A rights purchase agreement is used when a producer wants to buy a script or story directly from an author or other owner. In general, these agreements are known as “assignment of rights” and often involve the long-term sale of “unique and exclusive film, television, photographs, merchandising and commercial rights, as well as all related and complementary rights throughout the universe.” Simply put, a rights purchase agreement provides for the purchase of all the rights related to a film, not just the rights to purchase the script. This standard crew agreement (NO DEFERRED FEES) should be used when a producer who is not a member of Screen Producers Australia (SPA) hires crew members to produce a low-budget film or video. If the producer is a member of SPA, he is required to enter into contracts with the crew and the occupation, which have been negotiated between the Australian union and the professional organisation of actors, journalists and employees of the entertainment industry Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and SPA. For more information on the payment of occupancy and crew, visit the MEAA website or the SPA website to view summaries of branch agreements that set minimum prices and conditions and to access the standard contract for film and television crews and related collective agreements for crew members – the MPPCA. You should always try to pay people`s daily prices, but in independent film sometimes you have to negotiate for the project and your vision. If you believe in this project, the crew members are usually willing to work with you for budgetary needs. I propose to make sure that the crew understands their credit on the screen and that it can change at the discretion of the production. An important clause, often contained in all contracts with any type of actor, SAG or non-SAG, is a clause that states that the actor`s services are unique and that the producer has the right to seek remedies in the form of requests for omission if the actor violates the contract.
These clauses essentially prevent the actor from participating in another film project during the period defined in his initial employment contract. In general, New York courts allow these types of agreements as long as they are reasonable in time and to the extent you can. While you don`t want to call anyone in the middle of the night or on days off, emergency situations occur where there are different crew members. Word of mouth and reputation help with collective bargaining. If a crew member joins a crew they are already familiar with, they may be more inclined to adjust their rate because they know the shoot is legitimate, and they have worked with some people before. If you plan to sell this film to a cast, you can include in your crews` agreements conditions that guarantee them a percentage of the film`s profits. People like to work with people they have worked with before. And they often work closely with the same people.
Your sound recorder may know a great sound creator for post-production. Your AP may know assistant directors, screenwriters, or even line producers. The “Below the Line” crew refers to crew members who deal with practical aspects of cinema, such as lighting and sound technicians and screenwriters. Crew members below the line are usually paid every hour, unlike the flat fee charged by crew members above the line. Therefore, agreements with the crew below the line are often less complex than those of their homonces above the line.. . .
