AboutAlessandro Machi Expertise Videotape editing, archiving, and videotape remastering. Experienced in live event cinematography plus interviews and b-Roll. Have provided Video Post Production Services for independent film & video productions that have been distributed both nationwide and worldwide. Have experience in both video and film. Not too familiar with Hd at the moment although I did operate a B-roll camera for an HD independent feature.
Regional Emmy Winner, also an Emmy Internship Scholarship Winner when I first finished college back in the mid 80's.
I Enjoy filmmaking as well and one day I may attempt a feature film in super-8mm although the film Dali, Dali, Dali seems to get longer with each passing month.
Experience 25 years of Film & Video Production & Editing Experience including low budget & quality control. I enjoy filming in Super-8.
Organizations Founded Action! Film and Video Production Club while in College.
Publications www.Opednews.com
Education/Credentials Four Year College Program, was one or two classes short of graduation.
Awards and Honors Regional Emmy Winner, 8 Time Vision Award Winner, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Internship Winner, Film Festival Winner for several different Super-8 Films,
Past/Present Clients Sony Pictures, Prudential Jon Douglas, In Defense of Animals, Humane Society of the United States, Ivy Gullickson
Typically I use a release form for talent if I shoot a documentary and in other video productions i did them via deferred pay relative to talent. Most recent speculative production is a half hour episodic that I'd like to sell to Discovery. I have 3 people I interview in the first episode/conceptual piece. I get broll on what they explain and they get the benefit of possible nationwide advertising their businesses, which we are focusing on in the interviews. One of the interviewed business people, who won't be in other episodes, wants me to sit down with her husband so that we can talk about writing up a contract relative to her getting paid if I sell it and possibly getting residuals. I don't feel like doing it as i believe the possibility of getting free nationwide advertising should suffice. I also, don't want to do it because it's just too complicated in that she wants to get her attorney involved. I've never done anything like that in the past, but then again I've never sold anything in the entertainment relam. I'd rather use someone else and not have to go through the nonsense.
Is it necessary to get contracts with talent for speculative projects, or will release forms suffice? Do I have a choice being it's my production, or when i present the project to a place like Discovery are they and others expecting I have contracts on people I interview in my programs? What would you do?
Thanks,
joseph
Answer These are all great questions, Joe.
Generally, I believe that if the person's name is visible on the screen, then their website address, and then their company name are alternated on the screen a couple times, that that can be more valuable than money.
Creative negotiations could be done in which the person receives a thousand bucks every 10 times the show airs, perhaps a buyout clause could be added. A flat fee of 10,000 dollars and the person is paid off.
However, I assume the networks don't really like having to track these financial obligations. They want to plug and play their shows over and over without feeling restricted that it will also cost them money.
It seems to me some kind of graphics burn in during the show that gives out publicity about the person might financially benefit them. I suppose the one problem with this idea is if they suddenly decide to not want their real name, business name or website address on the air they no longer have any say in the matter.
An either or situation might work. The guest needs to be focused on what matters more, either they totally want the exposure and a way for people to reach them, or they just want the money, BUT NOT BOTH EQUALLY! If they care more about the publicity, than perhaps a token fee of a thousand bucks upon sale of the project is a fair compromise. If they only care about the money, then that might make it more difficult for you.
Just ask them, which is more important, the exposure, or the money, because they need to pick one, and the other one won't completely be forgotten, but it will be minimized.
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Keep in mind that networks may want a "textless" version of your show. Always make a textless version just in case some information needs to be added, changed, or removed.
However, if you only want to give them a version with all the credits already in, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOT BURN IN THE CREDITS TOO BRIGHTLY! Always "back off" the brightness of the credits as compared to the rest of your show.
If your show's brightest signal is 100% IRE, back off the luminance of your credits to between 60-75% IRE. This allows the network additional flexibility when they broadcast the show to either raise or lower the signal they send out without worrying how the credits might react to the change in signal output.
