Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

<b><i>Commentary: </b></i>Inequity Is Seen In Film-Rights Reversion Process

By Donald C. Farber
May 31, 2006

I have a lot of trouble accepting something that makes no sense simply because an attorney trying to make a point in a deal says: 'It's always done that way,' or 'Everyone does it like this.' Attorneys preparing a film contract often use this 'irrational' rationale. I am referring to the reversion clause in a contract to acquire rights in a basic work, such as a novel for a film.

The attorney for the film company acquiring the rights may try to convince you that the percentage of the net profits that will go along with the fee payment for the rights in the work are indeed valuable, while both of you know that, in most instances, net profits on a film are really 'pie in the sky.' Turn the argument about the value of net profits around, and the film attorney may try to convince you that the likelihood of net profits is so remote that it shouldn't even be considered part of the consideration so that if the seller of the rights in the book never has the chance to receive net profits, he or she has lost nothing.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.

Protecting Innovation in the Cyber World from Patent Trolls Image

With trillions of dollars to keep watch over, the last thing we need is the distraction of costly litigation brought on by patent assertion entities (PAEs or "patent trolls"), companies that don't make any products but instead seek royalties by asserting their patents against those who do make products.