Selling Footage

[1knighthawk]

Got a question. A filmmaker is looking to buy two different clips from me. One is a 30 second clip, the other is a 60 second clip. It's for a documentary and he's got a lot of corporate backing. He wants to use these clips both in the trailer and in the actual production

Comments

[xprivate_eyex]

hm, how wide of a release is his documentary going to have? Is it going to do any kind of tour? Is it going to be on DVD?

[1knighthawk]

broadcast and DVD

[ex_filmmaker362]

You could settle on a small price now (the original sale) and negotiate "fair market value" when and if the film is actually made and destributed.

[1knighthawk]

fair market value? (I'm a business ditz, so please explain)

[ex_filmmaker362]

Fair market value is just that, what's the going rate for film footage belonging to someone else once it's used in another film (there are places to find this out)...

Also, I'm curious, what did the guy who wants to use your footage want to pay you for it? Usually, since they want it, they make an offer.

Your contract should say (go to the library/book store to check out books dealing with film contracts) something like "the principles agree on X for initial use of said footage and should the film be made and distributed fair market value for that should be paid at that time." Blah, blah, blah.

I don't with the contract stuff, that's why I have an agent.

[1knighthawk]

my boss is a lawyer...or was one..or training..I dunno, something. I'll see what he can do to help.

But I'll definitely suggest that. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find what the current market value, or what I should initially charge, and that's where I'm hung up. Initially I was thinking a few thousand considering he's got the budget, but I dunno.

[santosqisev]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMzgVshG6CI