Fee agreement between freelancer / company

[steveOooo]

Im producing a 10min or so documentary on a nightclub / dance music brand (decided after their budget had been set).

They want to do some sort of profit share, the video will be sold on their online store (where they sell digital downloads etc)..

I need to get something in writing before i release any video - probably a straight 50/50 share. Are there any good sources for 'sub contractor / sole trader fee share' contracts templates ? apart from 'business in a box' which seems to only have USA based contracts. - need uk only.

Or maybe good overall sources that have templates for most business needs such as employing others, production management templates?

 

[KeithPratt]

Do you think anyone will pay to download a mini-doc about a club?

 

[steveOooo]

i dont know nor do the club, kinda do the pilot episode and see if any one will buy it!
They make £1,000 on merch at the event, so the plan is to also make a DVD and sell on the merch stall.

Id like to get some agreements in writing:

1. I own all footage shot and can use footage to sell as stock, not including Djs, distinguishable people.
2. I maintain Master Resale rights to the Production, The club can make copies and sell giving me a certain percentage, and I can do the same.
3. All parties give permission to use footage for commercial purposes, the clubs 'record label' gives me permission to use all tracks from their catalogue for commercial purposes.

 

[steveOooo]

doble post delete me

 

[steveOooo]

Do you think anyone will pay to download a mini-doc about a club?

Its going to be sold as a DVD as well as a digital download - id imagine it could make me £1.5k if 500 copies are sold

im going to hire a solicitor to make an agreement up - its so specific, doubt ill find anything from a template.

 

[KeithPratt]

Its going to be sold as a DVD as well as a digital download - id imagine it could make me £1.5k if 500 copies are sold

Maybe there's something special you're not telling me, but I just can't imagine anyone paying for a 10-minute doc about a club.

Are you being paid entirely via profit-share? What's to stop them taking it off sale after three months and putting it on their website for free?

 

[numeeja]

I'd tell the cheapskate to stick it. If he's selling tons of merch he can afford to use the proceeds of that over a few events to fund your work.

The first ecommerce site I built well over ten years ago was done as a sideline to my dayjob and took me many weekends & evenings. It was for a (now former) friend of my wife who owned a shop who offered to pay me a fixed fee for every order the website generated.

I was naive in those days. Of course he did nothing to promote the website. The URL wasn't on his stationary, yellow pages ad or local newspaper ads, he never put up the posters I gave him and of course he didn't ever update the site. I made £10 in all from the site which didn't even cover what I'd paid on beer when I was planning the site with him in the pub. He decided not to renew his hosting after a year without telling me, so I couldn't even use it as a live portfolio piece (the main reason I took on the job). I learnt a valuable lesson about never taking on such a job again.

 

[cgbier]

im going to hire a solicitor to make an agreement up - its so specific, doubt ill find anything from a template.

I get emails from solicitors in Africa on a regular base. If you want, I can forward their email addies to you.

On a serious note: I can't get rid of the feeling that someone is trying to screw you. If I were in your shoes, I'd handle that thing like any other gig: Come up with a price and have that dude pay you. Normally I do 1/3,1/3,1/3, but in this case, I'd ask 3/3 up front. Something's fishy here.

 

[martinX]

Its going to be sold as a DVD as well as a digital download - id imagine it could make me £1.5k if 500 copies are sold

im going to hire a solicitor to make an agreement up - its so specific, doubt ill find anything from a template.

So the discs will be priced at £6 each. Isn't that a lot to ask someone to pay for a 10 minute promotional piece?

Who pays for disc duplication? Is there copy protection on the discs (which costs money)? How much does a solicitor cost?

You can tell why I'm not in business

 

[Big Shisha]

Just out of interest, which digital download service will you be using?

 

[steveOooo]

I get emails from solicitors in Africa on a regular base. If you want, I can forward their email addies to you.

On a serious note: I can't get rid of the feeling that someone is trying to screw you. If I were in your shoes, I'd handle that thing like any other gig: Come up with a price and have that dude pay you. Normally I do 1/3,1/3,1/3, but in this case, I'd ask 3/3 up front. Something's fishy here.

What do you mean with 1/3 and 3/3 - 1/3 price upfront?

Id calculate its around 1 week (5 days) at £200 per day, thats being generous - He seems to want / like us to meet in person rather than call email, i even drove to his friends house who wanted to present but apparently we had to talk him into it, he eventually cancelled on us - so ive probably wasted a day / 1.5 days in 'meetings' or 'time wasted'

Someone who wants to be involved in media, but hasnt got a clue - Dreamer! theres a lot of them out there folks. Keeps going on about 'the treatment' - mate, your not paying me to care - i just turn up, film and nightclub, film some interviews thats it - its not hollywood art house meaningful thought provoking stuff.

Im seeing him tomorrow - bet he asks 'so how is the video going' er, ive captured it, mate, im not a charity, i dont work for charitys, in fact, im out of pocket thus far so unless your here with money, get lost!'

I really dont care about the club ive filmed for, ive filmed at much more renowned bigger names - i actually think there a charity - even in the interview the owner is like 'yeh its such a big event, big venue we dont even make much money, we do it at cost more or less' oh right, so u just do it because u care'

 

[steveOooo]

So the discs will be priced at £6 each. Isn't that a lot to ask someone to pay for a 10 minute promotional piece?

Who pays for disc duplication? Is there copy protection on the discs (which costs money)? How much does a solicitor cost?

You can tell why I'm not in business

well it would prob be more 20-40mins as i shot around 4hours of footage.

DVDs will be £5 each
Id imagine 50p per DVD in costs? Id like © protection, but if selling as download, whats stopping someone uploading to youtube?
A custom royalty agreement would cost approx £600 - 5 hours work apparently (but could be used for future arrangements).