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Can anyone recommend a UK law company or lawyer / solicitor who can draw up a legally binding modelling contract for a video series I am planning?

I would prefer someone who knows something about the industry, wont think I am a complete perv for asking (even though I am) and who won't charge me more than my house is worth in fees!!

Cheers

Jason

If you goto google.com, and type in model release, you will find lots of them.

You can also find if you look a few web sites set up for uk porn vids with the forms on them.

If you strugle to find one, email me and I will email you one.

These forms basically say, I give up all rights to the photographs, vidio and allow the owner to do what he or she likes with them.

As I say the nets full of forms.

You could also back yourself up by getting the models to say on vidio that they are xx old and that they were born in xx and that they are doing the film freely and are happy for it to be used as the owner wishes. Also not to forget some id.

A tip also is to get a mini disc player and have it record ALL conversations, this way if you ever get a model who says you said somthing you can provide evidence.

Jason, there are good standard contracts around but I have one which I use for US companies if you wish. Email me direct if you please, thanks.
Zipper

As far as I'm aware, there is no such thing as a 'legal' contract in Britain for girls to do porn. Or in other words there is nothing that would not get laughed out of court!
Do a contract by all means, but there would be nothing you could do if the girl decides to walk out of it.

It is more to protect the girl rather than me as we are doing the shoots on a 50/50 split of any profits.

Jason

Oh it's one of them is it. Mmmmmmm. Better make sure you tell the girls they'll have a looooooong wait til your 'profit' starts to come in. That's assuming you can actually sell it that is. Contrary to public perception the porn business is in a worldwide recession. Supply is way outstripping demand. My US distributor has already laid off 40 people at their duplicating facility, with more likely to go soon. There are just too many people coming into the business after a trip to Dixons or the US equivalant. It's like gambling. If you haven't got a proper budget that you can afford to lose completely, don't do it. It's grossly unfair to any girls you may persuade to take part. They don't know the business side, they probably think like you; make a movie, sell it, make money. It don't work like that. All you'll do is get a bad reputaion. If you relly are serious about playing, at least wait til you have the money to back it up.

I am many things but I am not naive - I know this aint gonna make me into a millionaire and that there will be no immediate return. I am also aware that there may be no return at all.

However, I am very serious about playing and do have the money to back me up if it is needed.

I have talked it thru in depth with her and she realises it will not be a quick buck but she is happy to give a few days a month for something which *may* make her some money in the longer term. Initially I gave made the offer of getting paid for the shoots or going 50/50 - she chose the 50/50 approach and who am I to complain?

If it doesnt make any money then I am the one who stands to lose most and not her - she will only have given a few days a month, I will have to foot all the production and certification costs.

Because this is not the type of shoot I normally do, I want the legal contract so we are both protected.

Jason

Praise the Lord! At last a major player the porn scene has had the bottle to face reality and admit that the porn business is, er 'fucked.' Nice one Ben. Now, if we can get a few more porn business players to analyse why they are skint - instead of deluding themselves and blaming it on the weather, footy, stock market, etc - we might be able to confront the issue and look for a way forward.

I'm afraid Jason is living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks he will make any dough, either now, or in the future. If producers who have years of experience and have played at the highest levels cannot make a decent living anymore, how can an enthusiastic amateur with no contacts or experience do anything but waste his money? If Jason does go through with it and gets a film certified who's he going to sell it to? The only legal outlets in the UK are the 90 or so shops and most of them are owned by one big player who will offer you the princely sum of ?2.50, per unit. Which will leave you with about a quid profit. If your lucky you might shift a thousand, wheyhey a grand! But hold on, you?ve got to split that with the young lady. Oh, and a bill for ?1,100.00 quid from the BBFC has just dropped onto the doormat, so, er, best dig into your saving again!

Officer Dibble.

I am not just an enthusiatic amateur and I do have both experience and contacts. Like I said above, I am not expecting to become a millionaire as a result of this and I can afford to lose money on it so who gives a shit?

The UK is not the only market open to me and I have already spoken to distributors in Europe and the USA about distributing over there.

Like I said earlier I am not naive (far fucking from it) but I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think there was a good chance of making something out of it and I believe there is.

Jason

OK fine, go ahead give it a try. If everyone's cool about it, there's nothing more to say.