Produktionsmanagement III: Koproduktion, Rechte, Verträge

The production of a documentary film is becoming increasingly complex these days, with funding usually coming from a wide variety of sources. The first part of the workshop focuses on the question: How do I find suitable partners to bring my film project to fruition? This involves – though not exclusively – funding and grant applications. Strategic partnerships and the expansion of one’s professional network are becoming increasingly important – well beyond Germany’s borders. Here, we will explore the opportunities, as well as the challenges and legal issues, associated with international co-productions. The budget for a documentary film is extremely flexible. It ranges from ‘no budget’ for a self-shot video essay to a major international feature film with a production budget of over €1 million. It is important to assess a film’s budget correctly, as more money does not necessarily mean easier working conditions or better results.

The second part deals with a set of issues that are vital for documentary filmmakers: rights and contract management. This concerns not only one’s own contracts with financiers or clients, but also the regulation of rights between filmmakers and other rights holders: - Transfer of image and sound rights in - Interviews - Archive rights - GEMA/music rights - Indemnification against third-party claims and rights issues in an international context.