Customer Reviews

Independent Producers' Guide to Film and TV Contracts

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On first glance, this book seems quite a find; it comes with a CD-ROM complete with all the contracts discussed in the manuscript. The book's format is also very user-friendly; the left hand page displays contractual language, while the right hand page explains the "legalese" in lay-person's terms. The scope of the book covers the major contracts any indie producer (film or TV) will undoubtedly use. But there's a catch (and a BIG one at that)...

The book is written by an English attorney, and seems tailored to English law. The U.S. publisher has neglected to indicate this fundamental split anywhere on the cover. Although American Law originally came from English Common law, there are just too many differences between the two system's today to make this a reliable source for American producers and attorneys unfamiliar with the differences between both systems.

A case in point is the book's treatment of Copyright law. The English system is a bit different than ours; copyright terms and policy issues are often at variance with U.S. law. These subtle differences will probably slip by most producers and attorneys unfamiliar with U.S. intellectual property law..

Bottom line: it is a good book if you are well-grounded in American contract and I.P. law and want to see how the English handle entertainment contracts. But if you aren't well versed in differences between the two legal systems, the ease of downloading a contract form that may not comport with American law might get you into more trouble than its worth.

I found this book to be very helpful and informative. Although a British legal system book, the fundamentals of filmmaking and legal issues around them are very well set out. Because the industry is global this book really does shed alot of light on the subject matter. The CD Rom with the book is also very helpful