This sample Film/Video Partnership Agreement should be used when a group of people want to work together to make a film or video. Partners could be co-producers, or the producer and, for example, director or writer. It is appropriate for low or no budget film projects where the parties cannot afford, or chose not, to establish a company vehicle for the film project. (If you do want to establish a company you can read our info sheet Business Structures for Filmmakers for more information). It assumes that one of the partners originated the idea or proposal for the project (whether that person is a producer, director, screenwriter or holds an option over a novel or otherwise) and approaches others to work collaboratively with him or her to make the film.
If the originator is a producer who wants to retain overall control and responsibility of the project, then it will be more appropriate for the producer to use contractor or employment agreements with the director, screenplay writer and other people working on the film such as Arts Law?s sample Producer and Director Agreement. If the originator doesn’t want to be involved in the filmmaking process but merely to pay a producer to make a film in accordance with a specific brief and wants ownership of the finished product then Arts Law?s sample Video Production Agreement may be more suitable.
