Contributed By Glen Berry

This content is part of the online course, Producing the Independent Film.

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SUMMARY

• A producer should have a strategy for protecting themselves and their production from legal harm. This will also ensure that other partners can participate in the film (distributors) without fear of a lawsuit.
• Contracts and signed agreements establish ownership and control over the production. Make sure you have them in place to prevent issues in your relationships with investors, cast, crew and vendors.
• The script is the foundational intellectual property of the entire production. You must make sure you own or control it before doing anything with your project.

Intellectual Property Basics
The spectre hanging over every independent producer's head is the threat of legal liability. Unfortunately, the first time that this spectre materializes, few are prepared and the legal sting can be lethal.