Creators

Your team and your secrets: what to put in writing first

Updated: 2026-08-17 Holdwise editorial team

The first person you hire sees more of your business in a week than most colleagues see in a year: raw footage, unreleased plans, sponsor rates, sometimes the passwords themselves. That access is exactly why the paperwork belongs at the start, before any disagreement happens. Four clauses cover almost everything, and they fill two pages. At Holdwise, we keep this answer up to date and change it when the rules change.

Clause 1: confidentiality

A confidentiality agreement (NDA) applies to everything the person learns. This includes figures, plans, sponsor terms, unreleased material and details of your private life. Let it continue after the collaboration ends, because that is when you need it most. You can use a separate document or a clause in the contract.

Clause 2: ownership of the work

Under Dutch law, the maker owns the copyright by default. If an employee makes the work as part of their job, the rights belong to the employer. A freelancer keeps the rights until they are transferred in writing. Editors, designers and thumbnail artists are usually freelancers. You need a transfer clause to own your own catalogue.

Include the source material in the transfer, such as project files, raw footage and layered artwork. If you own the finished video and someone else has the raw footage, you depend on that person for every new edit. See your content library for why your catalogue is worth protecting.

Clause 3: access and when it ends

Give access through a password manager with shared vaults, and send login details only that way.
Grant each person the minimum they need for their task.
Agree in writing that access ends on the final working day, and put the removal date in your calendar.
Keep ownership of every account with the company, including the ones a freelancer created.

Clause 4: employee or freelancer

The type of contract must match how you work together in practice. There are three signs of employment. You decide the hours and the way of working. The work is part of your normal business. The person must carry out the tasks personally. If these apply, the Tax Administration treats the arrangement as employment, whatever the invoice says. The Tax Administration has enforced this test more strictly since 2025, and any extra tax is charged to the company. See hiring your first editor for more detail.

Your team and your safety

Anyone who sees your calendar knows when your home is empty. If this worries you, also read if you have a stalker.

Free advice

Want our team to have a look?

We help creators with their income, their company and their tax. Tell us where you stand or what you are planning. You get free advice on your next step.

Part of Doing Business in the Netherlands, the complete 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an NDA for one editor? +

Yes, and it matches in a clause within the contract. Make the confidentiality last beyond the end of the collaboration, since that is when it makes sense.

Who owns the work my freelancer makes? +

The freelancer does, until the rights are transferred in writing. Include the source material in the transfer, such as project files, raw footage and layered artwork.

How do I hand over access safely? +

Use a password manager with shared vaults and give each person only the access they need. Agree in writing that access is removed on the final working day.