'Genesis & Genealogy
of the Lindy Hop in France' (working title)

Introduction

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• This page is an informal explanation to the contract of intents regarding rights to the video coverage of performances, interviews & various buffer shots.
• Being away & busy on another shot one of the (many) production managers contacted and responsible for submitting contracts in due time found out at the last minute that US contracts refer to US law and therefore are simply invalid over here (i.e. in France). The same applies to the relevance of French contracts in the States & Canada. In other words, none of the production managers approached was competent enough to dig out the right contract.
• The single contract I eventually got from one of those production managers - which was in French - meant talents waive any right to inspect or approve the finished documentary film and boils up to talents assigning their rights to me for free. This is not what I had drafted in my letter of intent, and therefore have found myself once again alone to work out some suitable solution until some decent co-production house realises what this film is about and how people should be treated...
• Co-production is now carried out with Thomas Blacharz ('Tommy') from the Apollojazz-Café who is in charge of the on-line promotion & distribution of the final DVD. Being himself a dancer, teacher and swing events organiser, Thomas can be trusted to do his very best to observe relevant legal provisions.
• Within such a hectic production framework we cannot provide a genuine nor exhaustive final contract yet but this contract of intent guarantees that rights aren't being abused. It is therefore only a temporary version (hence the name 'intents').

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Key-points from 'Talents' contract of intent'

• Nothing will be released in any form prior to your approval (anyway I usually ask talents for feedback since I'm not necessarily competent to judge whether a given sequence doesn't stain someone's image while adding little or no value to the narrative; please note that this is unlike the way many Tv producers build sensational reportage stuff)
• Regardless of your status (i.e. professional or keen enthusiast) you could get paid. How much and when is another story. A professional producer is more competent to deal with that. In short, there's room to negotiate your rates once the documentary project gets back into a more conventional production framework.
• Should editing spoil in some way your image or your remuneration not meet your expectations relevant footage will be cut out. This may sound a little blunt given the trouble I'll have been through but proves to be the healthiest solution - it has never occurred to me so far.

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Getting a copy of your performances

• Should you like to have a copy of your performances (in either raw dv or mp4 formats) please do let me know. I shan't have time to send them off straightaway but I'll be happy I can contribute to your respective collections.
• If you want to put them on the web please check with organisers of the event during which the footage was shot that it won't compete with their respective DVD sales. I suspect some words in the credits or wherever relevant on your web-site will be well-thought of by festival organisers.
• Depending on format & amount of footage you want copied (you might want to wait and see the final DVD to choose which sequences are of interest) it all may hold on a single dvd. Expect ca. 5-6 Euros for the media, post & package incl.

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Misc

• Do feel free to suggest or demand changes or even don't hesitate sending me any other contract if you believe it is more relevant.
• Thank you for letting me chase you around with my lights & gear (I still feel guilty & hope I haven't spoilt your social dancing too much...)

Contact

Duncan Potter

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