The entertainment industry can be as friendly as the sun, but at the end of the day, it is still a business. People you work with, such as a record label, producers or other artists, can make unexpected moves that negatively affect you and your rights. This can happen to business relationships like collaborations.
No matter how deep your connection with an artist, songwriter or producer you are collaborating with, it is crucial to protect yourself from unanticipated scenarios that could cost you prospective profit and cause potential harm to your rights.
The power of a mutually agreed upon contract
The best chance for an artist to protect their rights during a collaboration and stop the unwanted use of a collaborative piece is to have a mutually agreed and signed contract that defines each collaborator’s rights and responsibilities, as well as how to resolve certain disputes. Usually, this contract defines the share of ownership of the collaborative piece’s intellectual property.
With this agreement, an artist can fight for their ownership and profit rights in case the other collaborator dishonestly claims sole ownership or otherwise uses the piece beyond the allowable scope of the contract.
Consequently, without a contract, a collaborator can license the collaborative piece, and the other collaborator has little chance of claiming foul.
Do not let others take advantage of your rights and potential
Establishing a career in the entertainment industry is challenging. Maintaining it and maximizing artist rights protection is even tougher. Understanding artist rights and negotiating contracts are the main considerations an artist has to dive into to realize their full potential.