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Example of a media contract from the UK...and my commentary


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Media License contract from the UK : D.D.Teoli Jr. A.C. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

I am submitting a copy of the release for your perusal as well as commentary about some of my personal experience with contract releases.  Maybe it will be of interest to someone. This contract has been stripped of the companies name and info.

They wanted me to release some of my Archive for their use. There was no fee involved. The fee was not an issue, but I won't sign any release contract as I make no claim to owning copyright to anything I have in my Archive. Some of the material may be public domain, but I don't know. And to release things for no fee is nuts...nothing in it for me except possible troubles for no $$.  The only way I license things is with Creative Commons for educational, editorial and historical purposes. Not for commercial use.

Another issue with this release was it was a blanket release. They never named what they wanted. CBS did the same thing to me, not naming what they were using, but CBS was happy with a email release of yes or no to their inquiry as to abbreviating my name. I found out with CBS, once you give permission, good luck with getting them to reply to emails any more. 

Now it does not matter to me at all if people use it for commercial use, just don't ask me for permission to do it. Same with my personal photography. I shoot mainly candid street photography. I never get model releases, so no commercial use of my own work. 

Some film festival in L.A. contacted me a while back about one of the first films I ever made back at L.A.C.C. Film Class 101 in the 1970's, Gone! Up in Smoke. They said they would give me a small honorarium for its use. I told them to go ahead use it. Now, I didn't care about the honorarium and it was a good thing as I never got a penny from them. 

nsfw

https://archive.org/details/GoneUpInSmoke

Another person writing a book on Clara Bow wanted me to give them copyright release for some photos of Clara Bow. I told them the same as I said above...CC license only. They were mad and felt like I cheated them somehow for wasting their time...even though that is the first thing I tell people wanting a release from me. People are really demanding nowadays and expect you to give them the world...for no fee. And again, the fee does not matter to me, I'm just saying, for no money they are demanding a lot. I already give everything to people for free as my Archive is open content, but it is just not enough for some of them. They need to go to a stock photo agency or stock footage companies if they want contracts. 

In the past I have signed hundreds of 'Deed of Gift' releases to museums and and special collection libraries for donations of my work. They are different. They also ask you to release copyright, but you can strike it out, so you have to be careful to really read them.

Edited by Daniel D. Teoli Jr.
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