Synopses & Reviews
Making a movie may be part art and part science, but it's 100 percent business.In this comprehensive and accessible guide, Kelly Charles Crabb shares the information necessary to understand the legal and financial challenges involved in getting a film from story to the silver screen and beyond.
Drawing on over twenty years of experience in the entertainment industry, as both lawyer and producer, Crabb reveals his insider's knowledge on:
- Understanding copyright and intellectual property law
- Obtaining financial backing
- Selecting and hiring the key players
- Overseeing the filming
- Locking in the theatrical, home video, and TV distribution
- Understanding merchandise licensing
and everything else you need to know to make a serious run at producing and exploiting a movie. Offering hands-on illustrations from actual movie contracts to show how the basic deals for each of the many stages are assembled, the author explains in plain and simple terms what the contracts contain and why. It gives the big picture and the finer points of movie making -- from concept to raking in the last dollar after the film is completed.
While it may not transform you into a lawyer or an industry accountant -- and that's not what you want anyway -- it will take you through all the business and legal principles you need to know to be a successful and knowledgeable professional producer.
Review
"
The Movie Business is a brilliant discourse on the subject of entertainment law... (and) a necessary tool for every indicidual engaged in the pursuit of 'making the deal.' Mr. Crabb has captured the art of law in entertainment in a no-nonsense, easily understood collection of legalisms that will serve the novice as well as the professional. It's an outstanding book. I only wish I could have had this book thirty years ago."
-- Gerald R. Molen, producer of Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, and Minority Report
Review
"Find a good script, read Kelly Crabb's book, and you're on your way to becoming a motion picture producer.
The Movie Business is a book that's been badly needed for years. Here it is, in spades."
-- Mace Neufeld, producer of The Saint, The Hunt for Red October, and The Sum of all Fears
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Book OneI Have a Great Idea for a Movie
Your Quest and Help Along the Way
About This Book and How to Make the Most of It
Passwords and Tokens (Learning the Lingo)
A Linear View of the Map: Development, Production, and Distribution
There'll Be Help Along the Way
From Idea to Treatment
Some Fundamentals of Copyright Law
Registration
Implied Contract
Who Is the Author of the Treatment?
Using Someone Else's Story
The Option Agreement and the Acquisition
Rights Granted
Reserved Rights
Representations, Warranties, and Indemnities
Respecting "Chain of Title"
Publicity Rights -- Name and Likeness
Miscellaneous Provisions
Using Someone Else's Life -- Publicity Rights
Book TwoThe Screenplay:
Nothing Happens Until It's Finished
Hiring a Writer
The Screenplay as a Blueprint
Papering the Writer's Deal
Obtaining an Existing Screenplay
Pros and Cons of Using a "Spec Script"
Doing the Acquisition or Option Deal
Making the Dream Come True
Obtaining Development Money
Sources of Development Financing
Structuring Development Deals
Book ThreePackaging the Elements
Identifying the Elements
What Do You Want to Be?
Packaging Basics
Papering the Package
The Deal Memorandum -- an Overview
The Structure of the Deal Memorandum
Book FourGetting the Money to Make It Happen
Production Money Rules
Some Words of Warning
The Basic Independent Movie Investment Deal
The Details Behind the Standard Investment Deal
Bringing the Money Home
The Split-Rights deal
The Film Festival Route
Financing the "Gap"
The Coproduction Deal
The "Negative Pickup"
Knowing and Appreciating Your Investor(s) Risks
The Studio as Financier
The Studio Deal
Your Deal with the Studio
Book FiveProducing the Movie
Some Legal Preliminary Matters
Preproduction -- Getting Ready to Roll
Corporate Organization
The Guilds
Assembling the Main Players
Long-Form Talent Agreements
Net Profits and Variations
Advanced Guild Issues: Joining SAG and DGA
Procuring Everything Else
Crew Agreements
Location Agreements and Permits
Product Placements
Filming the Movie
The Point of No Return?
Guild Rules Applied
Things that Happen During Principal Photography
Finishing All Production Details
Dubbing
Effects
Music
Final Credits
The Legal Details
What's in a Name? MPAA Title Registration
Title Clearance/Title Reports
Copyright Report
Script Review and Clearance
MPAA Rating System
Music Clearance
Insurance
Book SixMaking Money with the Movie
Theatrical Distribution
Theatrical Distribution Basics
Distribution Agreement
Use and Return of Print Materials
Merchandise Licensing
Merchandising Rights
Merchandising Rights Deal
The Merchandise Licensing Deal
Sound-Track Albums
The Sound-Track Album
Sound-Track Album Deal
Home Video
Home Video
The Home Video Deal
Television
Television
The Basic Television Deal
Print Publishing
Novelization
Screenplay
Stage
From the Screen to the Stage
The Definition of Live Performance
Live Performance Exploitation
Separated Dramatic Rights under the WGA Agreement
Interactive Works
From Passive to Interactive
Definition of "Interactive Multimedia"
Interactive Multimedia Exploitation
Internet
The Net
Web Sites
Territory
Rights
Deliverables
Company Obligations
Consideration
Other Terms
Epilogue
Notes
Index