 2-day window closes).

Watermarked drafts of all deliverables are sent at every stage. The clean, unwatermarked final master is released only after Final Sign-Off (or Deemed Approval on the Final Cut stage) AND any outstanding balance has cleared. See the Refund & Delivery Policy for full delivery mechanics.

7b. Client-caused delays

If you go silent during an active stage without requesting an extension:

• 2 business days of silence → Deemed Approval applies, work locks, project moves forward.
• 7 calendar days of silence on an active stage → the project is paused. We may release your production slot to another project.
• Resuming a paused project requires a $150 re-start fee and our next available slot (typically 7-14 business days out).

If a delay is on our side, we cover it under the Refund & Delivery Policy.

8. Intellectual property & AI

How we handle your story rights and how AI tools are used in production is covered in the IP & AI Use Policy. The short version: your book stays yours, and final commissioned deliverables transfer to you on full payment.

9. Limits of liability

AMS's liability for any single engagement is capped at the total fees paid to AMS for that engagement. AMS is not liable for indirect or consequential losses (lost royalties, lost launch momentum, etc.) arising from delays in delivery, revisions, or third-party platform issues (YouTube, Amazon, social media, etc.).

10. Governing law & disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of Jamaica. Before any formal dispute, both sides agree to first attempt a good-faith resolution by email within 30 days. If that fails, disputes go to mediation in Kingston, Jamaica or — by mutual written agreement — to a comparable virtual mediation venue.

11. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The most current version is always live at this URL with a "Last updated" date. For active engagements, the terms in effect when you commissioned the work apply until that engagement is complete.

12. Contact

Questions about anything on this page? Email hello@animatemystorybook.com.