Contracts for limited edition prints.

[Christian Bennett]

Hi

I'm new, so apologies if this is in the wrong section, I did a search and couldn't find a thread on the subject.

I'm keen to know a bit more about limited edition print contracts if anyone could shed some light on

1. Artist payments
2. Copyright ownership
3. Things to avoid.

Thanks

 

[Asher Kelman]

Welcome to OPF Christian!

 

[Asher Kelman]

I'm keen to know a bit more about limited edition print contracts if anyone could shed some light on

1. Artist payments
2. Copyright ownership
3. Things to avoid.

Thanks

Christian,

One needs to know the background for this contract. Why do you need it? Who is it with? What do you want to protect against? How would you enforce it?

Are you a published artist with unique pictures that command a good price or is this your first venture into monetising your hobby? Is this for small prints say for $50 to 250 each or a series of creative works 2 meters by 4 meters of which there will be just 3 prints, offered for sale in the gallery that represents you for a retail price of $24,000 each?

Without really know about you, your work, concerns and needs, the basis for the contract is not there. After all, if I was going to have such prints made I'd use a company that does just that for artists and they would not ever print an extra copy.

However if you are using someone technically proficient with a suitable printer, then that professional background and trust might be missing. In that case, what good would a contract do?

Hope you will clarify your needs and then I'll offer a better response.

Asher

 

[Christian Bennett]

Hi Asher

Thanks.

I'm not a photographer myself, but we're interested in selling some limited edition prints in a shop. We're a little boutique, initially starting with a small edition of 25 photos of a local street scene, retailing at roughly £50 per print).

Obviously want to make keep the terms and conditions as friendly as possible without leaving ourselves open to too much risk. (Ie photographer walking to a shop down the street and offering them the same image at a cheaper price)

We also want to assure the the buyer that we won't make any more after 25 are sold.

Personally I'd be happy to do it all on a handshake, but my business partner is keen to having something in writing. Which is probably sensible.

I hope this makes sense, I was wondering if there was a contract template kicking around that I could maybe cast my eye over to see if we were missing anything obvious.

Thanks

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Asher

Thanks.

I'm not a photographer myself, but we're interested in selling some limited edition prints in a shop. We're a little boutique, initially starting with a small edition of 25 photos of a local street scene, retailing at roughly £50 per print).

Obviously want to make keep the terms and conditions as friendly as possible without leaving ourselves open to too much risk. (Ie photographer walking to a shop down the street and offering them the same image at a cheaper price)

We also want to assure the the buyer that we won't make any more after 25 are sold.

Personally I'd be happy to do it all on a handshake, but my business partner is keen to having something in writing. Which is probably sensible.

I hope this makes sense, I was wondering if there was a contract template kicking around that I could maybe cast my eye over to see if we were missing anything obvious.

Thanks

Now it all makes sense, Christian!

With an art gallery, the artist initially, until the gallery promotion makes him famous, is so happy to be represented and sold, that he/she wouldn't dream of going elsewhere. With a limited print edition, you need an agreement that declares, for example:

1. That no further prints of that picture will be made of that size ever

2. No further prints of that picture at that size, will be made available online

3. No print can be sold of any size of the image, less than 30% higher than the retail price Christian Bennet sets for the print at £50 per print.

4. Christian Bennet has the exclusive right to sell that print in the area (usually city) for a 2 year period until June 30th 2012​

That's the kind of agreement I'd make. If you are selling the work well, you might eventually actually represent the photographer. I'd also make available a limited edition of say 6 prints of a larger size for special clients.

Good luck! This should benefit both of you and help give joy to your customers. I hope you might discos who the photographer is. Let us know the progress in selling prints and we could get you more of whatever kind you might need!

Asher