Deal outside of TAXI. Contract writing help?

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joyfrost
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Deal outside of TAXI. Contract writing help?

Post by joyfrost » Sun Jun 15, 2014 5:47 am

Hey everyone! A luck would have it, I came into contact with a broadway star here in Germany who has approached me with interest in recording two of my songs for his demo, as he is breaking off into a solo career. For the moment he is still unsigned, so any music licensing contract is just between us two. The responsibility of drafting the contract is up to me, and this would be my first contract, so any suggestions would be very welcome!! I have found a lot of great sample contracts online already that i have spliced together and updated, but I don't want to leave any stone unturned. What are the most components that I need to include so I'm covering my butt thoroughly? Also, what language do i need to include to cover my rights in the event that he gets signed and the label decides to include my tracks for his album? Does anyone have any contracts you already feel safe using that you'd feel willing to share? I am very excited to be licensing my first songs ever, but drawing up a contract on my own is a little overwhelming.

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Casey H
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Re: Deal outside of TAXI. Contract writing help?

Post by Casey H » Sun Jun 15, 2014 4:47 pm

I think you really need to consult an entertainment attorney in Germany. Too much at stake to play amateur attorney and since you don't live in the US, the advice many of us might give here might not be valid. I know that will cost you some money but doing it right may save you money and heartburn in the future.

Congrats and best of luck!!
:D Casey

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Re: Deal outside of TAXI. Contract writing help?

Post by joyfrost » Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:06 am

Thank you Casey! Deep in my gut I knew that was going to be the case. I just contacted six entertainment attorneys asking for a quote, so I hope that one of them has a fair price :) Even though I speak German, I stuck to contacting only english speaking law firms here to stay on the safe side, since preciseness of language is so crucial here. I hope it all goes well!

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Re: Deal outside of TAXI. Contract writing help?

Post by coachdebra » Tue Jun 17, 2014 11:27 am

Here in the states there are "lawyers for the arts associations" - that offer free or discounted legal advice for artists - you might want to check whether there is a similar service, possibly funded/supported by the government.

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