Home arrow Production arrow Getting Started arrow Your Core Business Team
Your Core Business Team PDF Print E-mail
User Rating: / 6
Justine Whyte   
How They Can Help
A feature-film producer is and must be the film’s diplomat on every level and as such has to wear many hats: creative shepherd, project manager, promoter, and business realist, to name a few. It’s a daunting challenge to keep them all balanced and to excel in all areas, especially on your first or second film. On the business side, a core team of fully experienced professionals can help you navigate the realities and requirements of legal agreements, production budgets, union rates, processes and schedules, funder requirements and cash flow.
Below is a roster of the most important people to have on your core team, and what they can do for you. These roles are not written in stone, especially on a low-budget film where you might not have the funds to hire each person listed. However you break down the tasks, no matter what you end up undertaking or have other individuals undertake, it is very important to have a clear understanding, and signed agreement with each such member of the team stating their role, responsibilities and tasks. This step avoids misunderstandings and confusion that can eat up valuable time and scarce dollars.

Lawyer
Your primary back-up person is your lawyer. At the beginning of your project, well before the production stage, you need to establish a relationship with a good entertainment industry lawyer who has experience working with theatrical feature film producers in production, rights management and distribution. For hints on how to find an appropriate lawyer, and what you can expect to pay, see Why You Need a Lawyer


Tip:
  • If you are operating on a limited budget, do as much leg work as possible to save legal costs, such as sketching out rough drafts of agreements for your lawyer to review.
  • Avoid a lawyer who says template agreements are sufficient. Every film is different and a good lawyer tailors a template to meet the specific needs and issues of your project.
A good lawyer can alert you to issues you don’t even know are issues and ensure that the key deal points are accurately reflected in the legal documents. Think of them as translators. The legalese can read like a foreign language, but a good lawyer will provide a common sense meaning inherent in it. He or she will help you draw up a list of the legal agreements you need to establish through the entire project, including but not limited to those covering chain-of-title, investors, distributors, writers, director’s union and non-union cast and crew, music purchases, and post-production, among many others.

A lawyer can also help you navigate complex situations, such as disputes with a creative contributor over grant of rights and/or compensation, or in terminating individual's services. The relationship with your lawyer is not just a one-film deal, but hopefully one that will last throughout your career, and which you can count on to help you through the rough spots.

 
< Previous Article
Reel Stories reelstories-prodbutton1 reelstories-prodbutton2 reelstories-prodbutton3 reelstories-prodbutton4 reelstories-prodbutton5