CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT BRINGS REWARDS

Posted on November 3, 2008

£500K So Far collected for Equity Members

The establishment, in 2007, of a dedicated Contract Enforcement Officer within Equity’s Recorded Media Department has ensured that members have already received over half a million pounds in royalties and residuals so far during 2008.

Royalties from DVD Sales have been collected and distributed for the following cinema films:
• Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
• Casino Royale
• Closer
• Batman Begins
• The Da Vinci Code
• Corpse Bride
• Troy
• Touching The Void
• Calendar Girls

Royalties for DVD/Video sales for productions where the Videogram rights were never taken up by the Producers, or have since expired have also increased. For example, Equity recently enforced cast members rights and secured £20,000 in respect of a DVD box-set of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas originally filmed for the BBC. £11,000 was received for cast members that appeared alongside John Thaw in the 1960s series “Redcap” after Equity’s involvement in enforcing the contractual terms on which they were engaged.

Equity has also enforcedi the payment of royalties for made-for-TV movies including SOS Titanic, Nicholas Nickelby and The Scarlet Pimpernel. We have also been working hard to enforce actors rights with companies like Hallmark and HBO in America, and hope to see cast members from productions including Tenth Kingdom, Alice In Wonderland, Cleopatra, and Band of Brothers amongst many others, finally seeing the royalties that are due to them.

With the explosion of technology resulting in a multitude of new platforms from which members work can be viewed it is crucial that members, wherever possible, keep a copy the contract under which they were engaged. Alternatively members can send a copy of the contract to me at the address below.

If you are concerned that you are not receiving royalties/residuals due to you, it is essential that you provide a copy of your contract or evidence of the original engagement along with confirmation of the original fees paid to you , together with details of where the programme was used (e.g. a copy of the programme in TV listings magazine, or an advert showing its availability on DVD) to Claire Jones, Contract Enforcement Officer at the Guild House address, or to cjones@equity.org.uk

TV is Changing • Equity