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Director Agreement

For a director and a production company joining forces to bring a film or series to life.

Drafted by a Harvard Law entertainment attorney.

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Custom Contract

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About 2 to 5 minutes

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Custom Contract or Editable Template?

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Feature	Custom Contract	Editable Template
Best for	Most users	Editing everything yourself
How it works	Answer guided questions	Fill highlighted fields yourself
Word and PDF	Yes	Yes
E-signature	Yes	No
Time required	About 2 to 5 minutes	Depends on your edits
Price	$50	$50

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Is this the right contract for your project?

This contract is built for hiring a director to lead the creative work on a film, show, or video. It fits projects that need a set fee, defined creative controls and approvals, clear credit, and clear ownership of the work.

Good fit for

Producers or production companies hiring a director
Studios bringing a director onto a project
Directors setting their fee, controls, and credit
Projects that need clear final cut or editing terms
Anyone who needs clear ownership of the work

You may also need

Producer Agreement - when hiring a producer for the project
Production Company Agreement - when a company will deliver the production
Actor & Performer Agreement - when casting actors for the project
Screenwriter Agreement - when hiring a writer for the script
Non-Disclosure Agreement - before sharing private project details

What's Inside This Contract

Engagement and services

Sets the director's role, duties, and creative work on the project.

Compensation

Covers the fee, any back-end, and payment timing.

Credit

States how and where the director is credited.

Intellectual property

States who owns the director's work.

Representations and warranties

Confirms each side has the right to enter the deal and meet its promises.

Term and termination

Covers how long the deal lasts, how it can end, and any guild terms.

Disputes and general provisions

Covers standard terms such as notices, how disputes are handled, and signatures.

Not sure what a section means? Every contract you create includes a built-in "Explain Sections" view with a plain-English note for each part of the document.

Before you start

It helps to have these details on hand before you create your contract:

The director's name and the project
The fee and any profit share
The creative controls and approvals
Who holds final cut or editing rights
How the director will be credited
Who owns the work
Whether the role is exclusive during production
Term and deadlines

Points Worth Negotiating

The fee and any profit share
How much creative control the director has
Who holds final cut or editing rights
How the director is credited
Whether the role is exclusive during production

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a director agreement?

It hires a director and sets the fee, creative controls, credit, and who owns the finished work.

What is final cut?

Final cut is the right to decide the final edited version of a project. The director and the production negotiate who holds it.

How is a director paid?

Through a fee, plus a share of profits on larger projects. The agreement sets out both and the payment timing.

Who owns the director's work?

Ownership is negotiated. Most deals give ownership to the production company, with the director paid a fee and credit. The agreement states this clearly.

What should I have ready before creating it?

Have the fee and any profit share, the creative controls, who holds final cut, how the director is credited, and who owns the work.

Should I choose the custom contract or the editable template?

Choose the custom contract to answer a few questions and have it filled in for you. Choose the editable template if you prefer a blank version with labeled fields to complete yourself.

What are common warning signs in a director agreement?

These are common issues to watch for in any director agreement:

Unclear creative control or approvals
No clarity on who holds final cut
Missing credit terms
Vague duties or schedule
No termination terms

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