Paying creators properly is a product problem
Clear terms, milestones and approval-linked release are design decisions, not accounting details.
Late and ambiguous payment is the most common complaint in creative collaboration, and it is almost always caused by unclear scope rather than bad intent.
Tie money to moments
When fees are attached to named deliverables and approval checkpoints, both sides know what triggers payment. Disputes shrink because expectations were written down before the work started.