Fawkes
18th February 2011, 08:45
So I plan on writing and directing a short film next month that will be largely funded by this group:
http://campusmoviefest.com/
(they provide cameras and editing equipment)
In addition to funding much of the necessary equipment, they also host your movie on their website and play it/submit it where they think is suitable. So, they pay for a lot of it and they promote it -- basically the best thing I could realistically ask for. Here's the problem though: in doing this, I sign over exclusive rights of all materials pertinent to the film to the company that runs this. In other words, they can distribute, remake, sell (with them making all the money), etc. my work with no input/benefit from/for me. Now, I'm gonna be realistic and assume that I'm no Orson Welles and that my first movie is not going to become "the greatest film ever made", but still, I don't want any motherfuckers owning something I made. I can't even (legally) embed the movie on a website or submit it to a festival without the company's permission.
Realistically, it probably won't even be an issue, but I still hate not having control over something I've made and put a lot into. So, do you think I should take the opportunity to have about 80% of my filmmaking costs paid for me and have my movie submitted for competition and screenings or should I say fuck em and try to save up the money to do it myself and retain full ownership (thereby losing out on a lot of exposure)?
To be honest, I'm not too sure how artist contracts with distributors normally work so maybe it's unrealistic for me to -- at least at this stage -- hope to get funding and distribution for anything I make without signing rights over.
http://campusmoviefest.com/
(they provide cameras and editing equipment)
In addition to funding much of the necessary equipment, they also host your movie on their website and play it/submit it where they think is suitable. So, they pay for a lot of it and they promote it -- basically the best thing I could realistically ask for. Here's the problem though: in doing this, I sign over exclusive rights of all materials pertinent to the film to the company that runs this. In other words, they can distribute, remake, sell (with them making all the money), etc. my work with no input/benefit from/for me. Now, I'm gonna be realistic and assume that I'm no Orson Welles and that my first movie is not going to become "the greatest film ever made", but still, I don't want any motherfuckers owning something I made. I can't even (legally) embed the movie on a website or submit it to a festival without the company's permission.
Realistically, it probably won't even be an issue, but I still hate not having control over something I've made and put a lot into. So, do you think I should take the opportunity to have about 80% of my filmmaking costs paid for me and have my movie submitted for competition and screenings or should I say fuck em and try to save up the money to do it myself and retain full ownership (thereby losing out on a lot of exposure)?
To be honest, I'm not too sure how artist contracts with distributors normally work so maybe it's unrealistic for me to -- at least at this stage -- hope to get funding and distribution for anything I make without signing rights over.