Motion Picture Theatrical Distribution Agreement

License the film merchandising rights to a distributor with this Motion Picture Merchandising Agreement template.

• The distributor gets an exclusive license within the defined territory to manufacture, advertise, distribute and sell merchandise that incorporates names, characters, and events from the film
• In return, the distributor will pay the film producer a guaranteed minimum compensation amount (a fixed amount paid as an advance against the percentage royalty), and a percentage royalty based on the current wholesale price of the licensed products.
• The producer must approve all products, packaging, labels, advertising, display materials and copyright notices to be used in connection with the licensed products.
• The distributor agrees to protect the producer's property rights and goodwill, and acknowledges that all goodwill and all rights to the materials created by the distributor are the exclusive property of the producer.
• All licensed products must carry the producer's copyright and/or trademark notices (as applicable).
• The distributor must carry standard product liability insurance and advertiser's liability insurance during the term of the Agreement.
• Upon termination of the Agreement, the distributor will have a 90-day period to dispose of all products already manufactured, so long as the Agreement was not terminated for cause.

This Motion Picture Merchandising Agreement template is available as a MS Word download, which is fully editable and customizable to fit your needs.

Make sure your film distributors sign this Distributor Assumption Agreement to comply with SAG requirements for payment of residuals.

This agreement is designed to guarantee that Screen Actors Guild (SAG) members receive the residuals they are owed for their participation in your film. To comply with SAG requirements, it is essential that your film distributors sign the Distributor Assumption Agreement.

Purpose of Agreement

SAG mandates that all movie producers obtain signed assumption agreements from their distributors. By signing, the distributor agrees to pay residual payments directly to SAG, rather than to the producer. This process ensures transparency and that SAG members are compensated appropriately and in a timely manner.

Key Provisions of the Agreement

• Payment Terms: The agreement specifies how and when residuals are to be paid to SAG.
• Reporting Requirements: Distributors must submit regular reports detailing residual payments and the associated revenues.
• Audit Rights: SAG retains the right to inspect the distributor’s accounting records to verify revenues earned by the film and the residuals paid.

Applicability

It is important to note that both union and non-union filmmakers must adhere to SAG's residual payment requirements. Compliance is mandatory regardless of the filmmaker's union status.

Obtaining the Agreement

The customizable MS Word template will download automatically to your device immediately after your purchase transaction is completed. Buy once, use it for all your film projects.

Prepare an Assignment of Copyright in a written work by the author using this easy template.

• The author assigns to a third party (such as a publisher) all of the author's worldwide rights in copyright in a specified written work.
• The author retains a personal license to use extracts from the work, but the author must obtain the assignee's permission before using all or a large portion of the work.
• The author indemnifies the assignee against any infringement claims resulting from publication of the work.
• Every publisher - print or digital - should have an Assignment of Copyright form available for authors to sign when dealing with any copyrighted work.
• Available in MS Word format.

Retain illustrators, writers, editors and other independent contractors with this template USA Work for Hire Agreement for publishers and publishing houses.

• The contractor agrees to provide the publisher with the services and create the work strictly on a work made for hire basis, for a one-time fee.
• The publisher will retain sole ownership and title to the work created by the contractor under the Agreement.
• This is a reusable legal template. Buy it, download it, then use it as often as you require.
• The Agreement is governed by the laws of the United States.
• Work for hire contracts are the most advantageous arrangements for a publisher. Get this downloadable template contract and tailor it to your exact requirements.

Secure your option for worldwide motion picture, exploitation and merchandising rights to an original screenplay from the screenwriter with this Option Agreement template.

• The writer grants the producer an exclusive and irrevocable option to purchase the rights to the work.
• The producer has the right to make sequels, prequels, remakes and TV series based on the work, for which the writer will be paid a percentage of the net profits.
• The file includes a Short Form Option Agreement for recording at the Copyright Office, and a Short Form Copyright Assignment.
• Also included is a Quitclaim Release of Interest in Literary Property.
• Available in MS Word format.