Agreement
We believe that the future of independent film depends on creating a system that fairly compensates filmmakers.
Fair compensation means a few things to us:
- A fair share of profit
- No hidden costs or charges
- Clear expectations on how and when you will be paid
In order to distribute your film through bside.com, you will need to accept our agreement. Every week we all click “I accept” numerous times without reading what it is we accept. However, in this case it is important to us that you understand what you are agreeing to.
We have taken care to write an agreement in as close to plain English as our attorney will allow. In addition, the following summary should help you understand some of the things it says. If you have any questions, please contact us at legal@bside.com – we’d be happy to try and answer them.
Agreement Terms in Plain English
- Exclusivity. Our agreement is non-exclusive. What that means is that you are free to distribute your film through any other non-exclusive outlet, including selling on your own website. The only thing that would prevent you from distributing through bside.com would be if you have signed an exclusive agreement with someone else.You can cancel at any time for any reason with 60 days notice. This means that if someone approaches you in the future about exclusive distribution, you are free to pursue it.
- Rights. B-Side will make your film available for sale a) digitally, and b) on DVD. Digital sales will be via streaming or download, and will be sold without Digital Rights Management (DRM) or copy protection software. We may also elect to publicly screen your film to audiences in an effort to increase visibility and awareness. You own the copyright to your film.
- Pricing. B-Side will set the sale price of all films, and may change prices over time. We may from time to time offer promotions and discounts to our customers, and may sponsor free screenings to help promote your film.
- Payment to You. Our terms are a simple “cost off the top 70/30.” This means that we deduct the cost of a transaction from the sale price, and split the rest with you 70/30 – with 70% going to you. The costs are fixed at $3.95 per DVD (or $2.95, if you supply inventory), and $0.40 per gigabyte for digital download / stream. You receive a share of every single sale, with no setup fees, and no recoupment of overhead or marketing costs.
- Additional Services. Through our partnerships or other agreements, we may offer you additional opportunities to distribute your film more widely. Participation in any such opportunities is optional, and up to you.
- Payment. We will pay you 30 days after the end of each month, so long as your payment due is at least $100. For any period where payment due is less than $100, we will pay you 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter (ie, Jan. 30, Apr. 30, Jul. 30, Oct. 30).
- Warranties. This is an important section (as are all the sections), and you should read it carefully. It says, among other things, that you have obtained all of the necessary clearances and rights for all music or other licensed material in your film, that there are no problems with the chain-of-title of the film, and that you have the authority and rights to enter into this agreement with us. Again, please read this carefully.
- Additional Terms and Conditions. The final section of our agreement contains all of the standard legalese our attorney would not allow us to do away with. The terms are there to protect both you and us, and are similar to those you will find in most any other agreement you click “I agree” to.
If you have any questions or concerns about any of these terms, please feel free to consult with an attorney, or contact us any time at legal@bside.com. We cannot be your attorney, but we can try to help answer your questions.
Please continue on to read the complete Agreement:
