Protecting Yourself

Forming a Production Company

Protecting Yourself You will want to create a legal entities to regulate your film productions in the form of one or more production companies. This helps to protect the rights and livelihood of each partner in the film’s control structure. Commonly filmmakers would like to have an ongoing company that encompasses multiple projects, while having […]

Forming a Production Company Read More »

Ask Permission not Forgiveness

Protecting Yourself When it comes time for post-production, you will need to be able to send a huge list of deliverables to your distributor. The deliverables associated with intellectual property rights will be just one part of that list. (A couple of good articles by filmmakers documenting their trials with deliverables and tips for getting

Ask Permission not Forgiveness Read More »

Copyrighting Your Work

Protecting Yourself Since 1978, copyright is automatically granted to any original creative work that is fixed in a tangible form of expression. So, if you create a screenplay or a film in any format (assuming that you created most if not all of the artistic elements), you have copyright. So why go to the trouble

Copyrighting Your Work Read More »

Security and Prevention

Protecting Yourself Making an independent film is exciting. You’re creating something wonderful to share with the world, and working with other brilliant people to make your dream a reality. But it’s also full of potential legal headaches. (And possibly also personal relationship headaches.) Here are some tips for security and problem prevention for your film.

Security and Prevention Read More »

Issues and Pitfalls

Music is Complex Music licensing has many variations and nuances, and so I’ve given it its own section. You can find ways of getting real music into your small budget production. But of course you need to make sure that you’re licensing it correctly and / or that you have contracts and agreements in place

Issues and Pitfalls Read More »