2017Legal / Business Practices forum
Payment recovery options when a production company declares bankruptcy after commissioning video work
What the thread found
- Filing a lien against the production company should be done immediately and before the content is released
- Engaging a lawyer experienced in this type of dispute is essential for effective action
- The original copyright holder retains ownership and control of the footage until payment is received, even if the work has been delivered
- Contacting the music label directly or through legal counsel to inform them of non-payment and ownership issues may prompt them to pay rather than face copyright disputes
- Threatening to file copyright takedown notices on streaming platforms where the video is distributed can motivate payment from the label, who may then pursue the bankrupt production company themselves
Depends on
- No specific outcomes or success rates are documented in the thread
- Legal effectiveness of these strategies depends on jurisdiction and the specific contract terms
- The discussion assumes the freelancer holds copyright to the footage, which may vary by contract or location