What is a Film Certificate of Origin?

As an independent filmmaker, whenever you reach the point of film distribution for your work. There are going to be several different contracts and legal documents that will be required. It’s best for you to organize your distribution documents ahead of time. So that you don’t face any potential hurdles when you near the distribution […]

How to Option Film Rights to a Book

We’ve all been in the position before where we’ve read that really amazing book and thought to ourselves, “This would be such a good movie.” But as a film producer, it’s hard not to actually seriously consider optioning film rights to a book that you’ve fallen in love with. When you know, you know…And if […]

What Is Private Film Equity?

Financing a film is a big deal that requires a lot of patience. If you’re new to film production, you might not understand the different forms of private equity film financing that are available or even what private equity financing for film is. If you’re wondering, “What is private film equity” and what does it […]

How to Copyright a Character from a Film

As a filmmaker, you’re bound to produce films that have exceptional characters within them. That draw the interest of the audience more so than any other element of the film. In fact, a fictional character within your film might be so profound. That an added need to protect its unique details, characteristics, and arcs becomes […]

Should I Copyright my Screenplay?

As a screenwriter, you probably spend countless hours at your desk, watching the cursor as it moves eloquently along the page, adding line after line of text. But it’s more than just text, you’re creating the lives of new characters, an entirely new world is being produced, just one word at a time. When it’s […]

Understanding the Completion Guarantee for Film

The completion guarantee for film is a unique promise that is made between the guarantor and the filmmaker that basically states that a film which is currently at some stage of production will actually be completed and delivered to a distributor within a specified time period. If you’ve never experienced a film production that is […]

How Can I Equity Crowdfund My First Film?

As an independent filmmaker, you’re really in the best time ever when it comes to raising capital that is needed in order to produce a feature film. Now more than ever before, there are more opportunities than there ever were to raise various forms of capital that can be used for the purpose of producing […]

Executing a Film Finder’s Fee Agreement in a Film Deal

Film financing and the raising of capital from investors is a major challenge that virtually all independent filmmakers face. Investors frequently express interest in engaging in deals that are likely to provide them with the level of potential risk. And return on their investment. That is ideal for their individual investment needs. This means they’ve […]

Is a Work Made For Hire Agreement for a Documentary Film Required?

Producing a film is a task that involves a lot of different working hands that get involved in various steps of the creative process. At each stage, it’s important for agreements to be made as to who will retain the copyright ownership of the finished work, especially when it comes to producing a documentary film. […]

What’s the Copyright Law on Film Clips

Documentary filmmakers frequently use film clips in their works to showcase various content and add value to their underlying story and the research that they’re sharing with others. In fact, film clips are used in a variety of different types of filmmaking as directors seek to incorporate past productions into their current works for a […]