NDAs and other contracts

[Hoptoad]

Anybody have a source for NDAs and other useful contracts related to hiring a work-for-hire animator?

If you have such contracts on your hard drive, could you share them?

Thanks.

[slowtiger]

Well, since it's an NDA I'm not allowed to share ...

Better just ask specific questions. Also note that certain clauses might only be enforceable in certain jurisdictions.

[Hoptoad]

Okay. Well, this little animation project could be a year or more in the making, and I thought it might be a good idea to have a few of the more difficult scenes animated by someone else.

The contract relates to this: The work is work-for-hire. The animator can't post any of their work product onto their portfolio website, reel or wherever until the project is officially launched. Also, anything they learn about the project could not be shared until the project is launched -- or 2 years passes, whichever comes first.

I could write a contract, but I might forget to include something important, so I don't want to risk it.

Ideally, the contract would be short but versatile, so I could also use it for backgrounds, bone rigs, and anything else that might pop up.

[slowtiger]

Ah, I see, you're the one writing that contract. These things can be pretty exhaustive and restricting, but usually there's no need for that.

Some things I've encountered so far come to mind:
- keep your involvement into the project, your role, even existence and title confidentially until <date>. (Yes, I had that one.)
- after project publication (be specific: premiere? First trailer? else?)/<date> you're allowed to show the portions of project you worked on on your personal website and/or in your portfolio/showreel. Your role must be specified, if necessary on a scene-by-scene basis. If necessary, names of other artists should be given as well.
- all artwork for this project, from sketches to finished scenes, belong to me. (Can be a total buy-out in US, but not in Germany, where we have some non-transfereable artist's rights.)
- Any part of the project you publish this way must contain the appropriate copyright notice (like <example>).
- You cannot sell any artwork you did for this project.
- under no circumstances you're allowed to publish complete films/episodes/whatever.
- in case you need to show your work before project publication date (for instance to apply at another studio), please get in contact so we can work out something. Also get in contact for hi-res artwork of what you want to show: it's in our shared interest to only show best quality.

A real NDA would also include something like how much money they owe you should they act against it. I don't recommend this, I prefer to work in a framework of mutual trust.

It helps a great deal if there's press material available which can be used by individual artists as well: the film logo/banner, a poster, a link to a trailer, etc. This way they can announce their involvement without compromising the quality of communication.

Disclaimer: I'm no lawyer, nor did I ever animated one.

[Hoptoad]

Thanks, that was helpful.

I have some contracts that I had signed in a box somewhere pertaining to the Star Wars brand, but they were lengthy and probably too complex for me to adapt. I want a contract that's short but thorough, and easy to understand.

. . .I don't recommend this, I prefer to work in a framework of mutual trust.

Me, too.

[Hoptoad]

I was looking in a folder on my computer for a particular digital drawing and found a NDA contract I had saved a long time ago. Yay.