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Home: Video University Forums: Marketing & Business:
Video copyright writer vs production

 

 


CJ Producer
New User

Jan 26, 2006, 11:37 AM

Post #1 of 2 (660 views)
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Video copyright writer vs production Can't Post

If I write a script for a training video and a production company creates the final video, complete with them doing the actual directing and some on the fly changes to the script, who owns the copyright to the final video?

CJ


videobear
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Jan 26, 2006, 2:43 PM

Post #2 of 2 (658 views)
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Re: [CJ Producer] Video copyright writer vs production [In reply to] Can't Post

What does your contract with them say?

If they hired you to write the script, then you are either an employee or an independent contractor. If you're an employee, they own the rights to the script you wrote. If you're an independent contractor, you own the rights to the script, unless your contract with them says otherwise. NOTE: Even if you own the rights to the script, that does not mean that you own the rights to the resultant video production. That's where the lawyers come in and suck up all the profits.

If you wrote the script, and hired THEM to provide production services, the roles are reversed. If they are your employees, you own the rights to the video work. If they are independent contractors (the more usual case), then THEY own the rights to the video, unless your contract says otherwise.

If someone else hired YOU to write the script and produce the video, and you subcontracted the video production part, same deal. If you were the client's employee, they own everything. If you are an independent contractor, you own the rights (less whatever rights you granted, either specifically or by omitting to secure them, to your video people).

See why it's important to have a contract?




Regards,
Doug Graham
Panda Productions