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When a Distributor Defaults

7/6/2010

 
By: Mark Litwak

Many years ago I represented a filmmaker who entered into an agreement with a small home-video distributor. The company had a decent reputation, and since there were no other offers for this $80,000 movie, a deal was struck. The filmmaker was promised a $40,000 advance for U.S. home video rights. The advance was payable in four installments over the course of a year. After the second installment was received, the distributor was acquired.

The new owners stopped making payments to my client. There was no question that the company owed another $20,000, and that my client had fulfilled all of his contractual obligations. The only excuse offered was that the company was experiencing “financial difficulties.” We suggested small monthly payments to retire the balance due. Payments were promised but never made. We initiated arbitration, quickly won an award, confirmed it in court, and obtained a writ of execution directing the sheriff to seize the company’s film library. Miraculously, the distributor’s cash-flow problems immediately disappeared, and full payment was received. But that was not the end of the matter. When I negotiated the agreement, I included a clause enabling my client to demand accelerated payments on default, interest on late payments, and reversion of all distribution rights. So the distributor not only had to pay the balance due with interest, but it forfeited its right to distribute the film. We re-licensed the picture to another home video distributor and received another $40,000 advance, thereby enabling the filmmaker to repay his investors. The film is an example of a picture that performed poorly in exhibition but did great in litigation. Ironically, if the first distributor had not defaulted, the filmmaker would not have been able to re-license the film and repay his investors.

There are honest distributors, but there are also a fair number of disreputable distributors who will look for any real or imagined excuse to avoid paying a filmmaker his share of revenue. Distributors know that the relatively small amounts at stake may not be enough to justify legal proceedings. Most independent filmmakers have limited financial resources, and most, if not all, of that will be spent to complete the film. Attorneys are not inclined to take on such cases on a contingency fee basis (i.e., the attorney gets a percentage of the recovery rather than being paid an hourly rate). That’s why it is often wise to provide for arbitration. With arbitration, disputes can be settled without the expense and delays typical of litigation. The arbitration clause should provide that the prevailing party be reimbursed attorneys’ fees and costs.

Filmmakers need to exercise great caution when negotiating distribution agreements. Even if the filmmaker thoroughly trusts the executives at a distribution company, the contract is signed with a company, and companies can be sold. Your friend who manages the company today could be gone tomorrow. Therefore, filmmakers need ironclad protections no matter which individuals may be running the company.

One of my recent cases concerned a dispute with a home video distributor. The filmmaker made an oral agreement with the distributor and delivered his film. The distributor began to advertise and promote the picture. Six weeks later, before any paperwork had been signed, the company reneged on the deal and pressured the filmmaker to renegotiate its terms.

To protect yourself from such tactics, make sure all promises are in writing. Do not deliver any materials until you have received a fully executed copy of the contract. Always retain possession of your film negative and master elements by providing a lab access letter instead of the actual master elements.

SELECTING A DISTRIBUTOR

Filmmakers may not have the luxury of choosing a distributor to their liking. In many instances, only one or a handful of distributors express interest. The terms may range from bad to worse. But assuming one has a choice, here are some factors to consider:

1. Media: Which media (e.g., theatrical, television, home video) does the distributor serve? Is the distributor an unnecessary middleman, or does it provide valuable resources and expertise? Any company can call itself a distributor. What services does this entity provide? To what extent does it use subdistributors? If subdistributors are used, do they take an additional commission?

2. Territory: What geographical area does the distributor serve? American independent filmmakers often use multiple distributors: a foreign sales company for international sales and a domestic distributor(s) for release in North America.
3. Reputation: Has the distributor left a trail of unhappy filmmakers in its wake? Is the distributor known for distributing films of a similar genre, budget, and stature? Does the distributor have a good reputation among its licensees or exhibitors?

4. Advance/Minimum Guarantees: What is the amount of any advance? When is it payable, and what conditions need to be satisfied? When are minimum guarantees payable? Will the distributor pay this guarantee if the film is not successful?

5. Division of Proceeds: How will revenues be shared? How much does the distributor take in fees or commission? Can the distributor recoup any of its overhead or staff expenses? Are there caps on marketing and distribution expenses?

6. Marketing: Is there a guaranteed marketing commitment? What is the minimum amount the distributor will spend to advertise the film? On how many screens in how many venues will the picture open? What is the marketing strategy? What kind of audience does the distributor think will be attracted to the film? What grass¬roots promotion efforts are planned? Will the film be entered into festivals?

7. Consultation Rights/Final Cut: Does the producer have any input or approval over artwork? Can the title be changed or the film re-edited without the filmmaker’s approval?

8. Financial Health: Is the company in any danger of becoming insolvent or going bankrupt? How long has the company been in existence? How well capitalized is it?

9. Cross-collateralization: Are expenses from one media or territory cross-collateralized with other media or territories?

10. Accounting: How often does the distributor issue producer reports? How detailed are the reports? Will the distributor provide receipts to document its expenses and revenues? Is interest paid on late payments? What kind of audit rights does the filmmaker have?

11. Ability to Collect: How much leverage does the distributor have with exhibitors/licensees to collect revenue?

12. Conflicts of Interest: Does the distributor handle any competing films? Does the distributor produce its own films that might receive preferential treatment?

13. Term: For how long will the distributor have the right to distribute the film? What is the maximum license term that the distributor can grant to others? Are there performance milestones that must be met before the term is extended? Does the producer have the right to regain distribution rights if the distributor per¬forms poorly or breaches the agreement?

14. Personal Chemistry: Does the filmmaker have a good rapport with distribution executives?

Excerpt taken from Mark Litwak’s Risky Business, 2nd edition, 2009.

Google's YouTube Prevails Against Viacom

7/2/2010

 
By: Mark Litwak

In March 2007 Viacom filed a $1 billion copyright action against Google's YouTube website for contributory copyright infringement. Viacom wanted You Tube to be responsible for infringements committed by YouTube users uploading content they did not own. Viacom cited more than 100,000 instances of its copyrighted works being posted on YouTube and claimed YouTube knew its works were being infringed. It claimed the “safe harbor” provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) did not apply. Citing the Grokster case, Viacom contended that one who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties.” Grokster, 545 U.S. at 919.

However, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York rejected Viacom's claim that Google's site was liable for copyright infringement. Instead, the court granted Google's motion for summary judgment and found that YouTube qualified for the “safe harbor” protections of the DMCA.

Under the DMCA, online service providers can avoid liability for copyright infringement by appointing an agent to receive “takedown” notices from rights holders and then acting promptly to remove infringing materials. In order to qualify for this safe harbor, the service provider must not have actual knowledge that the material is infringing or, not be aware of facts or circumstances from which infringing activity is apparent.

“The present case shows that the DMCA notification regime works efficiently,” the court concluded, noting that “when Viacom over a period of months accumulated some 100,000 videos and then sent one mass take-down notice on February 2, 2007. By the next business day YouTube had removed virtually all of them.”

There is no doubt that congress passed the DMCA to reduce legal uncertainty facing online service providers, encouraging the growth of the internet and e-commerce. The ruling is the latest in a series of rulings upholding the safe harbor provisions against the attacks by various entertainment companies trying to restrict uploading of their content without their permission. In this case, Viacom contended that because YouTube had general knowledge that infringing videos were available on its service, it should be denied the safe harbor protections. If the court had agreed with Viacom, the safe harbors would not offer much protection. The court held that “General knowledge that infringement is ‘ubiquitous’ does not impose a duty on the service provider to monitor or search its service for infringements.” Only if the service provider receives specific notice from the owner, must the provider promptly remove the infringing material.”
Viacom announced that it will appeal the ruling.

Viacom International, Inc., v. YouTube, Inc., 2010 WL 2532404 (SDNY June 23, 2010)

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    Disclaimer: The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice from the individual author, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this Post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.
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