The Independent Filmmaker/Producer/Investor must make certain that she/he/they have ownership of the Copyright in the script/material that is used in her/his/their Project.
A Certificate of Authorship is a common delivery item given to the Distributor by the Producer. The Certificate of Authorship certifies the identity of the Copyright Owner of the Script. This document is one of the documents that make up the “chain-of-title,” which are the contracts that vest all rights in a motion picture in the producer.
If the Script was written by a Writer on his own behalf, and then “sold” to a Producer, the initial Copyright Owner would be the Writer. In this instance, the Producer would require the Writer to assign or transfer the Project Rights to the Script to the Producer.
This Agreement between the independent Writer and the Producer is drafted in plain English that is easy to read and comprehend. This is a three page, eleven clause legal Agreement. The Agreement may be filled in on your computer or printed out and filled in later.
We regularly receive feedback that we have successfully drafted our filmmaker contracts to be as complete as possible for all legal situations. However, should you experience a unique personal situation requiring the drafting of a special clause, please contact us at your convenience. Otherwise, you may be obliged to find a local entertainment lawyer experienced in the film making industry who will draft any and all other clauses for your Project’s unique situation or circumstance.
This Agreement is part of the Actor’s Deal, the Director’s Deal, the
Producer’s Deal, and the Investor’s Deal.
$99.00
Writer Name: ______________________________________________
(Print Names)
Writer’s Script Name: ________________________________________
Producer(s) Name: _________________________________________
Producer Company: ________________________________________
Project Name: ____________________________________________
Project Genre: _____________________________________________
(film, music video, stage production, game show, etc)
Herein this Agreement the independent Filmmaker is called the “Producer”.
1. The writer guarantees the Script and all literary material of all of the results and proceeds of Writer’s Script in connection therewith, was written solely by the Writer. The above named and below signed Producer (“Owner”) is purchasing the above named Script from the above named and below signed Writer for the above named Project, with the Owner being deemed the Author of the Script.
2. The Writer guarantees that the Script is wholly original and has not been adapted from any other literary, dramatic or any other material of any kind or nature, excepting only incidental material which is in the public domain throughout the world; that the Script does not contain any material which copies or uses the plot, scenes, sequences, story or characters of any other literary, dramatic or other work; that the Script does not infringe upon any statutory or common law rights in any other literary, dramatic or other materials; that no material in the Script is libelous or violative of the rights of privacy of any other person and the full use of the rights in the Script herein granted to the Owner will not violate any rights of any person, firm or corporation, and that the Script is not in the public domain in any country in the world where copyright protection is available.
3. The Writer agrees that the Owner owns, throughout the world, in perpetuity, all right, title and interest in and to the Script and any and all parts thereof, including, but not limited to all motion picture rights, television rights, video rights, publication rights and merchandising and commercial tie- up rights. Such rights include all rights in and to the title by which the Script is now, was or may hereafter be known, the theme thereof and the characters, story, ideas and all other elements therein contained or contained in any version thereof now or hereinafter created, sequel rights in the Script and the rights to secure copyrights in the Script and any motion picture or other use which is based in whole or in part upon the Script in the name and of and for the benefit of . . . (continue)
