Creative People's Centre

Director Agreements

In the legal relationship between a Director and the production company that contracts for their services, there are many different issues that need to be considered and provided for. For any Director to ensure they get the best possible deal for themselves and appropriately protect their future interests, it is vital there is a clear understanding of what the most important issues are and the different ways that these issues can be addressed. In this Fact Sheet we consider these issues.

The specific questions we address are:

• What does a Director do?
• What is a “Director’s Cut”?
• Who is the “Completion Guarantor?
• Is it necessary to have a completion guarantee?
• Does the Director contract as an individual?
• How long does a Director Agreement last for?
• Can the Director work on other projects as well?
• Does the Director own the copyright in the film?
• Does the Director have the final say in hiring production personnel?
• How does the Director get paid?
• Does the Director receive a credit in the film?
• What other things is the Director expected to agree to?

Click here to download Director Agreements (168)