Location: Tennessee

I’m a small car YouTube creator, and I could really use some help understanding what my options are for enforcing a signed contract with a company that’s refusing to pay the full amount owed.

All communication has been over email, so everything is thoroughly documented.

I signed a written contract (Adobe Sign, timestamped) with a California-based company that sells a pressure washer. The agreement clearly stated $500 total compensation for one dedicated YouTube video published on my channel. The product was also provided free for filming.

The contract included:

• Deliverable: 1 dedicated YouTube video
• Minimum video length: 5 minutes (important detail for later in this post)
• Theme: Full car wash demonstration using the pressure washer
• Timeline: I submitted a draft video for review on Nov 5, 2025 → brand had 3 business days to provide feedback → approved video was supposed to go live Nov 10, 2025
• Payment: $500 within 7 business days of receiving my invoice, after the video is published.

What happened

• I sent the unlisted video draft link to the brand’s rep on Nov 5 (confirmed by email timestamp).
• They didn’t review or reply until 2 a.m. on Nov 10, five days later, the same day the video was contractually scheduled to go live.
• Their feedback claimed the video focused “too much on washing the car” instead of only showing the pressure washer, and they reclassified it as a “product placement” instead of a dedicated video, offering just $150 instead of the agreed $500.
• I pushed back, reminding them the entire concept (car wash demonstration using their product) was approved in writing before filming. They later raised their “offer” to $250 as a “compromise.”
• I declined, since the contract explicitly states $500 with no clause allowing unilateral reclassification or partial payment.

Additional context

• The total video length is 22 minutes 38 seconds.
• The brand claimed the product “does not appear or is not used” for 16 minutes 34 seconds, which means, by their own math, the product is shown/used for 6 minutes 4 seconds, already exceeding the 5-minute minimum in the contract.
• I haven’t published the video yet because the brand is holding up payment confirmation, even though I’ve met every requirement and timeline.
• They also breached their own 3-day review window by a few days.
• All communication, timestamps, and the contract are documented in email form and can be verified.
• The contract also says payment must be made within 7 business days after I send my invoice once the video is live, but the brand won’t confirm they’ll pay the agreed $500 unless I accept their “compromise.”

Damages / impact

Because of this dispute, I missed my usual weekly upload, lost potential ad revenue, and spent considerable time shooting, editing, and communicating back and forth. The video has been ready to go live since Nov 5, but I’ve been waiting on the brand’s approval.

My questions

1. Is this considered a breach of contract if the company refuses to pay the full amount after I’ve met all deliverables exactly as outlined?
2. Can they legally reclassify the contract after the fact (calling it an “integration” instead of a “dedicated video”) and reduce payment?
3. Since the brand is in California but I’m in Tennessee, where would small claims jurisdiction apply, my state or theirs? I also googled their address and it appears to be a PO BOX/post office. So not sure what to do. When I google their company HQ says another state on the east coast. But also says their main office is in CA...so idk.
4. Given the contract, email timestamps, and their written “offers” of reduced payment, would this be a clear-cut small claims case?
5. Would it make sense to send a formal demand letter before filing, or go straight to filing a claim?
6. If they continue to delay or refuse, can I claim additional damages for lost time, wages, and delayed uploads?

I’ve kept all correspondence professional and documented. I’m mainly looking for next steps on how to enforce the signed contract efficiently, whether that’s through small claims, mediation, or another process.

Any advice on how to proceed or what legal recourse I have would be really appreciated.

It honestly feels like they’re grasping at straws to avoid paying. For example, in the same email where they sent their “timestamp analysis” claiming the product wasn’t shown enough, they also said some shots were “too shaky.” But the contract specifically required that I demonstrate the hose being fully extended and retracted.

To show that, I filmed myself walking the hose from where it’s mounted all the way to the end of its range, which naturally involves some camera movement because I’m walking and talking. The footage is smooth and steady, not “shaky.” Then I placed the camera on a tripod to show the hose retracting back into place. So I literally fulfilled that exact clause of the contract, and now they’re citing it as a problem. It feels like they’re trying to find any excuse not to pay.

Did they expect me to film the pressure washer sitting in one spot for 20 minutes straight, without showing what it actually does? The entire purpose of the video is to show it cleaning a car, not just to point a camera at the unit while the car magically becomes spotless.

Also, one thing to note, the last email they sent was the evening on Nov 11, offering a “compromise” of $250. I replied the same hour, followed up the next morning, and haven’t heard anything back since. I’m starting to wonder if they’re stalling or possibly preparing to file something because I haven’t published the video yet (I held off only because I’m waiting on their official approval, per the contract).

To be totally honest, I’m not primarily after damages or lost wages. I just want this resolved quickly and fairly, I put in a lot of time filming, editing, and communicating in good faith, and I met every term of the agreement. That said, I also don’t want to shortchange myself when I’ve clearly delivered what was promised.

If I’m missing something or if there’s something I could have handled better, I’m open to learning, this is my first time running into a situation like this. Every other brand collaboration I’ve done has gone smoothly, so I’m just trying to figure out the right legal next steps here.