Film and Media Rights Members  

Artwork is commissioned for a variety of uses across film and television, from an artwork being panned across for a factual programme, to a graphic novel being licensed to be adapted into a film. When it comes to existing work being adapted for the screen, those works are generally optioned before a final deal is achieved to allow for development or raising of finance. This brief introductory guide does not cover every scenario, nor every clause that you are likely to see in agreements that are presented to you.

Licensing work for TV

If creating artwork for TV such as an illustration which will appear in an episode of a TV series there should no assignment of copyright in the work, nor should it be work for hire (which is a US term giving the employer all rights in the work). Rights in the work should be licensed to the programme producer, who will probably require a licence for the entire period of copyright, as they will expect to market the programme for an indefinite period. The licence should be restricted to use in ?audiovisual works?, w