the fair co-production charter
Preamble
In a large number of developing countries (Africa, Indian Ocean, Eurasia, Asia, Caribbean Amazon, Pacific), a multitude of images of the world appear on television screens every day, without any production of works of heritage. (fiction, documentary, or animation) is directed and produced in the countries concerned, to the point that the representation of the cultures and identities of these areas expresses more a point of view of the outside world on their environment than their own views. The challenge today is therefore that of the production and creation of images by the filmmakers living in these spaces, and their views on the realities of their countries and the world.
To respond to this challenge, the programs initiated by Docmonde have been set up to train a generation of independent directors and producers of high-level creative documentaries. Every year, Doc Monde brings together in Saint-Louis du Senegal (since 2007), in Tamatave (since 2012), in Yerevan (since 2012), in Saint Laurent du Maroni and Poindimié (since 2014), in Phnom-Penh and Quito ( from 2015), producers, heads of cultural institutions, as well as broadcasters, from Europe and from these regions, at Tënk Co-production Meetings in order to hear writer-directors present their project.
From these meetings was born the desire to produce together between producers from these different areas and from Europe, creative documentaries gathered in a Light Collection specific to each of the areas: Light from Africa, Light from the Indian Ocean, Light from Eurasia, Light of the Caribbean Amazon, Light of the Pacific, Light of Asia.
A program which aims to:
- Bring out a new generation of documentary filmmakers,
- Support the development of the fabric of independent producers in the areas concerned,
- Forge links and create a co-production cooperation network between Europe / developing countries, by setting up a collection of high editorial quality based on works by authors,
- Move forward together to build the future heritage fund and create the reference works of tomorrow.
Definition
The Lumière Collections are designed to boost the production, distribution and dissemination of creative documentary films in these different areas.
Author and director projects, living and working in Africa, in the islands of the Indian Ocean, in the Eurasian region, in Asia, in the Amazon, Caribbean and Pacific region, who have followed a residency in Africa, are eligible for the Lumière Collection. Doc Monde writing in one of these regions and who were selected to present their project at the Tënk Co-production Meetings.
These authors - directors will have a producer from their country or their area and, following the Tënk Meetings, will find a European producer.
Among these films:
- On the side of Africa, Indian Ocean, Eurasia, Asia, Caribbean Amazonia, Pacific: all the films belonging to this Collection must have a broadcaster from the country or zone which guarantees the visibility of the films by the local populations.
- On the European side, the distribution partners of the collection are the TLSP channels (local public service television (LCTV, TVFIL 78, CINAPS, VOSGES TV, TV RENNES 35). They undertake to co-produce films from the collections that will be broadcast on their channel Each year, between 10 and 15 films constitute a new Lumière Collection for each zone.
Co-producers
For the European producer, it is a question of supporting the producer, the director and the local technicians (production manager, sound engineer, cameraman, editor, etc.) so that as quickly as possible in each of these regions, training and develops a set of trades with a good level of professional skills. In areas where these levels are reached, co-production is done on an equal footing.
It is up to each pair of co-producers to define among themselves the percentage of industrial property of the work. But we know that the creation support funds available to independent producers in these states are few. For the terms of trade to be fair, it is essential to reassess the “intangible” contribution of authors, directors and producers; and to take into account the cultural value of the projects carried by the producers of these regions.
Consequently, whatever the contributions in cash or in industry from one or the other, local producers who co-produce a project with a European producer within the framework of the Lumière Collection, will hold a minimum of 40% of the property. industrial work.
The development, location, shooting and post-production phases will be carried out on the basis of actual quotes provided by each party concerned. The co-production contracts will set out in precise terms the financing conditions for filming and post-production. Real and justified operating accounts with full transparency of income and expenditure will be provided by each co-producer to establish the final production balance sheet with equitable distribution of profits (or losses).
At the end of post-production, the producer in the North will provide the producer in the South with a hard drive with all the elements of the film: rushes, PADs and editing files in all versions.
The conditions for showing and distributing films will be defined in the co-production contract at the discretion of the parties who undertake to provide annual operating revenue statements and to make the corresponding payments.
Copyright
We are defenders of the Francophone principle of Copyright. So when a director from one of these areas is co-produced by a European producer, he must obviously benefit from author and directing contracts.
Thus, he must register his work with the Copyright Office of his country of residence or the country of production, and in Europe, with SCAM or SACEM.
At the same time, the European co-producer undertakes to notify SCAM, or SACEM, for France, Belgium and Switzerland so that copyright is transferred to authors in the emerging zone, as an extension of the film's distribution. .
Aware of the often precarious situations of the authors in many production areas, the terms of these contracts must be scrupulously respected, in particular the payment of the sums due upon signature of the contract and the balance before the start of filming.
Production team / Post production
Filming is carried out in the regions from which the authors originate. Post production (editing, mixing), in Europe.
Crew : Sound recorders, cameramen, and technicians should be recruited from among local professionals. If, for reasons accepted by both parties, certain positions were occupied by Europeans, the production will have to hire local trainees (apprentices) on the shooting of the film, in order to allow the emergence of a network of technical skills in the area. concerned.
Post-production team: For reasons relating to obligations related to European regulations and the French CNC, the post -‐ production of works (editing, mixing, shaping, editing of PADs, etc.) is carried out in Europe. The fact remains that local trainees could be trained in Europe, if both parties have provided for this possibility.
Collection benefits and commitments
If this charter tends to define a kind of fair production model that is rather restrictive for European producers, it also gives them an image, an ethical quality label which they can rely on. Reciprocity for production in the areas concerned is also essential. It also has a technical and ethical obligation. The harshness of production conditions in Europe means that the Collection and the European producers who engage in it obey constraints, in particular deadlines and times more constrained than in Africa, Eurasia, Asia, than in the Ocean. Indian, in the Pacific, in the Amazon Caribbean area.
Producers in the Lumière Collection areas therefore undertake to comply with social and copyright obligations on the one hand, as well as to pay the amounts of wages provided for within the deadlines set by the production, to respect the work schedule and production time fixed by mutual agreement in the co-production agreements. Filming and editing must be done on time so that the producers can deliver the PADs on time to the Collection's partners, except in extreme cases requiring agreement by all parties.
This charter must be considered as a contract that each producer (in Europe, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Eurasia, Asia, the Caribbean Amazon, the Pacific undertakes to respect from the outset. Commitment to this charter is one of the entry points for being able to co-produce as part of the Collection (with the advantages it implies).
Failure to comply with this charter will make it impossible for a producer of the Lumière du monde collective to co-produce a next film from the collection.
