Drama-Fest Information

Ok, I had a question IN RE: musical rights. If we know a band and use one of there songs, do we need to have some kind of signature proving we got rights to use the song? Or can we go ahead and just use it? How do we go about doing this?
 
You definitely need the bands permission. I would say you should get a signed piece of paper just to have in your personal files and to cover your arse.

Your movie may get put on a DvxUser DVD that sells for money, so in the unlikely case the band decided to pretend they never gave you the rights and want to sue Jarred you could whip out that piece of paper and prove that they approved of the use. At least that is what I think...
 
but in terms of needing something signed to enter the contest, the answer is: no it's on the honor system.
I think there may be somethimng you check off when you upload that says you have all the rights to everything you are using, but that's it.
 
Alright, That works. We know the band that wrote the music we will be using. So, there is really nothing for us or anyone to worry about.

Also, one of our lead actors did some major motion pictures. He is working with us and want's to sign a contract that if our short get anything in the future he has rights to the character he played. Well, not neccessarily rights, but he gets credit for what he did with the short. Does anyoen know of any contracts that cover this that can be found and printed from the internet.?

I think he just doesn't want to get ripped off if anything ever comes of our short film.
 
what do you mean he wans "credit" for what he did with the short?
you mean he wants his name in the credits?
since that's such a given I think you must mean something else.

I think you mean he wants to get paid if you ever do.
if thats the case go to
http://www.sonnyboo.com/
you will find a form where he waves compensation for shooting the film and then there is a blank later to fill in a percentage that he will be paid if the film ever makes a profit

but if he does movies all the time is he S.A.G. ? if so you better get those ducks in row too.
 
Yeah, the second one, gets paid if anything does come out of our short film. He wants some kind of contract so he has assurance that we wont leave him in the dust. Which we wont. But still. I printed up one of those contracts. But it seems tricky. Like if he is under contract does he only get a certain % if we make anything or benefit from the film? Because you guys could possibly sell the drama fest DVD's. correct? but that has nothing to do on our end as the filmmakers.

If we make the profit then we have to pay out to the actor correct?
 
Only of that's your agreement with the actor.
Otherwise you don't have to do anything unless they are SAG.

Please see the link in my last post where you can download a contract where the actor releases the rights to use his appearance / performance based on whatever percentage you and he agree to which could also be 0%.
 
I intend to use known music. You know, a song I like, just put it there. I don't intend to make any money with this at all... Is it ok?
 
Jack Daniel Stanley said:
Only of that's your agreement with the actor.
Otherwise you don't have to do anything unless they are SAG.

Please see the link in my last post where you can download a contract where the actor releases the rights to use his appearance / performance based on whatever percentage you and he agree to which could also be 0%.
Click to expand...

Well, he is SAG. But the type of SAG member he is now he is able to work on independent films that are non union. I forget what he had to do to become this type of member. But still, I printed out the form, i'll have to read over it more and see what it all entails.
 
Nicolas said:
I intend to use known music. You know, a song I like, just put it there. I don't intend to make any money with this at all... Is it ok?
Click to expand...

Since it is possible that these shorts for DramFest will be put on a DVD by DVXUser you can't use anything you don't have the rights to.. Also, if you ever want to submit your short to any other festival they also ask that you have the rights to everything... you never know what could come of something you do so you should try to plain accordingly.

However, if for example you make a short that is only on a website and will never be used for any type of festival (including a DVX Fest) or put on dvd (even if you get paid or not) then by all means have at it... but even then who knows what lawyer or band could get a hair up their butt and want to sue you (hey don't laugh, the may not like the content of short and think is a defamation of character, besides they can afford to go to court... we can't)
 
Raw and Vital said:
Well, he is SAG. But the type of SAG member he is now he is able to work on independent films that are non union. I forget what he had to do to become this type of member. But still, I printed out the form, i'll have to read over it more and see what it all entails.
Click to expand...
As far as I know there's no such thing. You are either pregnant or you'r not, you are in sag or you are not.

The only thing the you could be referring to is that he might be SAG elligible. That's what I am. That means you have worked enough to meet the union requirments to join the union, but you haven't paid your dues yet. You can go on a sag only audition and get cast in a sag only project, but then you have to pay your dues. If you are sag elligible you can, however, still work in any non union stuff you want because you have not yet joined the union, are not a member, and do not enjoy any union benifits.

Again, as far as I know, so you are either
non union
SAG elligible which still is non union
or you are a full member of SAG

but I have never heard of SAG members who have special status to work on non-union projects.

He could have just let his union membership lapse, that might bee what you mean as well.

If he IS actually a current member of SAG it's up to YOU to make sure your project complies with the approriate indie contract - but this has to do with the status of your production, not some special status he has achieved as a SAG member
http://www.sagindie.org/contracts2.html
the new contract agreements are pretty good on the front end and recognize the new microbudget DV indie revolution but may seriously restrict WHERE you can show your film later pending an upgrading of the actors contracts at that later date.
 
Last edited:
he could have applied for "SAG financial core" which allows you to work on non-union shoots without a contract.
 
Last edited:
actually it's not exactly as i described. technically it's purpose is to allow non-union actors to work union jobs. so what has probably happened is the actor has filed this status so he doesn't have to pay dues, but can still take union work when it arises. and of course, by doing so, he is eligible for non-union work too.

according to sag, the average sag actor makes about $7500/year on union productions.
 
He actually is SAG-Financial Core , so he is able to work on non-union films, ect. I don't know all the details, but yeah, he is SAG-Financial Core.

We also locked down our other lead actor tonight (Young Erik Klein). Oh boy, oh boy, things are looking great...
 
It's by the members, for the members. That is how it always has been, and (probably) always will be.

Any voting method is going to have flaws. It has been stated (with this fest in particular) that the goal is to get back to the roots of just sharing work, collaborating, communing, providing and receiving feedback, and allowing a place to have your work seen by the masses. The focus of this fest is not so much meant to be the winners or the prizes.

Some like it that way, some don't. I like it. There aren't many other fests out there where everyone is accepted, and you are "judged" by your peers. Anyone can enter and participate. If you are doing it "to pay bills" or for the prizes, this probably won't be the fest of choice for you, as it has also been stated, that the prizes won't be "all that and a bag of chips" this fest. Voting won't be some complex process this go-round either (from what I understand).

You have to have 100 posts to be able to vote (or that is what it was last fest.).

Later,
Jason
 
Yeah, either way it's an experience. It's probably the best filmmaking experience I have ever experienced in my life. Just to share it. December 18th I was sitting with my roomate in this diner in the city of Pittsburgh where I live. I said we should enter Drama fest which i then explained to him what it was about. He is an English major so I spurted out the words, let's do a film on a dying Nazi. We then came up with the story and finished the script two days after Christmas. And that's how our film "Germanity" came about.

We then needed to find actors, I posted on craigs list and got replies. We settled with an actor that moved here from LA only months prior. We also got some locals that did a good bit of respectable work.

Locations were crazy to get. We had to talk to a pastor at a church for a whole Church scene. Worked out stuff with extras to fill the seats. Got a school for the school scene and found a great area to portrait Germany in the flashback scenes.

Over all We did a crazy amount of work in the ammount of two weeks. We also established a talented crew I couldn't be more pleased with.

I'm just proud to say this is probably the first serious project I have ever directed. Everything else was just little skit comedy pieces that weren't anything special. It feels good.

Anyone else care to share their stories?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top