EX-10.13
15
ex1013.htm
EXHIBIT 10.13
Exhibit
10.13
Escape
Artists Productions, LLC
00000
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Building, 3`d Floor
Xxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
As
of
February 15, 2002
Platinum
Studios, LLC
c/x
Xxxxx
& Xxxxxx, LLP
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, 0x Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxx Xxxxx
RE:
"COWBOYS AND ALIENS" /
Option and Acquisition of Rights Ladies and
Gentlemen:
The
following terms, and all exhibits attached hereto (all of which are made a
part
hereof and
incorporated herein by this reference), constitute the agreement ("Agreement")
between Platinum
Studios, LLC, a
California limited liability company ("Owner") and Escape
Artists Productions,
LLC ("Company"), with respect to the unpublished comic book series and related
literary
materials (except for publication of a comic book "Ashcan Mini Comic" in May
of
1997]) entitled
"Cowboys and Aliens" ("Work"), created by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx ("Author"),
and owned
by
Owner, and registered for copyright in the United States Copyright Office by
Platinum Studios
as the copyright claimant on May 19,1997, Entry No. VAU-349-417 and registered
for Trademark
in the United States Office of Patents and Trademarks on February 24, 1998,
as
Entry No.2139278.
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1.
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CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT. All of Company's obligations hereunder are subject to
satisfaction
of the following conditions
precedent:
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1.1
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Executed
Agreements. Company's receipt of fully executed copies of this
Agreement;
and
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| 1.2 | Chain-of-Title.
Company's receipt and approval of all chain-of-title documentation
(including, without limitation, fully executed copies of any releases
required under Section 17 below) in connection with the Property (as
defined in Section 2 hereinbelow) and Company's approval of the copyright
status of the Property. Satisfaction of this condition is
waived. |
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2.
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PROPERTY.
As used herein, the term Property shall mean all right, title and
interest
of every kind and nature in and to the Work whenever created, subject
only
to Section 10 below, including all past, present and future issues
of the
Work and all related treatments and intellectual property, and including
without limitation all past, present and future copyrights, trademarks
(subject only to Section 10 below), trade names, service marks, logos
(and
other marks and indicia of the Property) and other intellectual property
rights or other rights of any kind relating thereto, whether now
known or
hereafter devised, and any renewals, extensions, restorations or
resuscitations thereof, including without limitation all of the
following:
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1
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2.1
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Characters.
Any and all characters ("Characters") contained in the Work,
excluding
only any "Excluded Characters", as defined in Section 10.1.2
hereinbelow.
Owner represents and agrees that as of the date of signature
of this
Agreement there are no Excluded Characters except for the so
called
"Grays" as defined in Section 10.1.2 below. Owner further represents
and
agrees that none of the characters in the screenplay by Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
dated July 34, 2002 are "Excluded Characters" except for the
so called
"Grays";
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| 2.2 | Individual
Storylines. All plots, storylines, scenes, settings, incidents,
titles, themes, contents,
characterizations, dialogue, scenarios, special effects, translations,
adaptations and other elements
(including, without limitation, visual elements) created, described
and/or
appearing in the Work |
| 2.3 | Underlying
Materials. All literary, dramatic or other material or
copyrighted works of any nature on which the Work (i.e., the characters,
themes, settings and stories) is directly based or derived from
(a
complete list of the currently existing materials comprising the
Work is
set forth in Schedule 1 and incorporated herein by this reference)
subject
to the limitations and reservation of rights set forth in Section
10.1.2; |
| 2.4 | Other
Material. All literary, dramatic or other material or
copyrighted works of any nature
based on or derived from the Work;
and |
| 2.5 | Documents:
All contracts, agreements, assignments and instruments of every kind
and
character under which Owner may have heretofore acquired or may hereafter
acquire any right, title or interest in or to the Work (a complete
list of
such currently existing documents is set forth in Schedule 2 and
incorporated herein by this
reference). |
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3.
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OPTION.
Owner hereby grants to Company the sole, irrevocable and exclusive
option
("Option")
to acquire from Owner, forever and throughout the universe and
in any and
all languages,
the Rights (as defined in Section 8 below) in and to the
Property.
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4.1
Option Period. The Option shall commence as of February 15, 2002,
and, subject to Section
4.2 hereof shall continue for two (2) years thereafter ("Initial
Option
Period"); provided, however, that Company shall have the right,
exercisable by written notice to Owner and payment of the Second
Option
Payment to Owner at any time prior to the expiration of the Initial
Option
Period, to extend the Option for an additional period of twelve (12)
months ("First Option Extension") commencing upon the expiration
of the
Initial Option Period. The Initial Option Period and the First Option
Extension shall be referred to collectively as the "Option Period."
Company may exercise the Option by written notice given to Owner
at any
time on or before the expiration of the Option Period and, pursuant
to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement, concurrently paying the "Purchase
Price" as defined below.
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4.2
Extensions. The Option Period shall be automatically extended
(provided, that Company
shall notify Owner of any extension of the Option Period pursuant
to this
Section 4.2 in writing within a reasonable time thereafter, but
failure to
deliver such written notice shall not be deemed a breach by Company
or
otherwise limit the effectiveness of such
extension):
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| | 4.2.1
For the duration of any "Event of Force Majeure" (as defined in Section
20.6 hereinbelow) and such additional time (not to exceed ten [10]
business days) as is reasonably necessary for Company to recommence
its
usual business operations provided, however, that any extension of
the
Option Period based on an Event of Force Majeure which affects Company
but
does not affect any other major motion picture company shall not
exceed
twelve (12) months. |
| | 4.2.2 For
the duration of any material breach or default by Owner and/or Author
of
any representation, warranty or agreement made hereunder, or of any
claim
or litigation asserted against
Owner and/or Company relating to the Property which (in Company's
good
faith judgment) materially
interferes with Company's development, financing, production or
exploitation of the Rights
(collectively, "Rights Claims") and such additional time as is reasonably
necessary for Company
to recommence its development of the Property (not to exceed ten
[10]
business days); provided,
that any such extension based upon a claim shall terminate upon the
expiration of the applicable
statute of limitations period unless litigation in respect of such
claim
has theretofore been
commenced by the claimant. Any extension under this Section 4.2.2
will
terminate if after receipt
of actual notice of the applicable claim or litigation, Company commences
production of a
Motion Picture based on the Property. If the resolution of any such
litigation indicates an actual
breach of Owner's representations and warranties hereunder, or if
after
such resolution Company
cannot acquire the Rights free and clear of all claims, liens, and
demands
in accordance
with Owner's representations and warranties hereunder, Company, in
addition to all of its
legal and equitable remedies, may rescind this Agreement, in which
event
Owner shall refund any
payments received from Company in connection with the Property. Owner's
representations and
warranties and indemnification obligations and Company's indemnification
and insurance obligations
shall survive any such rescission. |
| | 4.2.3 If
the last day of the Option Period falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or
holiday,
through and including the next business day following such Saturday,
Sunday or holiday (as used herein, "holiday" means any holiday which
is
recognized by the State of California and/or the federal
government). |
| | 4.2.4 For
the period of time equal to the aggregate of any and all time periods
(if
any) during which Owner is in breach or default under any provision
of
this Agreement. |
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5.
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CONSIDERATION:
As consideration for the grant of Rights to Company under this
Agreement
and for all of the promises, representations and warranties made
by Owner
hereunder, Company shall pay Owner the
following:
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| | 5.1 With
respect to the Initial Option Period, Twelve Thousand Five Hundred
Dollars
($12,500) ("Initial Option Payment"). Owner acknowledges receipt
of the
Initial Option Payment. |
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5.2 If
Company elects to extend the Option for the
First Option Extension, the sum of Twelve
Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($12,500) ("Second Option Payment") together
with
Company's notice to Owner of such election.
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5.3
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If
Company exercises the Option, the sum of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000)
less the Initial Option Payment and the First Option Extension
Payment (if
such payment is made) ("Purchase Price"), and subject to Section
5.4
hereinbelow, upon Company's exercise of the Option; provided, however,
if
Company commences principal photography of a "Motion Picture" (as
defined
in Section 20.3, below) based upon or adapted from the Property
prior to
exercising the Option, the Option shall be deemed to have been
exercised
as of the date of commencement of principal photography of such
Motion
Picture, and the Purchase Price shall be due and payable no later
than
five (5) business days following said commencement of principal
photography.
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5.4
If
Company in its sole discretion makes any
payment in the form of a fixed amount
(and excluding any payment in the form of contingent compensation) to Universal
Pictures
or any other third party (including, for example, any amount paid to an errors
and omissions
insurance carrier for an increased premium) in order to acquire rights or
make
settlements
regarding previous materials developed based on the Property, then for the
first
Motion
Picture based on or adapted from the Property only ("First Picture"), Company
shall have
the
right to reduce the Purchase Price by an amount equal to 25% of any such
payments until
the
Purchase Price has been reduced to One Million Six Hundred Twenty Five Thousand
Dollars
($1,625,000); provided further, Owner shall have the right to participate
in any
settlement
negotiations; and provided, further, that the first Fifty Thousand Dollars
($50,000) of the
cost
of any errors and omissions insurance premium beyond the customary premium
for a
typical
studio theatrical motion picture shall be borne by Company. Notwithstanding
the
foregoing,
if the First Picture is produced by or with DreamWorks or Universal there
shall
be no such
right of offset. Further, if Company disregards a reasonable requirement
of the
errors and omissions
insurance carrier or the domestic distributor's legal counsel, then Owner
shall
not be subject
to offset for any claim arising out of such particular matter. Owner represents
and warrants
that Owner has provided Company with copies of all the screenplays developed
by
Universal
and/or DreamWorks while the project was under option to Universal pursuant
to
the Literary
Option Purchase Agreement dated as of May 16, 1997 between Universal and
Owner,
(the
"Universal Agreement"), a complete list of which screenplays is set forth
on
Schedule 3 and incorporated
herein by this reference (the "Universal Screenplays"), and that to the best
knowledge
of Owner the aggregate hard cost investment in development at Universal and/or
DreamWorks
does not exceed $2,000,000.
6.1 At
such time, if ever, that the domestic
theatrical box office receipts (i.e., United States
and Canada) ("DBO") as reported in Daily Variety that the First Picture
has earned equals the greater of (a) One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000)
or (b) an amount equal to the actual cost of production of the First
Picture
(inclusive of the costs of financing, completion bond, overhead computed
at the
rate of ten percent (10%), but exclusive of pre-breakeven gross third
party
participations) plus Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000) ("First Box
Office
Breakpoint"),
Owner shall be entitled to receive the sum of Two hundred Thousand
Dollars($200,000), which shall be payable within thirty
(30)
days after the date of publication of such report; plus
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6.2 At
such time, if ever, that the DBO that the First Picture has earned equals First
Box Office Breakpoint plus Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000) in DBO, Owner
shall be entitled to receive the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000),
which shall be payable
within thirty (30) days after the date of publication of such report;
plus
6.3 At
such time, if ever, that the DBO that the First Picture has earned equals First
Box Office Breakpoint plus Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000) in DBO, Owner
shall be entitled to receive the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000),
which shall be payable within thirty (30) days after the date of publication
of
such report; plus
6.4 At
such time, if ever, that the DBO that the First Picture has earned equals First
Box Office Breakpoint plus Ninety Million Dollars ($90,000,000) in DBO, Owner
shall be entitled
to receive the sum of Two hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000), which shall
be
payable within thirty (30) days after the date of publication of such report;
plus
6.5 At
such time, if ever, that the DBO that the First Picture has earned equals First
Box Office Breakpoint plus One Hundred Twenty Million Dollars ($120,000,000)
in
DBO, Owner
shall be entitled to receive the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000),
which shall be payable within thirty (30) days after the date of publication
of
such report; plus
6.6 At
such time, if ever, that the DBO that the First Picture has earned equals First
Box
Office Breakpoint plus One Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($150,000,000) in
DBO,
Owner shall
be
entitled
.
6A.1 Contingent
Compensation. The following amounts ("Percentage Contingent Compensation")
the greater of:
A. ONE
AND ONE QUARTER PERCENT (1.25 %) of the "Gross Proceeds,"
if any, of the First Picture from and after "First Artificial Breakeven" (as
defined below); or
B. TWO
AND ONE HALF PERCENT (2.5%) of the "Net Proceeds," if any, of the Picture from
and after "Initial Actual Breakeven" (as defined below).
Company
makes no representation that the Picture will generate any Gross Proceeds,
or
any particular amount of Net Proceeds. Neither Lender nor Artist shall have
any
right or authority to make any commitment with respect to any Third Party
Participations.
6A.2 Definitions.
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A.
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"Gross
Receipts," "Gross Proceeds" and "Net Proceeds" shall be defined,
computed, accounted for and paid in accordance with Columbia Pictures'
("Columbia") standard definition of Gross and Net Proceeds attached
hereto
as Exhibit A (as modified by the rider attached thereto), provided
that in
all territories where the Picture is licensed to an EA output partner
for
a minimum guarantee, then "Gross Receipts" from such territories
shall be
the net payment received by Columbia from such territories net of
all
actual out of pocket third party costs and expenses including the
sales
fee payable to Summit
Entertainment.
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B.
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"First Artificial Breakeven" means that point,
if ever,
at which Net Proceeds
are first reached, but all distribution fees of greater than Twenty
Percent (20%) on all Gross Receipts, shall be deemed to be Twenty
Percent
(20%) in lieu of the Distribution Fees provided for in Company's
standard
definition of "Net
Proceeds."
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C.
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"Initial
Actual Breakeven" means that point, if ever, at which Net
Proceeds
are first reached
(i.e., applying Company's standard Distribution Fees as provided
in
Company's attached definition of "Net Proceeds" as modified by the
rider
attached thereto).
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7.
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PRE-PRODUCTION
ACTIVITIES. Company shall have the right during the Option Period
to
cause to be written screenplays, treatments, outlines and other
material
based in whole or in part on the Property, and generally to
engage in any
and all development and/or pre-production activities in respect
of the
Property, including without limitation all so-called pre-sales
and other
activities in connection with arrangements for financing and/or
distribution of any Motion Picture. Whether or not Company
exercises the
Option, Company shall be the sole owner of (and Owner shall
have no right,
title or interest in or to) any such screenplays, treatments,
outlines,
Motion Pictures or other material created or developed by Company
or at
Company's request, subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement
as otherwise set forth in Section 10
herein.
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8.1
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Rights.
If the Option is exercised, Company automatically and irrevocably
shall
own
and be vested with, and Owner automatically and irrevocably
shall be
deemed to have granted, conveyed, assigned, transferred and
set over to
Company, exclusively and in perpetuity, for the entire universe,
in any
and all languages, all of Owner's right, title and interest
of every kind
and nature in and to the Property, including without limitation
all of
Owner's rights (now or hereafter known or devised) under any
and all
copyrights and trademarks therein and thereto (and all renewals,
extensions, restorations and resuscitations thereof) and any
and all
rights now known and used, under any and all such copyrights
in perpetuity
(but in any event for not less than the period of copyright
and trademarks
and any and all renewals, extensions, restorations and resuscitations
thereof), in any and all languages and in any and all media
now known and
used, now known and hereafter used, or hereafter known or devised
and used
for the entire universe, except for and subject to the Reserved
Rights (as
defined in Section 10 below) (collectively, the "Rights").
Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the "Rights" shall
in any and
all events include, without limitation, all of Owner's right,
title and
interest in and to the following, except for and subject to
the Reserved
Rights: (i) the sole and exclusive Motion Picture rights, including,
without limitation, the sole and exclusive right to produce
one (1) or
more Motion Pictures or other derivative works (including,
without
limitation, sequels, prequels, remakes, musicals and/or serials)
based, in
whole or in part, on the Property and the right to fix, release,
distribute, exhibit, perform, transmit, broadcast,
advertise, promote and otherwise exploit such Motion Pictures
or other
derivative works by
any and all means and in any and all media whether now or hereafter
known
or devised, including,
without limitation, all of the following: theatrical; non-theatrical
(including airlines, ships and
other carriers, military, educational, industrial and the like);
pay-per-view; home video (including
video-cassettes, digital videodiscs, laserdiscs, CD-ROMs and
all other
formats); all forms of
television (including pay, free, network, syndication, cable,
satellite,
high definition and digital);video-on-demand,
near video-on-demand, and subscription-on-demand; all forms
of digital or
on- line
exploitation, distribution and/or transmission (including,
without
limitation, the internet), CD- ROMs,
fiber optic or other exhibition, broadcast and/or delivery
systems and/or
computerized or computer-assisted
media; all rights of communication to the public, rights of
distribution
to the public,
rights of making available or other forms of public or private
communication and/or distribution;
and all forms of dissemination, communication or distribution
to one or
more locations or
parties, whether embodied or transmitted utilizing analog,
digital or
other format; (ii) all ancillary,
incidental and subsidiary rights including, without limitation,
all
merchandising, (e.g., games,
computer, video and other electronic games, toys, so-called
"making of'
books, apparel, food,
beverages, posters, and other commodities, services or items),
commercial
tie-ins, music, music
publishing, soundtrack, photonovel (using for example stills
from the
Picture with narrative text)
(subject to Section 10.1.1), novelization (subject to Section
10.1.1),
screenplay publication, interactive
media, multi-media, and theme park (or other "themed" or location-based
attraction) rights
in and to the Property; (iii) the right to make or publish
excerpts,
synopses or summaries of the
Property not to exceed the lesser of one thousand (1,000) words
or ten
percent (10%) of the Work,
for purposes of advertising, publicizing or exploiting the
foregoing
rights in and to the Property;
and (iv) Subject to Owner's Reserved Rights, the exclusive
right to use
the title or titles by which
the Property may be now or hereafter known, or any components
of any such
title or titles (a) as
the title of Motion Pictures and/or in connection with the
advertising,
marketing, publicity, promotion
and other exploitation thereof, whether such Motion Pictures
are based
wholly or partially
upon the Property, (b) in connection with songs, musical compositions,
music or lyrics and/or
phonorecords, (collectively, "Music") based on or derived from
the
Property, whether or not included
in any such Motion Pictures, and (c) in connection with the
publication,
recordation,performance,
and any other use whatsoever of the foregoing items based on
or derived
from the Property.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
due to a
restriction contained in
that certain agreement, dated September 4, 2001, between Owner
and Xxxx
Disney Pictures Television
which Owner represents and warrants is currently in effect,
the first
production based upon
the Work may not be an animated production; provided, however,
that in the
event that such agreement
is modified to remove such restriction, then such restriction
shall not be
applicable to thisAgreement.
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8.2
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Approvals/Controls.
As between Owner and Company, Company shall have all approvals
and controls (business, creative or otherwise) with respect to the
Rights
and any and all Motion
Pictures based upon or adapted from the Property, including, without
limitation, the portrayal
of the personality traits, physical appearance, living habitat and
environment of the characters
and elements in such Motion Pictures, and Owner acknowledges and
agrees
that Company
shall have no obligation to portray any such item(s), character(s)
or
element(s) in a manner
consistent with the manner such item(s), the Character(s) and/or
element(s) are depicted in the
Property.
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| 9. | DROIT
MORAL. Throughout the Option Period, and in perpetuity thereafter,
if
Company exercises
the Option, Company shall have the right (to be exercised in its
sole
discretion) to adapt, modify, fictionalize, add to or take from the
Property, and to combine the same with any other literary or musical
work.
In this regard, Owner hereby waives the exercise of any provision
of law
known as "droit moral" or any similar law which may now or hereafter
be
recognized in any country or place, (including, without limitation,
the
so-called right of paternity [droit
a la
paternite],
right of integrity
[droit au
respect de l'oeuvre], right of withdrawal
[droit de
retrait or droit
de
repentir] and/or right of publication
[droit
divulgation]) and agrees not to institute, support, maintain or
permit any action or proceeding on the ground that any Motion Picture
or
other version of the Property produced or exploited by Company or
Company's successors, licensees or assigns in any way constitutes
an
infringement of any of Owner's
droit
moral or is in any way a defamation or mutilation of the Property
or any part thereof or contains unauthorized variations, alterations,
modifications, changes or translations
thereof. |
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10.1
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Reserved
Rights. If the Option is exercised, then Owner hereby reserves the
following
rights, subject to the conditions and exceptions set forth in this
Agreement ("ReservedRights"),
but the rights reserved by Owner shall not relate to or include
any
adaptations, additions, or
changes in the Work made by or by the authority of Company or the
results
and proceeds of any person
or entity engaged by Company which shall remain at all times the
sole and
exclusive property
of Company; provided, however, that Owner shall be entitled to
utilize (i)
the title, logo and
artwork for the First Picture or subsequent productions in accordance
with
the provisions of Section
10.1.1 hereinbelow, and (ii) the characters, settings, and stories
from
the First Picture or subsequent
productions in connection with Owner's Reserved Rights, as defined
and set
forth hereinbelow:
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10.1.1
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Comic
Book Publication Rights. All comic book publication rights ("Comic
Book Publication Rights") including the copyright rights and trademark
rights solely in connection with the exploitation of the Comic Book
Publication Rights, subject, however, to the publication rights sold
and
assigned to Company pursuant to Section 8 hereinabove; provided,
however,
that Owner shall be entitled to utilize the title and Company-created
"logo" artwork for the First Picture and subsequent productions,
if any,
in connection with Owner's exercise of the Comic Book Publication
Rights,
subject only to any clearances required for such use; provided, further,
that all costs for obtaining any such clearances shall be borne by
Owner.
The Comic Book Publication Rights shall encompass comic books, graphic
novels, strips, pages, serializations, panels and art, in any format,
as
presented anywhere in the world, from any publisher, in any printed
or in
electronic delivery format, including, but not limited to: comics
on CDs
or CD-ROM, internet, other electronic uses now known or hereafter
devised
and comic books of all sizes and dimensions, art books, posters,
prints, cards, art, and portfolios based on the comic book art,
illustrated (i.e., illustrations of comic art) novels based on the
comic
book characters and text derived from the comic book(s) as opposed
to text
and stills from any Motion Picture produced hereunder), and limited
and
alternate edition version of all of the above (each referred to herein
individually as a "Comic Book/Graphic Novel" and collectively as
"Comic
Books/Graphic Novels.)"
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10.1.2
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Platinum
Universe. In addition to owning the Work, Owner owns certain
treatments, outlines, graphic art and other material which are
part of a
"universe" created and owned by Owner (i.e., various sets of characters
and stories owned by Owner that can interrelate with each other
visit or
inhabit shared locations (the "Platinum Megaverse"). Owner retains
all
rights in and to the Platinum Megaverse and "Excluded Characters"
other
than the rights in the Work, subject, however, to the following
limitations:
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1.
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Except
as set forth in Paragraph 10 with respect to the Reserved Rights
(for
which there are no limitations except as set forth in this Agreement),
Owner shall not have the right to exploit (or authorize or license
the
exploitation of) any rights in the Platinum Megaverse to the extent
that
the exploitation of such rights by Owner (or any licensee or purchaser
thereof) is likely to be confused by a reasonable third party observer
as
being based upon or substantially related to the Work, or any motion
pictures or ancillary rights developed or produced based on the Work,
or
the themes settings, characters or stories of the Work or any such
motion
picture(s) or such ancillary rights. For example, and without limitation
of the foregoing, Owner will not exploit (or authorize or license
the
exploitation of) any rights in the Platinum Megaverse (other than
comic
book publication rights) with respect to stories depicting an epic
battle
between violent
invading aliens who are trying to enslave and/or kill the human race
and
humans from the U.S.
between 1820 and 1910.
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| 2. | If
Company or its successors or assigns develops one or more motion pictures
based on the Work and includes additional elements which inadvertently
overlap with the Platinum
Megaverse, (i) such overlap shall not be deemed a breach of this Agreement
or of Owner's
rights or an infringement of Owner's copyright therein (provided that
Owner shall have no obligation to furnish to Company any material other
than the Work), and (ii) Owner shall have no rights (other than comic
book
publication rights) with respect to any such materials created by Company
or its successors or assigns. |
|
3.
|
Owner acknowledges that future to be created
"Cowboys
& Aliens" entitled comic
books/graphic novels, are included in the grant of rights hereunder,
other
than "Excluded Characters" to the extent they appear in future comic
books/graphic novels for the Work. An "Excluded
Character" (including its settings and worlds) is defined as: an
established character or other element created in or for a comic
book,
graphic novel or other media and which has been
available to the public in such other comic book, graphic novel or
other
media prior to its inclusion in the Work. With respect to the publication
to the public of a character in a comic book
or graphic novel, the comic book or graphic novel shall have been
distributed to the public to at least the minimum extent of other
comic
books or graphic novels distributed by Owner or companies in which
Author
or Owner has had a contractual or financial interest, such as Malibu
Comics, Image/Awesome Comics or other independent comic companies.
With
respect to publication
to the public of a character only on the Internet ("Internet Characters"),
to be deemed an Excluded Character, an Internet Character must appear
or
be referred to on websites other than
or in addition to those solely owned by Owner or must be accessible
through a standard Internet
search engine such as Yahoo! (For the avoidance of doubt, advertisements
or previews appearing in a "Cowboys & Aliens" publication separate
from that issue's storyline are not part of the Work.) Similarly,
fictional cities, settings and worlds that appear initially outside
of the
Work are excluded. In connection with the foregoing, it is acknowledged
that characters which reside in the same universe are not necessarily
related to or derived from each other (e.g., "Superman"
and "Batman" are not related characters despite the fact that may
appear
in media together). As
of the date hereof, there are no Excluded Characters in the materials
which constitute theWork.
In connection with the foregoing, with respect to "Greys", the particular
"Grey" character appearing in "Cowboys and Aliens" is not an Excluded
Character, but the entire alien race of "Greys" is pervasive throughout
the Platinum Megaverse and therefore different individual "Greys"
are established outside of the
Work.
|
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10.3
|
First
Negotiation; Last Refusal. Company shall have the following rights of
first negotiation and last refusal with respect to any proposed license,
sale or other disposition by Owner of any "Termination Rights" (as
defined
in Section 10.4 below) (referred to in this Section 10.3 as the
"Negotiable Rights"):
|
| 10.3.1 | First
Negotiation. If at any time subsequent to the time periods set forth
in Section
10.2 above, Owner intends to license, sell, transfer, assign, hypothecate
or in any way convey
or dispose of any of the Negotiable Rights or any portion thereof,
Owner
shall, before offering
such Negotiable Right(s) to any other party, give Company written notice
("Notice") identifying
the Negotiable Right(s) which Owner wishes to so convey ("Offered
Right(s)") and the terms
on which Owner wishes to negotiate in respect of such Offered Right(s).
Company shall have the
right, exercisable by written notice to Owner within ten (10) business
days following Company's
actual receipt of the Notice, to advise Owner as to whether Company
wishes
to negotiate
regarding the Offered Right(s). If Company notifies Owner in writing
that
it wishes to so negotiate,
Owner and Company shall negotiate in good faith regarding such Offered
Right(s). If Owner and Company reach agreement as to financial terms,
including any term relating to the consideration
to Owner which can be readily reducible to a determinable sum of money,
upon which
Owner will dispose of such Offered Right(s) to Company, such Offered
Right(s) shall vest in Company,
and Company and Owner shall be deemed to have an agreement with respect
thereto on the
same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement to the extent
the
same are not inconsistent with
the agreed upon financial terms. If either (A) Company fails to give
Owner
notice of its desire to
negotiate within the aforementioned ten (10) business day period or
(B)
Company and Owner fail to
reach an agreement regarding the Offered Right(s) within thirty (30)
days
following the commencement
of their negotiations with respect thereto, Owner shall have the right,
subject to Section
10.3.2 below, to offer the Offered Right(s) to other
parties. |
| 10.3.2 | Last
Refusal. Subject to Company's right of first negotiation as provided
in Section 10.3.1, above, if at any time Owner receives a bona fide
offer
to license, lease, purchase or in any way acquire any of the Negotiable
Right(s) which is less favorable to Owner than the last offer by Owner
to
Company with respect to the Negotiable Rights and Owner proposes to
accept
such offer, Owner shall notify Company in writing ("Sale Notice").
The
Sale Notice shall set forth (A) the Negotiable Right(s) that are the
subject of such offer ("Sale Rights"), (B) the name and address of
the
offeror ("Offeror"), and (C) all of the material terms and conditions
of
such offer, including the financial terms of the offer (collectively,
the
"Terms"). During the period of twenty- one
(21) business days following Company's actual receipt of the Sale Notice,
Company shall have the exclusive option ("Sale Rights Option") to license,
lease and/or purchase the Sale Right(s) upon the Terms. If Company
elects
to exercise the Sale Rights Option, Company shall notify Owner accordingly
within said twenty-one (21) business day period, and company shall,
upon
payment to Owner
of the consideration specified in the Sale Notice, automatically acquire
such Sale Right(s) on the
Terms as supplemented by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement
not inconsistent therewith;
provided, however, that Company may exclude from the Terms and may
exercise the Sale
Rights Option without agreeing to any Term which may not as easily
be met
by one person as another
and/or any term which is not readily reducible to a determinable sum
of
money. If Company
fails to exercise the Sale Rights Option within the aforementioned
twenty-one (21) business
day period or notifies Owner in writing that it will not exercise the
Sale
Rights Option, Owner
may convey the Sale Right(s) to the Offeror on the Terms at any time
during the following six
(6) month period. |
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10.3.3
|
ContinuinRight.
The provisions of Sections10.3.1and 10.3.2shall continue in full
force and
effect with respect to each Negotiable Right so long as Owner retains
any
right, title or interest in or to such Negotiable Right, and Company's
failure to acquire any Negotiable Right(s) at any time shall not
affect
Company's continuing rights of First Negotiation and Last Refusal
with
respect to any subsequent proposed license, sale or other disposition
of
the same or any other Negotiable Right(s). If Company exercises any
Sale
Rights Option, Owner shall execute and deliver to Company such fu
ther
instruments and documents as may be necessary to vest in Company
each and
all of the rights so acquired by it, although Owner's failure to
do so
shall not adversely affect the vesting of
rights.
|
|
10.4
|
Termination Right. Except for Owner's reversion
right set forth in Section 10.5 below,
if at any time Owner is deemed to have any right to terminate any
or all
of the Rights granted or
to be granted to Company hereunder pursuant to any provision of the
copyright laws of the United
States or any other copyright or similar or analogous laws, rules
or
regulations anywhere from
time to time in effect ("Termination Right"), and if Owner (or Owner's
statutory representative)
("Terminating Party") exercises any such right to terminate, the
Terminating Party shall
notify Company thereof in writing within the time required for the
giving
of such notice under applicable
law, and Company shall have the rights of first negotiation and last
refusal, with respect to
the reacquisition of any or all of the Termination Rights so terminated
prior to the Terminating Party's
exercise, disposition or utilization of any such Rights, other than
for a
reversion pursuant to Paragraph
10.5 below.
|
|
10.5.1
|
General
Terms. Subject to Section 10.5.2 below, all of Company's Rights to
the
Property (excluding rights in any productions already produced and
all
ancillary rights in connection with exploitation of such productions,
which rights in perpetuity shall be owned by Company [provided Company's
merchandising rights shall terminate at the time of such reversion])
will
thereafter revert to Owner if there is no production of a motion
picture
based on the Property within six (6) years of the exercise of this
Option,
or no subsequent production (whether a feature film, television production
or video/dvd production) commences principal photography by the later
of
(i) six years after the initial general theatrical release of the
preceding theatrical motion picture, or (ii) three years after the
final
initial broadcast of any television program (including any program
distributed in the internet) based on the Property, or (iii) three
years
from the "street date" of any straight to video/DVD product (or on
demand
internet production) based on the Property (it being agreed that
only
"good faith" legitimate productions [i.e., not productions without
commercial value created solely to prevent the reversion of rights
per
this Section] shall postpone the reversion of rights per this
Section).
|
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10.5.2
|
Option
Extension Payment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section
10.5.1 above, if at any time prior to the date on which the Rights
in the
Property would otherwise revert to Owner Company makes to Owner the
"Extension Payment" as defined below, then all time periods above
shall be
automatically extended for an additional 8 years from the date any
of the
Rights would otherwise revert to Owner hereunder. The Option Extension
Payment means the amount of $2,000,000, eighty percent (80%) of which
($1,600,000) shall be applicable against any payments due pursuant
to
Section 12 herein and twenty percent (20%) ($400,000) shall be applicable
against any payments to Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Productions f/s/o
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx pursuant to the Producing Agreement dated as of
February 15, 2002 for any subsequent productions which commence in
that
period.
|
|
10.5.3
|
Retention
of Rights to Produced Productions. Notwithstanding anything to
the
contrary contained herein, Company shall retain the right to distribute,
in perpetuity, any and all Motion
Pictures (including television programs) which have been produced
hereunder prior to such reversion.
|
|
11.1
|
Approvals
and Controls/Consultation. Subject to Section 11.2.2 below, as between
Company and Owner, all merchandising with respect to the Property
and each
Motion Picture and related rights with respect to the Property
and each
Motion Picture shall be exercised and controlled at all times by
Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary contained
in
this Agreement, and provided Owner is not in default of this Agreement,
and that Owner has performed all material obligations to be performed
hereunder, Company shall meaningfully consult with Owner with respect
to
Company's exploitation of its merchandising rights in connection
with the
Property, including, without limitation, agreements with respect
thereto,
and any images, style guides, and/or products Company creates;
provided,
however, that Company's decisions or those of Company's domestic
distributor with respect to the exploitation of such rights shall
be final
and binding. In this respect, Company shall provide Owner with
copies of
deal memos for Owner's review prior to executing same, and upon
Owner's
request, Company shall provide Owner with copies of all executed
deal
memos and long form
agreements.
|
|
11.2
|
Merchandising
Royalty Payments.
|
|
11.2.1
|
Owner
shall be entitled to the following royalty: Thirty Five Percent
(35%)
of One Hundred Percent (100%) of "Net Merchandising/Interactive Receipts".
"Net Merchandising/Interactive
Receipts" shall be defined as gross merchandising receipts (including
licensing fees received in connection with theme park rights) and
gross
receipts from exploitation
by Columbia of "Interactive Rights" as defined below actually received
by
Columbia
(net of returns and allowances) from licensing of the applicable
rights in
the Property throughout the world (including all subsequent productions)
after deduction of all actual third party out of pocket costs (not
to
exceed five percent [5%] of gross merchandising/interactive receipts),
unaffiliated third party royalties and participations (other than
any
participation payable
to Escape Artists, LLC or its affiliates or principals), if any,
actually
paid by Columbia and
unaffiliated foreign subagents fees (provided if any affiliate of
Columbia
is actually exploiting
the Interactive Rights (e.g., exploitation by Sony electronics to
produce
product using the
name and logo of the Property or licensing of rights to Sony Interactive
for the production of cartridge
games or on line games) then only amounts received by Columbia from
such
affiliate from
exploitation of such Interactive Rights shall be included in the
definition of Net Merchandising/Interactive
Receipts and the terms of any agreement between the Studio and any
such
affiliate shall be comparable to an arms length transaction with
an
unaffiliated third party. In
the event that there is no comparable transactions on which to determine
what arms length terms
would be with an unaffiliated third party because there is no verifiable
similar prior agreements
then in lieu of the percentage of Net Merchandising/Interactive Receipts
set forth in this
Section above, Owner shall receive a payment equal to Seven and One
Half
Percent (7.5%)of
"Net Sony Interactive Receipts", defined as the gross sales received
by
Columbia or its interactive
affiliate (including Sony Interactive) in respect of such Interactive
Rights, less all costs
of production and distribution (exclusive of interest and overhead),
cash,
trade, quantity or freight
discounts, and net of returns and uncollectible accounts. Accounting
statements, audit rights
and payments shall be in accordance with Exhibit A attached hereto
as
modified by therider
attached thereto.
|
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11.2.2
|
Intentionally
Deleted.
|
|
11.2.3
|
Hasbro
First Look. Provided the Studio that is acquiring the rights to the
First Picture in the domestic territory does not have a then pre-existing
agreement with a toy company for toy merchandising, Company shall
require
the domestic distributor to give Hasbro a "first look" at entering
into a
licensing agreement for toy merchandising for the First Picture,
provided
if the studio and Hasbro do not enter into an agreement within 15
business
days of commencement
of negotiations, then the studio shall have no further obligation
to
Hasbro.
|
|
11.2.4
|
Interactive
Rights Definition. "Interactive Rights" shall be defined as
follows:
(i) all interactive software in any delivery systems, including,
without
limitation, magnetic
semiconductor and optical media, which is compatible with (A) video
game
console systems,
(B) computer systems, (C) optical disc-based systems, such as CD-ROM,
(D)
coin actuated
video game systems (i.e., interactive video entertainment which is
enabled
by insertion of a coin, token, or debit card), including upright
and
table-top models and kits and boards for the
foregoing, and (E) hand-held video games, and (F) any location based
video
games, and (G) any
variations of the above (including, e.g., virtual reality based on
or
derived from interactive software
delivery systems as opposed to virtual reality presented in another
manner, as, e.g., theatrically),
and (ii) notwithstanding the reservation of rights, comic books published
or appearing
on video and video disc and optical disc-based systems to the extent
that
said comic books
involve interactive choices by the reader resulting in different
game play
scenarios (as opposed
to comic books using video, video disc or optical disc-based systems
as a
medium akin to traditional publishing to be read by a reader without
interactive choices other than for storytelling
purposes [such as branching
stories]).
|
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11.2.5
|
Merchandise
Items Samples. Company shall cause the Studio to provide to Owner
twenty (20) samples of each type of merchandise to Owner, excluding
any
items with a cost of $100 or more. Owner shall have the right to
purchase
any item of available merchandise at cost (but such items may not
be
resold without the written permission of
Company).
|
| 12. | REMAKES
AND SEQUELS/TELEVISION PROGRAMS/STAGE
RIGHTS. |
12.1
Theatrical
Remakes and Sequels. If, and only if, (A) the First Picture is released
theatrically
in the United States, and (B) Company thereafter produces a theatrical Motion
Picture in the English language as a "Remake" of or "Sequel" to a Motion Picture
based upon the Property (as such terms are defined below), Owner shall be
entitled to receive in respect of each theatrical Remake or Sequel, if any,
a
sum equal to One Hundred Percent (100%) of the Purchase Price (without any
reduction pursuant to Paragraph 5.4 above), payable upon commencement of
principal photography of such Remake or Sequel.
|
12.2
|
Television
Programs.
|
|
12.2.1
|
U.S.
Television (i.e., Network and Non-Network) Royalties. If, and only if
(A)
the Picture is released for commercial exhibition, and (B) Company
thereafter produces, for
primary exhibition and release by means of United States network
or
non-network television, a television production in the English language,
based upon the Property, payment shall be made to Owner upon commencement
of photography for each episode as
follows:
|
(i) Sixty
Minute Episodes:
A. Initial
Production Season: | $7,500
per episode; |
B. Second
Production Season | $9,000
per episode; and per episode. |
C. Third
and Subsequent Production Seasons: | $11,000 |
(ii)
Thirty Minute Episodes: The sums payable as a royalty in connection with
series episodes which are thirty (30) minutes in length shall be one-half (1/2)
of the sums payable in connection with sixty minute episodes, as set forth
in
Section 12.2.1 hereinabove.
|
12.2.2
|
Other
Television Programs and Other Productions. The sums payable as a
royalty in connection with other television programs and other productions
based upon the Work (including, without limitation, MOWs, mini-series,
programs intended for initial release on videocassette/videodisc),
shall
be negotiated in good faith, taking into account the budget of such
production and Owner's then-existing quotes and/or
precedent.
|
The
royalties set forth hereinabove, shall constitute payment in full for the right
to produce, perform and exhibit any television programs.
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12.3
|
Stage
Rights. Company shall control stage rights, and if Company elects in
its sole
discretion to exploit the legitimate stage rights granted to Company
hereunder, then Company
agrees to split all legitimate stage revenue (including any producing
fees
or other revenue earned as part of the license of such live stage
rights
but excluding any revenue due Owner as a financier of any stage
production) net of any actual out of pocket third party costs, with
Owner
fifty percent (50%) to each of Owner and
Company.
|
|
13.
| WARRANTIES
AND REPRESENTATIONS. Owner warrants and represents (which
representations and warranties shall survive the termination of this
Agreement whether Company exercises the Option or not)
that: |
| 13.1 | Owner
is the sole owner of all Rights herein sold, transferred, granted,
assigned and conveyed and purported to be sold, transferred, granted
or
assigned to Company, and Owner has the full and sole right and authority
to sell, transfer, grant, assign and convey such
Rights; |
|
13.2
|
Except
as set forth in the first (unnumbered) paragraph of this Agreement,
the
Property has not been published or registered for copyright or trademark
in the United States or elsewhere but may be validly copyrighted
or
registered for copyright and/or trademark in the United States of
America
and likewise to the best knowledge of Owner may be protected elsewhere
so
far as the laws of other places and countries provide for such
protection;
|
|
13.3
|
The
Property is not in the public domain except to a minor
extent;
|
| 13.4 | No
part of the Rights herein conveyed has in any way been encumbered,
conveyed, granted
or otherwise disposed of (other than pursuant to the Universal Agreement,
and Owner represents that the Universal Agreement has expired and all
of
Owner's rights which were under option to Universal are the sole property
of Owner), and all such Rights are therefore free and clear of any
and all
liens, claims, charges or encumbrances whatsoever in favor of any party
whatsoever, and said rights and the full right to exercise the same
have
not been in any way prejudiced, limited, diminished or
impaired; |
| 13.5 | To
the best of Owner's knowledge, the title or titles of the Property
may be
legally used by Company in the exercise of all or any of the Rights
herein
conveyed or agreed to be conveyed, and such use will not infringe upon
the
federal, state or common law trademark, service xxxx or trade name
of any
third party; |
| 13.6 | The
use, reproduction, performance or exhibition of the Property, and the
exercise of any of the Rights herein granted or conveyed, or agreed
to be
conveyed, will not in any way infringe upon any copyright, trademark,
common law, literary, dramatic, or motion picture rights or to the
best
knowledge of Owner, any other rights of any party whatsoever or constitute
a libel or defamation of, or invasion of any rights (including, without
limitation, the right of privacy or publicity) of any
party; |
| 13.7 | Neither
Owner nor Author has done, and neither Owner nor Author will do, any
act
or thing that will or may in any way prevent or interfere in any manner
with the full and exclusive enjoyment by Company of any of the Rights
herein granted, conveyed or agreed to be granted or conveyed or which
will, or may, impair, impede, invalidate or encumber any such
Rights; |
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13.8
|
There
are no claims or litigation pending, outstanding or, to the best
knowledge
of Owner, threatened that adversely affect, or that may in any way
prejudice, Owner's exclusive rights in the Property or any of the
Rights
herein granted, conveyed or agreed to be granted or conveyed, or
the
copyrights or trademarks therein. Without limiting the foregoing,
Owner
represents and warrants that the litigation filed against Universal
and
Owner described as the "Powers Claim" in the Universal Agreement
has been
adjudicated to a final conclusion and all claims against Owner and
Universal were dismissed with
prejudice;
|
| 13.9 | The
Rights herein granted, conveyed or agreed to be granted or conveyed
have
never been
exercised by Owner or any third
party; |
| 13.10 | The
Property and all Characters depicted therein are wholly original with
Owner (the sole author thereof) in all respects except to a minor extent
in the public domain; |
| 13.11 | Other
than the Universal Agreement, Owner has not negotiated or entered into
any
agreement, written or oral, granting any rights of any kind or nature
in
connection with any actual or proposed merchandising of the Work or
the
Property; and |
| 13.12 | As
previously provided in Section5.4hereinabove, Owner represents and
warrants
that Owner has provided Company with copies of all the screenplays
developed by Universal
and/or DreamWorks to which Owner or any member of Owner or to which
Author
had access
while the project was under option to Universal and/or DreamWorks as
set
forth in Exhibit
"A" (and to the best knowledge of Owner: such materials constitute
all
such materials and
the aggregate hard cost investment in development at Universal and/or
DreamWorks does not
exceed $2,000,000). Company
makes no warranties, express or implied, other than as specifically
set
forth in this Agreement. |
| 14.1 | Owner
shall indemnify and hold Company and its parents, affiliates,
subsidiaries, directors,
officers, agents, employees, licensees, successors, and assigns
(collectively, "Company Indemnitees") harmless from and against any
claims, charges, damages, costs, expenses (including reasonable outside
attorneys' and outside accountant's fees and disbursements), judgments,
settlements, penalties, liabilities or losses of any kind or nature
whatsoever (collectively, "Expenses") which may be made, asserted,
maintained, sustained, incurred or suffered by or secured against or
imposed upon any Company Indemnitee(s), by reason of the breach of
any of
Owner's warranties, representations or undertakings under any provision
of
this Agreement or by reason of Owner's or Author's intentional torts
or
reckless or grossly negligent conduct. Company shall defend (selecting
its
own counsel), indemnify and hold Owner and Owner's assigns and
representatives (collectively "Owner Indemnitees") harmless from and
against any and all Expenses suffered or incurred by Owner (Owner
Indemnitees), arising out of or by reason of or resulting from any
third
party claim which (a) is based upon material not written by Owner or
Author and created by Company, it's agents, employees, and/or
representatives for inclusion in and included in any Motion Picture
(if
any) based, in whole or in part, on the Property, or (b) arising out
of
the development, production, distribution and/or other exploitation
of a
Motion Picture produced by Company based upon the Property and/or
ancillary rights therein, except to the extent such Expenses are subject
to or covered by Owner's indemnification obligations
hereunder. |
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14.2
|
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if any claim is asserted or any legal proceeding is
commenced
by a third party against Company or against both Company and Owner
and/or
Author, alleging
that a Motion Picture based on the Property or materials created
by
Company in connection with
the development or production of such Motion Picture infringe or
violate
the rights of the claimant
by reason of facts which, if true, would cause the claim (or Expenses
arising therefrom) to be
subject to or covered by Owner's indemnification obligations hereunder
("Claim"), Company will
defend such Claim on behalf of itself and (if applicable) Owner;
provided,
that if Company at any
time determines in good faith, based upon such information as may
then be
available to Company,
that there has been an actual breach of Owner's representations and
warranties hereunder, Company
shall have no further obligation to defend Owner with respect to
such
Claim. If Company undertakes Owner's defense in connection with any
such
Claim (or in connection with any other matter):
(i) Owner shall give Company prompt written notice of the Claim and
shall
cooperate fully with Company and comply with Company's reasonable
and
lawful instructions in connection with the
defense thereof, (ii) Company shall control the defense of any such
Claim
and shall have the right
to dispose of and/or settle such Claim as Company deems appropriate,
and
(iii) neither Owner nor Author shall compromise or settle any such
Claim
without Company's prior written consent. Owner
may have his/her own counsel present, at Owner's sole expense, but
Company
shall have the sole
right to control the legal defense of any such Claim, including the
right
to select counsel of its choice
and to compromise or settle any such Claim. Company shall not, as
part of
any settlement, make
an admission of liability on behalf of Owner. Company shall notify
Owner
if Company intends to settle any Claim on behalf of both Company
and
Owner. If Owner advises Company that Owner
does not wish Company to settle the Claim against Owner, and if Company
is
able to consummate
such settlement for itself without settling the Claim against Owner
on a
basis which is no
less favorable to Company than if the Claim against both Company
and Owner
were settled concurrently, and if not settling the Claim against
Owner
would not materially adversely affect any of Company's rights in
any way,
then Company shall not settle such Claim against Owner, but shall
have
no further obligation to defend or indemnify Owner in connection
with such
Claim.
|
|
14.3
|
Notwithstanding Company's defense or settlement
of any
Claim on behalf of itself and/or Owner, Company reserves all rights,
both
in equity and at law, against Owner (including the right to recover
any
Expenses incurred by Company in connection with the defense, settlement
or
other disposition of any such Claim) to the extent such Claim is
subject
to or covered by Owner's indemnification obligations hereunder. With
respect to any action brought by Company against Owner pursuant to
the
preceding sentence, such action will be deemed to accrue on the date
on
which Company requests that Owner reimburse Company for Company's
Expenses, it being agreed that Company shall not be required to make
any
such request in connection with any Claim until after the final
disposition or settlement
thereof.
|
|
14.4
|
Nothing contained in this Section shall affect
the
computation of Owner's Contingent Compensation, if any, in connection
with
the Picture or limit in any respect the amounts deductible by Company
or
otherwise as distribution expenses or Direct Costs in computing such
participation
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| 15. | COPYRIGHT
PROTECTION; FURTHER DOCUMENTS. Owner covenants
that: |
|
15.1
|
Protection
of Copyright. Owner shall contracually require of all publishers of
the Property
that any future publication of the Property, or any part thereof,
in any
form shall be with all notice(s)
of copyright in Owner's name as shall afford to the Property copyright
protection in the United
States and all countries adhering to the Berne Convention, the Pan
American Copyright Convention
and the Universal Copyright Convention. Owner will do all acts reasonable
and necessary
to prevent the Property and any portion thereof, now in existence
or
hereafter created, from
falling into the public domain. In any grants or agreements hereafter
made
or entered into by Owner
concerning the Property, Owner will expressly except and reserve
all
Rights granted to Company.
|
| 15.2 | Enforcement
of Rights. Subject to the Owner's Reserved Rights, Company shall have
the benefit of all copyrights and trademarks in the Property and all
remedies for enforcing such copyrights
and/or trademarks with respect to the Rights. In Company's sole judgment
Company may
join Owner as a party plaintiff or defendant in any action or proceeding
relating to the Rights. All
damages, penalties, settlements and profits relating to or arising
from
any interference with or infringement
of any of the Rights are hereby assigned to Company. Owner shall fully
cooperate with
Company in connection with any suit or action threatened or instituted
by
or against Company relating
to any Rights. |
|
15.3
|
Further Documents. Owner agrees to duly execute,
acknowledge and deliver, or cause
to be duly executed, acknowledged and delivered to Company, at Company's
expense (provided,
that Company shall not be responsible for any fees which may be incurred
by Owner to have
any such instruments reviewed by Owner's legal counsel), any instruments
consistent herewith that
may be reasonably necessary, proper or expedient in the reasonable
opinion
of Company to carry
out and effectuate the purposes and intent of this Agreement. In
the event
of the failure of Owner
to execute any of the aforementioned instruments within five (5)
business
days after the earlier
of (a) Owner's actual receipt of Company's request to do so, or (b)
Owner's deemed receipt
of Company's request to do so pursuant to Section 29 (Payments and
Notices) below, in order
to permit Owner an opportunity for review and requesting changes
consistent herewith, Owner
hereby irrevocably nominates, constitutes and appoints Company Owner's
true and lawful attorney-in-fact,
which constitutes a power coupled with an interest, with the right
to
execute and f
ile all such documents and to do any and all acts and things necessary
with respect to such documentation.
Company shall provide Owner with courtesy copies of any such instruments
executed
in Owner's name; provided, that Company's failure to do so shall
not be
deemed to be a breach
of this Agreement. Company shall provide Owner with courtesy copies
of any
such instruments
executed in Owner's name; provided, that Company's inadvertent failure
to
do so shall
not be deemed to be a breach of this
Agreement.
|
| 16. | OWNER'S
NAME AND LIKENESS AND THEIR USE. Owner grants to Company the right
throughout the universe, in perpetuity (but not less than the term
of
copyright and any renewals, extensions, restorations or resuscitations
of
same), to use and reproduce the name, sobriquet, and, with respect
to
Author, likeness (provided, however, that Author shall have the right
to
submit posed publicity stills reasonably acceptable to Company, it
being
understood that all "behind-the-scenes"
and candid photography of Author shall be deemed pre-approved) and
pre-
approved
biography of Owner and Author and the name and/or logo of Owner and
Author
in connection
with the Property and/or any Motion Picture based in whole or in
part on
the Property or any
Rights herein conveyed, and/or in connection with the advertising,
promotion, exhibition, distribution
or other exploitation of the Property and/or any such Motion Picture,
and/or in connection
with any so-called "commercial tie-ups," merchandising and/or the
advertising or publicizing
of any commodities, products or services relating or referring to
the
Property or any such
Motion Picture including all products, commodities and/or services
relating to the Motion Picture,
by Company and/or its parents, affiliates or subsidiaries and/or
in
connection with general corporate
or institutional uses (e.g., trade shows, Company promotions, financial
prospectuses and/or
annual reports) or for promotion of their products; provided that
neither
Owner nor Author will
be represented as endorsing any such commodity, product or service
without
Owner's priorconsent. |
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| 17. | CONSENTS
AND RELEASES. If Company determines that the consent and release of
any other person or entity are required in connection with Company's
exercise of any of the Rights, or Company is required to obtain additional
rights from the creator(s) of a guest character, Owner shall use
Owner's
best efforts to procure and submit to Company, in form and substance
approved by Company, signed consents and releases and/or a grant
of
additional rights, from any such person(s) or entity (ies) as Company,
in
its sole discretion, may require. In connection therewith, Owner
will
provide Company with executed original copies of any consents or
releases
or rights grants previously obtained by Owner in connection with the
Property.
|
| 18. | CREDIT.
Provided that Owner is not in default and subject to any applicable
guild
restrictions and/or collective bargaining agreements (including,
without
limitation, the Writers Guild Of America Basic Agreement), if Company
produces a theatrical Motion Picture based substantially on the Work,
credit shall be accorded as
follows: |
|
18.1
|
On
Screen. On all positive prints of each theatrical Motion Picture based
upon the Work, in the main titles
(i.e., where the individual credits for the producer, director and
the writer appear, whether located at the beginning or the end of
the
Motion Picture), source material ("Source Material") credit on a
separate
card in substantially the following form: (i) if the title of the
Motion
Picture is different from the Work, "Based on Platinum Studios' comic
book
`Cowboys and Aliens' created by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx"; or, (ii)
if the
title of the Motion Picture is the same as the Work, "Based on Platinum
Studios' comic book created by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx"; provided
if at
the time of completion of principal photography of the First Picture
no
comic book has been published or readied for publication, the credit
shall
be as follows (subject to any limitations or credit requirements
set forth
in the Writers Guild of America Agreement ("WGA Agreement"): (i)
if the
title of the Motion Picture is different from the Work, "Based on
the
story `Cowboys and Aliens' created by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx";
or, (ii)
if the title of the Motion Picture is the same as the Work, "Based
on the
story created by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx".
|
| 18.2 | In
Paid Advertising. Subject to the exclusions and exceptions set forth
in Section 18.4
below and those of any third party distributor(s) of such Motion Picture,
credit in the form set forth in Section 18.1 above, as applicable,
in the
billing block portion of all paid advertising relating primarily to
the
Motion Picture, issued by, or under the direct control of, Company
("Paid
Ads"). |
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|
18.3
|
On
Merchandising/Interactive Items. Credit in the form set forth in
Section 18.1 above, as applicable, shall be accorded in the billing
block
in any merchandising or interactive item if a billing block is included
therein, and if there is no billing block in a merchandising or
interactive item then, in substantially the form "based on Platinum
Studios' comic book created by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx" so long
as there
is reasonable space to affix such
credit.
|
|
18.4
|
Exclusions and Exceptions. Company's Paid Ads
credit obligations shall not apply to
the following Paid Ads (hereinafter "Excluded Ads"): group, list,
institutional or so-called teaser
advertising; special advertising (e.g., announcements of commencement
and/or completion of
principal photography, advertising regarding box office gross receipts,
etc.), announcement advertising;
advertising relating primarily to any member of the cast, the director(s),
writer(s) or any
other personnel involved with the production of the Motion Picture;
so-called "award" or "congratulatory"
advertisements, including advertisements or announcements relating
to
consideration
or nomination for an award; trailers (including promotional films)
or
other screen, radio
or television advertising; advertising in narrative form; advertising
for
film festivals, film markets
and the like; advertising one-half page (or the equivalent in SAUs)
in
size or less; outdoor
advertising (including, but not limited to, so-called 24-sheets);
theater
display advertising;
advertising in which no credit is accorded other than credit to actors
and/or the Company
and/or to any other company financing or distributing the Motion
Picture.
The following
shall not be considered Paid Ads or Excluded Ads for any purpose
hereunder: videocassettes,
videodiscs and other home video devices and the covers, packages,
containers or jackets
therefor (collectively, "Video Items"); publicity and promotional
items
and materials; advertising
relating to subsidiary or ancillary rights in the Motion Picture
(including, but not limited
to novelizations, screenplays, "Making of' books, "film diaries"
or other
publications, products,
merchandising, music publishing or soundtrack recordings); voiceovers;
advertising, publicity
and exploitation relating to by-products or commercial tie-ins; and
other
advertising not relating
primarily to the Motion
Picture.
|
|
18.5
|
Excluded
Ad Tie-In. If the screenwriter(s), director and/or
producer of a theatrical
Motion Picture is accorded individual credit in the billing block
of any
Excluded Ads, or
the packaging or covers for Video Items or for any soundtrack recordings
or novelization in connection
with the Motion Picture ("Ancillary Items"), then Owner's credit
shall
also be accorded
in the billing block of said Excluded Ads or on the packaging for
such
Video Items or Ancillary
Items, as applicable; provided the foregoing shall not apply to award,
congratulatory, or
nomination ads where only the individual being honored and/or the
sponsor
of suchadvertisement
is mentioned, group, special, institutional, film market, film festival,
teaser or radio
advertising and/or the audio portion of any television advertising
(collectively, "Special Ads").
Nothing in this Section 18.5 shall derogate from Owner's right to
credit
pursuant to Section
18.3 above.
|
|
18.6
|
General
Terms. The position of such credit and all other
matters with respect to such credit shall be determined by Company
in its
sole discretion. Any reference to the "title" of the Motion Picture
shall
be deemed to mean the "regular" title unless such reference is
specifically made to the "artwork" title. No casual or inadvertent
failure
to comply with the provisions of this section nor any failure by
third
parties to comply with their agreements with Company shall constitute
a breach of this Agreement by Company. Company shall notify third
party
distributors of the
Picture with whom company is in privity of contract of the credit
provisions of this Section 18, but
no casual or inadvertent failure to comply with the provisions of
this
section nor any failure by third
parties to comply with their agreements with Company shall constitute
a
breach of this Agreement
by Company. Company shall have the right in its sole discretion to
accord
more favorable
credit(s) than provided for herein. In the event of Company's failure
to
comply with any of
its credit obligations hereunder, Company shall, upon receipt of
written
notice of such failure, use reasonable
efforts to correct such failure in Paid Ads and prints for the Motion
Picture on a prospective
basis only, i.e., those Paid Ads (if any) and/or prints (if any)
prepared
after Company's receipt
of such notice (allowing for adequate time after receipt of notice
to
implement such correction).
|
|
18.6
|
General Terms. The position of such credit and
all other matters with respect to such credit shall be determined
by
Company in its sole discretion. Any reference to the "title" of the
Motion
Picture shall be deemed to mean the "regular" title unless such reference
is specifically made to the "artwork" title. No casual or inadvertent
failure to comply with the provisions of this section nor any failure
by
third parties to comply with their agreements with Company shall
constitute
a breach of this Agreement by Company. Company shall notify third
party
distributors of the
Picture with whom company is in privity of contract of the credit
provisions of this Section 18, but
no casual or inadvertent failure to comply with the provisions of
this
section nor any failure by third
parties to comply with their agreements with Company shall constitute
a
breach of this Agreement
by Company. Company shall have the right in its sole discretion to
accord
more favorable
credit(s) than provided for herein. In the event of Company's failure
to
comply with any of
its credit obligations hereunder, Company shall, upon receipt of
written
notice of such failure, use reasonable
efforts to correct such failure in Paid Ads and prints for the Motion
Picture on a prospective
basis only, i.e., those Paid Ads (if any) and/or prints (if any)
prepared
after Company's receipt
of such notice (allowing for adequate time after receipt of notice
to
implement such correction).
|
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18.7
|
Credit
on Television Productions. Owner shall receive the following credit on
each television
Motion Picture based upon the Work: source material ("Source Material")
credit on a separate
card in substantially the following form: (i) if the title of the
television production is different
from the Work, "Based on Platinum Studios' comic book `Cowboys and
Aliens'
created by
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx"; or, (ii) if the title of the television
production is the same as the Work,
"Based on Platinum Studios' comic book created by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx". Provided if at
the time of completion of principal photography of the television
production no comic book has been
published or readied for publication, the credit shall be as follows
(subject to any limitations or credit
requirements set forth in the WGA Agreement): (i) if the title of
the
television production is different
from the Work, "Based on the story `Cowboys and Aliens' created by
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx";
or, (ii) if the title of the television production is the same as
the
Work, "Based on the story
created by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx. Such credit shall be in the
main
titles
(i.e., where the individual
credits for the producer, director and the writer appear, whether
located
at the beginning or
the end of the television production), provided inclusion of such
credit
in the main titles shall be subject
to the approval of the network or other broadcasting entity approval,
which Company shall use
good faith efforts to obtain.
|
| 19. | RIGHTS
AND REMEDIES. Provided Company pays the Purchase Price, the rights and
remedies of Owner and/or Author in the event of a breach of the provisions
of the Agreement, including without limitation any failure to comply
with
the credit provisions set forth above, shall be limited to an action
at
law for money damages, if any, actually suffered by Owner and/or
Author
and in no event shall Owner or Author be entitled to rescind or terminate
this Agreement or to receive injunctive or other equitable relief,
including without limitation enjoining or restraining the distribution
or
exhibition of any Motion Picture or any advertising, publicity or
promotion issued in connection therewith or to recover consequential,
incidental and/or special damages. |
| 20. | DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Agreement: |
20.1
Author.
"Author" shall be deemed to include and be binding upon the heirs,
executors,
administrators, next of kin, successors and assigns of Author.
20.2 Company.
"Company" shall be deemed to include its successors and assigns.
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|
20.3
|
Motion
Picture. "Motion Picture," or its equivalent, means and includes
motion pictures,
cinematography, films, television productions and photoplays of every
kind
and character whatsoever, including the sound records thereof, as
well as
trailers and clips thereof, produced by means of any photographic,
electrical, electronic, mechanical, digital or other processes or
devices
now or hereafter known, invented, used or contemplated, by which
photographs, pictures, images or other visual reproductions or
representations are or may be printed, imprinted, recorded or otherwise
preserved on material of any description (whether translucent or
not) for
later projection or exhibition in such manner that the same are,
or appear
to be, in motion on screen, mirror, tube or other medium or device,
whether or not accompanied by sound records and whether now or hereafter
known, invented, devised or
contemplated.
|
|
20.4
|
Remake.
"Remake" shall mean a Motion Picture other than the
first Motion Picture based
upon the Property in which (i) the principal character (s) are principal
characters in the Property
and (ii) said character(s) are shown as participating for the most
part in
the same events inwhich
said character(s) participated in (A) the Property or (B) the first
Motion
Picture based upon the
Property or (C) any prior Remake or Sequel to the first Motion Picture
based upon the Property. The
term "Remake" does not include Sequels, or foreign, shortened, or
expanded
versions of a prior Motion
Picture
|
|
20.5
|
Sequel.
"Sequel" shall mean a Motion Picture other than the
first Motion Picture based
upon the Property in which (i) the principal character(s) are principal
characters in the Property;
and (ii) said character(s) are shown in new or different events than
those
in which such character(s)
participated in (A) the Property or (B) any prior Motion Pictures
based on
the Property or
Remake or Sequel thereto; provided, however, for purposes of this
Section
20.5, if the only characters
who appear in both the initial Motion Picture based upon the Property
and
a subsequent Motion
Picture based thereon are real people and/or characters in the public
domain, the subsequent Motion
Picture shall not be deemed a "Sequel" unless it is intended to be
marketed as a "Sequel" to the
prior Motion Picture. The term "Sequel" shall be deemed to include
a
"prequel" but does not nclude
any Remake.
|
| 20.6 | Event
of Force Majeure. The following shall be deemed to be an "Event of
Force Ma}xxxx": If as a result of any At of God, war, accident, fire,
strike, lock out or other labor controversy, riot, civil disturbance,
act
of public enemy, law, enactment, rule, restraint, order or act of any
governmental instrumentality or military authority, failure or inability
to obtain any necessary permit or license, failure of technical
facilities, inability to obtain sufficient labor, technical or other
personnel (including, without limitation, cast or crew members), failure,
delay or reduction in transportation facilities or water, electricity
or
other public utilities, death, disability, disfigurement (with respect
to
cast only) or unavailability of or inability to obtain life, accident,
cast or health insurance or inability to obtain visas, labor permits
or
other governmental licenses for a principal member of the cast or the
director, death, disability or unavailability of the producer or other
cause not reasonably within Company's control or which Company could
not
by reasonable diligence have avoided, Company is hampered in the
development and production of the Motion Picture or Company's normal
business operations become commercially
impracticable. |
|
21.
|
NO
DEROGATION OF RIGHTS. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall
derogate from or be prejudicial to any rights, licenses, privileges
or
property which Company now or at anytime hereafter may be entitled
to as a
member of the public, if this Agreement were not in existence; provided
nothing in this Section 21 shall limit Company's express contractual
obligations to Owner under this Agreement including with respect
to
Sequels, Remakes and other
productions.
|
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|
22.
|
ENTIRE
AGREEMENT. This Agreement expresses the entire understanding of the
parties hereto
and replaces any and all former agreements, understandings and
representations relating in any
way to the subject matter hereof (i.e, the option of the Rights in
the
Work to Company). Nothing
in this Agreement shall alter or derogate from the rights of either
party
with respect to Paragraph
2 of the letter agreement ("Letter Agreement") between Company, Owner
and
Author with
respect to the producing services of Author, which paragraph of such
Letter Agreement is infull
force and effect unless and until superceded by long form documentation,
which the parties agree
to negotiate expeditiously and in good faith pursuant to the terms
of the
Letter Agreement. Said
paragraph 2 of the Letter Agreement, as it may be superceded by long
form
documentation shall
be referred to herein as the "Producing Agreement"). No modification,
alteration or amendment
of this Agreement shall be valid or binding unless it is in writing
and
signed by the party
to be charged with such modification, alteration or amendment. No
officer,
employee or representative
of Company has any authority to make any representation or promise
not
contained in
this Agreement and Owner acknowledges that Owner has not executed
this
Agreement in reliance
upon any promise or representation not expressly set forth in this
Agreement. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Owner and Company have entered into a side letter
agreement
dated as
of July 7, 2003 regarding the rights and obligations of Company and
Owner
to each other regarding
the Property, provided nothing in such side letter shall derogate
from the
rights of Columbia
so long as Columbia has any interest in the Property or any motion
pictures or other rights derived
therefrom.
|
| 23. | NO
PARTNERSHIP, ETC. Nothing herein contained shall constitute a
partnership between, or joint venture by, the parties hereto or constitute
either party the agent of the other. This Agreement is not for the
benefit
of any third party and shall not be deemed to give any right or remedy
to
any third party whether referred to herein or
not. |
| 24. | WAIVER
OF BREACH. No waiver by either party of any breach of this Agreement
shall be deemed a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach
hereof. |
| 25. | EFFECT
OF INVALIDITY. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed
so as to require the commission of any act contrary to law, and wherever
there is any conflict between any provision of this Agreement and any
statute, law, ordinance, order or regulation contrary to which the
parties
hereto have no legal right to contract, the latter shall prevail, but
in
such event any provision of this Agreement so affected shall be curtailed
and limited only to the extent necessary to bring it within legal
requirements. |
| 26. | SECTION
HEADINGS. Section headings as used in this Agreement are for
convenience only and are not a part hereof, and shall not be used to
interpret any provision of this Agreement |
| 27. | ASSIGNMENT.
Company shall be free to assign this Agreement and its rights hereunder,
and to delegate its duties at any time and from time to time, in whole
or
in part, to any person or entity, and upon such assignment, Company
shall
be released and discharged of and from any and all
of its duties, obligations and liabilities arising under this Agreement
if
such assignment is to: (i) a person or entity into which Company merges
or
is consolidated or (ii) a person or entity which acquires all or
substantially all of Company's business and assets or (iii) a person
or
entity which is controlled by, under common control with, or controls
Company or (iv) any major motion picture company, United States television
network or (v) other similarly financially responsible party who assumes
in writing the performance and obligations of Company hereunder to
be
performed from and after such assignment. Owner may not assign this
Agreement or Owner's rights hereunder, or delegate Owner's duties under
this Agreement in whole or in part. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Owner
shall have the right on a one time basis to assign Owner's rights to
receive proceeds actually payable to Owner under this agreement to
a third
party, upon written notice to Company, and execution by Owner and such
third party of appropriate documentation in connection
therewith. |
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|
28.
|
GOVERNING
LAW: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
|
|
28.1
|
THE
INTERNAL SUBSTANTIVE LAWS (AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE CHOICE OF LAW
RULES)
OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA APPLICABLE
TO
CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED ENTIRELY IN CALIFORNIA SHALL GOVERN
(i) THE
VALIDITY AND INTERPRETATION OF THIS AGREEMENT, (ii) THE PERFORMANCE
BY THE
PARTIES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER, AND (iii) ALL
OTHER
CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT) ARISING
OUT OF
OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TERMINATION OF THIS
AGREEMENT.
|
|
28.2
|
Legal
Proceedings - Arbitration. The parties agree that, except as otherwise
required by any applicable guild collective bargaining agreement,
any and
all disputes or controversies of any nature between them arising
at any
time (whether or not relating to any Motion Picture based upon or
adapted
from the Property or to any of the matters referred to in clauses
(i),
(ii) and/or (iii) of Section 28.1 above, shall be determined by binding
arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of
the
American Arbitration Association ("AAA") before a single neutral
arbitrator ("Arbitrator"). The Arbitrator shall be an attorney or
retired
judge with at least ten (10) years experience in the motion picture
industry (e.g., the arbitrators designated in the DGA, SAG or WGA
agreements or persons having comparable qualifications) and shall
be
mutually agreed upon by Company and Lender. If Company and Lender
are
unable to agree on an Arbitrator, the Arbitrators shall be appointed
by
the AAA. The fees of the Arbitrator shall be borne equally by Company
and
Lender, provided that the Arbitrator may require that such fees be
borne
in such other manner as the Arbitrator determines is required in
order for
this arbitration clause to be enforceable under applicable law. The
parties shall be entitled to conduct discovery in accordance with
Section
1283.05 of the California Code of Civil Procedure, provided that
(a) the
Arbitrator must authorize all such discovery in advance based on
findings
that the material sought is relevant to the issues in dispute and
that the
nature and scope of such discovery is reasonable under the circumstances,
and (b) discovery shall be limited to depositions and production
of
documents unless the Arbitrator finds that another method of discovery
(e.g., interrogatories) is the most cost efficient method of obtaining
the
information sought. There shall be a record of the proceedings at
the
arbitration hearing and the Arbitrator shall issue a Statement of
Decision
setting forth the factual and legal basis for the Arbitrator's decision.
If neither party gives written notice requesting an appeal within
ten (10)
business days after the issuance of the Statement of Decision, the
Arbitrators' decision shall be final and binding as to all matters
of
substance and procedure, and may be enforced by a petition to the
Superior
Court, which may be made ex parte, for confirmation and enforcement
of the
award. If either party gives written notice requesting an appeal
within
ten (10) business days after the issuance of the Statement of Decision,
the award of the Arbitrator shall be appealed to three (3) neutral
arbitrators (the "Appellate Arbitrators"), each of whom shall have
the
same qualifications and be selected through the same procedure as
the
Arbitrator. The appealing party shall file its appellate brief within
thirty (30) days after its written notice requesting the appeal and
the
other party shall file its brief within thirty (30) days thereafter.
The
Appellate Arbitrators shall thereupon review the decision of the
Arbitrator applying the same standards of review (and. all of the
same
presumptions) as if the Appellate Arbitrators were a California Court
of
Appeals reviewing a judgment of the Superior Court, except that the
Appellate Arbitrators shall in all cases issue a final award and
shall not
remand the matter to the Arbitrator. The decision of the Appellate
Arbitrators shall be final and binding as to all matters of substance
and
procedure, and may be enforced by a petition to the Superior Court,
which
may be made ex parte, for confirmation and enforcement of the award.
The
party appealing the decision of the Arbitrator shall pay all costs
and
expenses of the appeal, including the fees of the Appellate Arbitrators
and the reasonable outside attorneys fees of the opposing party,
unless
the decision of the Arbitrator is reversed, in which event the expenses
of
the appeal shall be borne as determined by the Appellate Arbitrators.
The
Arbitrator shall have the power to enter temporary restraining orders,
preliminary and permanent injunctions. Prior to the appointment of
the
Arbitrator or for remedies beyond the jurisdiction of an arbitrator,
at
any time, Company may seek pendente lite without thereby waiving
its right
to arbitration of the dispute or controversy under this section.
All
arbitration proceedings shall be closed to the public and confidential
and
all records relating thereto shall be permanently sealed, except
as
necessary to obtain court confirmation of the arbitration
award. The provisions of this Paragraph 28.2 shall supersede
any inconsistent provisions of any prior agreement between the
parties.
|
|
29.
|
NOTICES
AND STATEMENTS. All notices, payments and statements which either
party hereto
is required, or may desire, to give to the other shall be given by
addressing the same to the other
at the address set forth below or at such other addresses as may
be
designated in writing by such
party in a notice to the other given in the manner prescribed in
this
Section. All such notices shall
be sufficiently given when deposited, so addressed, postage prepaid,
in
the United States mail and/or
when the same are delivered, so addressed, by fax and/or by telegraph
and/or by personal delivery
and the date of such mailing, faxing, telegraphing, and/or personal
delivery shall be the date
of the giving of such notices. The addresses to which notices, payments
or
statements shall be given
are the following:
|
To
Owner:
C/x
Xxxxx
& Xxxxxx, LLP
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxx Xxxxx
Telefax:
(000) 000-0000
23
To
Company:
00000
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs Telefax: (000) 000-0000
|
30.
|
NO
OBLIGATION TO EXERCISE RIGHTS. Nothing contained in this Agreement
shall obligate Company to use or exercise any of the rights transferred
to
Company.
|
| 31. | BREACH
TIE-IN. Any breach by Owner of this Agreement shall also be deemed a
breach by Owner and Author of the Producing Agreement, and any breach
by
Owner or Author of the Producing Agreement shall also be deemed a breach
of this Agreement. |
| 32. | CONCURRENT
EXECUTION. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Owner
shall execute and deliver to Company a short form Option Agreement
and
Copyright Assignment in the forms attached hereto as Exhibits "B" and
"C,"
respectively. The Copyright Assignment shall not be recorded unless
and
until Company has exercised the Option, at which time, but not before,
Company shall have the right to insert therein as the effective date
thereof the date on which the Option was
exercised. |
Please
confirm your acceptance of the foregoing by signing where indicated
below.
Very
truly yours,
Escape
Artists Production,
LLC
| | | PLATINUM
STUDIOS, LLC | |
/s/Xxxxx
X.
Xxxxxxxxxx
| | |
/s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
| |
| | |
| |
Title Executive
Vice
President Legal Affairs
| | |
Chairman
| |
I
have
read and understand the foregoing agreement and confirm the authority of
Platinum Studios, LLC to grant the rights in accordance with the provisions
thereof. As a material inducement to Company, I agree to abide and be personally
bound by the terms and provisions of said Agreement
I:\ESCAPE
ARTISTS PROJECTSI\Cowboys & Aliens\Cowboys And Aliens Option la Agmt
3-12-04.doc
as
if I
were a direct party thereto, and will look solely to Platinum Studios, LLC
for
payment for any and all compensation due to me in connection
therewith.
/s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
24
SHORT
FORM OPTION AGREEMENT
TITLE: "COWBOYS
AND ALIENS"
ASSIGNOR:
Platinum Studios, LLC
Platinum
Studios, LLC ("Assignor"), for value received, hereby grants to Escape Artists
Productions,
LLC, having its principal office at 00000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, XXX ("Company"), the sole and irrevocable option to
acquire from Assignor all right, title and interest (except for certain rights
expressly reserved by Assignor), in and to the literary work ("Property")
entitled "Cowboys and Aliens" written by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx ("Author")
and
registered by copyright in the United States Copyright Office on 20_
under
Entry
No. ,
including without limitation any and all copyrights therein
and thereto (and all renewals, extensions, restorations and resuscitations
thereof) and any and
all
rights (except for such reserved rights) whether now known and used, now known
and hereafter
used, or hereafter known and used, or devised under all such copyrights, for
the
entire universe,
in perpetuity (but in any event for not less than the period of copyright and
any renewals,
extensions, restorations and resuscitations thereof), in any and all languages
and in any and
all
media whether now known and used, now known and hereafter used, or hereafter
known and
used,
or devised (collectively, the "Rights"). Without limiting the generality of
the
foregoing,
the Rights shall in any and all events include, without limitation, all right,
title and interest
in and to the following (except for and subject to the "Reserved Rights" as
defined in the "Long
Form Agreement" as such terms are defined below): (i) the sole and exclusive
"Motion Picture"
(as defined below) rights, including, without limitation, the sole and exclusive
right to produce
one (1) or more Motion Pictures or other derivative works (including, without
limitation,
sequels [including prequels], remakes, musicals and/or serials) based, in whole
or in part,
on
the Property and the right to fix, release, distribute, exhibit, perform,
transmit, broadcast, advertise,
promote and otherwise exploit such Motion Pictures or other derivative works
by
any and
all
means and in any and all media whether now known and used, now known and
hereafter used,
or
hereafter known and used, or devised, including, without limitation, all of
the
following: theatrical;
non-theatrical (including airlines, ships and other carriers, military,
educational, industrial
and the like); pay-per-view; home video (including videocassettes, digital
videodiscs, laserdiscs,
CD-ROMs and all other formats); all forms of television (including pay, free,
network,
syndication, cable, satellite, high definition and digital); video-on-demand,
near video- on-demand,
and subscription-on-demand; all forms of digital or on-line exploitation,
distribution and/or
transmission (including, without limitation, the internet), CD-ROMs, fiber
optic
or other exhibition,
broadcast and/or delivery systems and/or computerized or computer-assisted
media; all
rights of communication to the public, rights of distribution to the public,
rights of making available
or other forms of public or private communication and/or distribution; and
all
forms of dissemination,
communication or distribution to one or more locations or parties, whether
embodied
or transmitted utilizing analog, digital or other format; (ii) all ancillary,
incidental and subsidiary
rights including, without limitation, all merchandising (e.g., games, computer,
video and
other
electronic games, toys, comic books, so-called "making of' books, apparel,
food,
beverages,
posters, and other commodities, services or items), commercial tie-ins,
co-
I:\ESCAPE
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25
promotions,
music, music publishing, soundtrack, photonovel (using for example stills from
the Picture
with narrative text), novelization, screenplay publication, interactive media,
multi-media; and theme park (or other "themed" or location-based attraction)
rights in and to the Property; (iii) the right to make or publish excerpts,
synopses or summaries of the Property not to exceed the lesser
of
one thousand (1,000) words or ten percent (10%) of the Work for purposes of
advertising,
publicizing or exploiting the foregoing rights in and to the Property; and
(iv)
subject to the Reserved Rights, the exclusive right to use the title or titles
by which the Property may be now or hereafter known, or any components of any
such title or titles (a) as the title of Motion Pictures
and/or in connection with the advertising, marketing, publicity, promotion
and
other exploitation
thereof, whether such Motion Pictures are based wholly or partially upon the
Property,
(b) in connection with songs, musical compositions, music or lyrics and/or
phonorecords,
whether or not included in any such Motion Pictures, and (c) in connection
with
the
publication, recordation, performance and any other use whatsoever of the
foregoing items. Upon
the
exercise of such Option, Company shall automatically and forthwith own and
be
vested with and, effective in such event, Company is hereby granted, all of
such
Rights.
Assignor
shall obtain or cause to be obtained all United States copyrights in and to
the
Property; and should Assignor fail to do so within five (5) business days after
Company's request therefor (or such shorter period as may be required by exigent
circumstances of which Company advises Assignor), Assignor hereby irrevocably
appoints Company, and its agents and employees, as Assignor's attorney-in-fact,
with full and irrevocable power and authority to do all such acts and things,
and to execute, acknowledge, deliver, file, register and record said Property
and all documents,
in the name and on behalf of Assignor, as Company may deem necessary or proper
to accomplish the same, this being a power coupled with an interest.
Company
is empowered to bring, prosecute, defend and appear in suits, actions and
proceedings of any nature concerning all copyrights in and to the Property,
or
concerning any infringements of any such copyright, or any interference with
any
of the Rights hereby granted under said copyrights,
in its own name or in the name of the copyright proprietor, but at the expense
of Company,
and, at its option, Company may join such copyright proprietor and/or the
undersigned
as a party plaintiff or defendant in any such suit, action or proceeding. Any
recovery
of damages or costs from infringement or violation of any such copyright or
renewal copyright,
so far as it arises from any violation of the Rights hereby assigned, is
likewise assigned
to and shall be paid to Company.
As
used
herein, "Motion Picture", or its equivalent, means and includes motion pictures,
cinematography,
films and photoplays of every kind and character whatsoever, including the
sound
records thereof, as well as trailers and clips thereof, produced by means of
any
photographic,
electrical, electronic, mechanical or other processes or devices now or
hereafter known, invented, used or contemplated, by which photographs, pictures,
images or other visual reproductions or representations are or may be printed,
imprinted, recorded or otherwise preserved
on material of any description (whether translucent or not) for later projection
or exhibition
in such manner that the same are, or appear to be, in motion on screen, mirror,
tube or other medium or device, whether or not accompanied by sound records
and
whether now or hereafter
known, invented, devised or contemplated.
I:\ESCAPE
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26
This
Short Form Option Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the long
form Literary Option Purchase Agreement (the "Long Form Agreement") between
Company and Owner dated as of February 15, 2002.
Executed
as of this 15th day of February, 2002.
| PLATINUM
STUDIOS, LLC | |
| | | |
|
By:
| /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx | |
| | | |
| | Chairman | |
| | | |
I:\ESCAPE
ARTISTS PROJECTS 1\Cowboys & Aliens\Cowboys And Aliens Option la Agmt
3-12-04.doc
00
XXXXX
XX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXX
XX
XXX XXXXXXX
Xx , 20_,
before
me, ,
personally appeared personally
known to me (or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence)
to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument and
acknowledged tome
that
he executed the same in his authorized capacity, and that by his signature
on
the instrument
the person, or the entity upon behalf of which the person acted, executed the
instrument.
WITNESS
my hand and official seal.
Notary
Public
I:\ESCAPE
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3-12-04.doc
28
soundtrack,
photonovel (using for example stills from the Picture with narrative text),
novelization, screenplay publication, interactive media, multi-media, and theme
park (or other "themed" or location-based
attraction) rights in and to the Property; (iii) the right to make or publish
excerpts, synopses
or summaries of the Property not to exceed the lesser of one thousand (1,000)
words or tern
percent (10%) of the Work for purposes of advertising, publicizing or exploiting
the foregoing
rights in and to the Property, and (iv) subject to the Reserved Rights, the
exclusive right
to
use the title or titles by which the Property may be now or hereafter known,
or
any components
of any such title or titles (a) as the title of Motion Pictures and/or in
connection with the
advertising, marketing, publicity, promotion and other exploitation thereof,
whether such Motion
Pictures are based wholly or partially upon the Property, (b) in connection
with
songs, musical
compositions, music or lyrics and/or phonorecords, whether or not included
in
any such Motion
Pictures, and (c) in connection with the publication, recordation, performance
and any other
use
whatsoever of the foregoing items.
Assignor
shall obtain or cause to be obtained all United States copyrights in and to
the
Property; and should Assignor fail to do so within five (5) business days after
Company's request therefor (or such shorter period as may be required by exigent
circumstances of which Company advises Assignor), Assignor hereby irrevocably
appoints Company, and its agents and employees, as Assignor's attorney-in-fact,
with full and irrevocable power and authority to do all such acts and things,
and to execute, acknowledge, deliver, file, register and record said Property
and all documents,
in the name and on behalf of Assignor, as Company may deem necessary or proper
to accomplish the same, this being a power coupled with an
interest.
Company
is empowered to bring, prosecute, defend and appear in suits, actions and
proceedings of any nature concerning all copyrights in and to the Property,
or
concerning any infringements of any such copyright, or any interference with
any
of the Rights hereby granted under said copyrights,
in its own name or in the name of the copyright proprietor, but at the expense
of Company,
and, at its option, Company may join such copyright proprietor and/or the
undersigned
as a party plaintiff or defendant in any such suit, action or proceeding. Any
recovery
of damages or costs from infringement or violation of any such copyright or
renewal copyright,
so far as it arises from any violation of the Rights hereby assigned, is
likewise assigned
to and shall be paid to Company.
As
used
herein, "Motion Picture", or its equivalent, means and includes motion pictures,
cinematography,
films and photoplays of every kind and character whatsoever, including the
sound
records thereof, as well as trailers and clips thereof, produced by means of
any
photographic,
electrical, electronic, mechanical or other processes or devices now or
hereafter known, invented, used or contemplated, by which photographs, pictures,
images or other visual reproductions or representations are or may be printed,
imprinted, recorded or otherwise preserved
on material of any description (whether translucent or not) for later projection
or exhibition
in such manner that the same are, or appear to be, in motion on screen, mirror,
tube or other medium or device, whether or not accompanied by sound records
and
whether now or hereafter
known, invented, devised or contemplated.
I:\ESCAPE
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Exhibit
"A"
Universal
Scripts:
Draft
#1
- Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx First Draft, dated December 15, 1997 Draft #2 - Xxxxxxx Xxxx
First Draft, dated October 15, 1998 Draft #3 - Xxxxx Xxxxx First Revision,
dated
March 20, 2000 Draft #4 - Xxxxx Xxxxx Second Revision, dated June 16,
2002
I:\ESCAPE
ARTISTS PROJECTS 1\Cowboys & Aliens\Exhibit A to Quitclaim
Agr.07-12-04.doc
30
Schedule
1
Platinum
Studios Source Material (under option by Escape Artists):
Cowboys
and Aliens treatment, written by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx for Platinum Studios,
LLC
Cowboys
& Aliens treatment written by Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx for Platinum Studios, LLC,
dated May 13, 1997
Cowboys
& Aliens treatment written by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx as a work for hire for
Platinum Studios, LLC, dated May 1, 1997
Cowboys
and Aliens Graphic Novel (draft 1) written by Xxxx Xxx Xxxxx
Cowboys
and Aliens Graphic Novel (draft 2) written by Xxxx Xxx Xxxxx
Cowboys
and Aliens Graphic Novel Breakdown written by Xxxx Xxx Xxxxx
Cowboys
and Aliens Treatment written by Xxx XxXxxxx as a work for hire for Platinum
Studios, LLC
Cowboys
and Aliens Treatment written by Xxxxx Xxxxx as a work for hire for Platinum
Studios, LLC
Cowboys
and Aliens Treatment written by Xxx Xxxxxxx as a work for hire for Platinum
Studios, LLC
Cowboys
and Aliens Treatment written by Xxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxx Xxxxxxx as a work for
hire
for Platinum Studios, LLC
Cowboys
and Aliens Treatment written by Brain Augustine, as a work for hire for Platinum
Studios, LLC, dated 1-28-00
Cowboys
and Aliens Treatment written by Brain Augustine, as a work for hire for Platinum
Studios, LLC, dated 8-1-00
I:\ESCAPE
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31
ESCAPE
A
R T I S
T S
XXXXX
X.
XXXXXXXXXX WRITER'S
DIRECT DIAL
Executive
Vice
President Tel:
310.244.6631Fax: 310.204.2713
Business
and Legal
Affairs xxxxx_xxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxxx.xxx
March
29,
2004
Xxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
& Xxxxxx
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
0xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX 00000
Re: "Cowboys
and Aliens"
Dear
Xxx:
References
made to the Producing Agreement dated as of February 15, 2002 by and between
Escape Artists Productions, LLC ("Company") and Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Productions ("Lender") f/s/o Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx ("Producer").
This
confirms the following:
|
1.
|
In
the event a theatrical motion picture is produced based on the Property,
then provided Producer
is not in material uncured breach of the agreement, Producer shall
be
entitled to the producing fixed compensation, contingent compensation
and
credit set forth in the agreement
(i.e., even if Producer is "Pay or Played" off the Picture and is
not
required to render
any services in connection therewith Lender shall nonetheless be
entitled
to the compensation
and credit set forth above).
|
| 2. | Subsequent
Productions: In the event subsequent productions are produced based
on
theProperty,
and provided Producer is not in material uncured breach, Producer shall
be
"locked
for life" with respect to his fixed and contingent compensation and
credit
for such subsequent
productions as set forth in the agreement (i.e., irrespective of the
time
period that may
pass between the initial theatrical production and the subsequent
production, whether Artist
is required to render services, or whether any production's final negative
cost exceeds the
ingoing budget). |
The
balance of the terms and conditions shall be negotiated in good faith between
the parties within Company's and Columbia Pictures' customary parameters for
deals of this kind.
| | Warmest
regards, | |
| | | |
|
| /s/ Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxx | |
| | Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxx | |
| | Title | |
| | | |
1:\ESCAPE ARTISTS PROJECTSI\Cowboys &
Aliens\Letters\Cowboys & Aliens_Bob Xxxxx.032904.doc
32
XXXXX
X.
XXXXXXXXXX WRITER'S
DIRECT
DIAL
Executive
Vice President Tel:
000.000.0000 Fax:
000.000.0000
Business
and Legal Affairs david_bl
oomfi eld@spe.
son y. com
July
7,
2003
Xxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
& Xxxxxx
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
0xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX 00000
Re:
"Cowboys and Aliens" / Option Purchase Agreement
Dear
Xxx:
As
you
know, Escape Artists Productions, LLC ("Company") is entering into an agreement
with Columbia
Pictures ("Columbia") pursuant to which the long form Option-Purchase Agreement
(the "Option Purchase Agreement") dated as of February 16, 2002 by and between
Company and Platinum
Studios, LLC ("Owner") will be assigned to Columbia for further development
and
possible
production (and all capitalized terms used herein without definition shall
have
the meanings
set forth in the Option Purchase Agreement).
|
1
|
In
the event that pursuant to paragraph 10.5 of the Option Purchase
Agreement
the Property reverts
to Owner, Owner agrees that Company shall be entitled to a payment
(a
"Subsequent Production
Payment") equal to the aggregate of (a) 50% of all payments received
by
Owner or
its affiliates for the option, license, sale or other disposition
of any
rights in the Property to
a third party net of third party agent and lawyer commissions not
to
exceed 15%, plus (b) 50%
of all producing fees received by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx or his
loan out
company or any
other principals of Owner or Owner's affiliates in connection with
the
Property net of third
party agent and lawyer commissions not to exceed 15%; provided that
the
aggregate of all
Subsequent Production Payments paid to Company shall be subject to
a
lifetime cap of$1.5
million dollars.
|
| 2. | In
the event that Columbia abandons further development of the picture
and
Columbia's rights
in the Option Purchase Agreement revert to Company, Company and Owner
agree that
the Option Purchase Agreement shall be deemed automatically amended
as
follows: |
(a) Paragraph
5.4 shall be deleted and the following inserted in lieu thereof:
|
"5.4
|
If
Company in its sole discretion makes any payment in the form of a
fixed
amount
(and excluding any payment in the form of contingent compensation)
to
Universal Pictures or any other third party other than Columbia or
its
affiliates (including, for example, any amount paid to an errors
and
omissions insurance carrier for an increased premium) in order to
acquire
rights or make settlements regarding previous materials developed
based on
the Property other than material developed by Columbia, then for
the first
Motion Picture based on or adapted from the Property only ("First
Picture"), Company shall have the right to reduce thePurchase
Price by an amount equal to 50% of any such payments until the Purchase
Price
has been reduced to One Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars
($1,250,000);
provided further, Owner shall have the right to participate in any
settlement
negotiations; and provided, further, that the first Fifty Thousand
Dollars
($50,000)
of the cost of any errors and omissions insurance premium beyond
the
customary
premium for a typical studio theatrical motion picture shall be borne
by
Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the First Picture is produced by
Dreamworks
or Universal there shall be no such right of offset. Further, if
Company
disregards
a reasonable requirement of the errors and omissions insurance carrier
or
the
domestic distributor's legal counsel, then Owner shall not be subject
to
offset for any
claim arising out of such particular matter. Owner represents and
warrants
that Owner
has provided Company with copies of all the screenplays developed
by
Universal
and/or Dreamworks while the project was under option to Universal
pursuant
to the Literary Option Purchase Agreement dated as of May 16, 1997
between
Universal and Owner, (the "Universal Agreement"), a complete list
of
which
screenplays is set forth on Schedule 3 and incorporated herein by
this
reference
(the "Universal Screenplays"), and to the best knowledge of Owner
the
aggregate
hard cost investment in development at Universal and/or
Dreamworksdoes
not exceed $2,000,000."
|
I:\ESCAPE
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Wyman_Option Purchase 3-18-04.doc
33
|
(b)
|
Paragraph
10.5 shall be deleted and the following inserted in lieu
thereof:
|
|
"10.5
|
Reversion.
All of Company's rights to the Property (excluding rights in any
productions already produced and all ancillary rights in connection
with
exploitation of such productions, which rights in perpetuity shall
be
owned by Company [provided
Company's merchandising rights shall terminate at the time of such
reversion]) will thereafter revert to Owner if there is no production
of a
motion picture based on the Property within six (6) years or no subsequent
production (whether
a feature film, television production or video/dvd production) commences
principal photography by the later of (i) six years after the initial
general theatrical release of the preceding theatrical motion picture,
or
(ii) three years after the final initial
broadcast of any television program (including any program distributed
in
the internet) based on the Property, or (iii) three years from the
"street
date" of any straight to video/DVD product (or on demand internet
production) based on the Property (it being agreed that only "good
faith
first class" legitimate productions [i.e., not productions without
commercial value created solely to prevent the reversion of rights
per
this Section] shall postpone the reversion of rights per this Section).
If
the Property reverts to Owner, then Company shall be entitled to
a payment
equal to 1.5% of the ingoing budget (i.e., the final approved budget
as of
the date of commencement of principal photography of the applicable
production exclusive of bond, contingency, financing and overhead)
payable
upon commencement of principal photography of each subsequent motion
picture (feature, television video/DVD or other). This payment for
theatrical feature films will be capped at $1 million per production
and
for video and television production capped at
one half the royalty payments for Owner referenced in Section 12.2
herein
below; notwithstanding
the foregoing, if (x) there is no animated production based on the
Property
commenced within four years from the initial general release of the
preceding
theatrical motion picture, (y) there has been no production commenced
within
the applicable time periods set forth in clauses (ii) or (iii) above
and
(z) no productions
described in (i), (ii) or (iii) are in official pre-production nor
has any
party
made a firm commitment (such as a pay or play commitment to a lead
actor)
for
a subsequent such production, then the animated rights in the Property
shall revert
to Owner (subject to Company's right to royalty payments as set forth
above); provided
further, however, if Company is in active negotiations or engaged
in
active progress-to-production
regarding production of an animated production based on the Property,
then such animated rights shall not revert during the pendancy of
such
time period
(and Owner agrees not to frustrate any such activities); provided
in no
event shall
such time period be extended beyond the time periods set forth in
clauses
(i), (ii)
or (iii) above. Notwithstanding
anything to the
contrary contained herein, Company shall retain the right to
distribute, in perpetuity, any and all Motion Pictures (including
television programs) which have been produced hereunder prior to
such
reversion."
|
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(c)
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Paragraph
11 regarding merchandising shall be deleted and the following
inserted inl
ieu thereof:
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11.1
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Approvals
and Controls/Consultation. Subject to Section 11.2.2 below, as between
Company and Owner, all merchandising with respect to the Property
and each
Motion Picture and related rights with respect to the Property and
each
Motion Picture shall be exercised and controlled at all times by
Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary contained
in
this Agreement, and provided Owner
is not in default of this Agreement, and that Owner has performed
all
material obligations to be performed hereunder, Company shall meaningfully
consult with Owner with respect to Company's exploitation of its
merchandising rights in connection with the Property, including,
without
limitation, agreements with respect thereto, and any images, style
guides,
and/or products Company creates; provided, however, that Company's
decisions or those of Company's domestic distributor with respect
to the
exploitation of such rights shall be final and binding. In this respect,
Company shall provide Owner with copies of deal memos for Owner's
review
prior to executing same, and upon Owner's request, Company shall
provide
Owner with copies of all executed deal memos and long form
agreements
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| 11.2 | Merchandising
Royalty Payments. |
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11.2.1
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Domestic
Territory/Studio Territory. In the domestic territory
and in each territory that Company elects (or is required) to include
merchandising in the license of rights to the domestic distributor
("Studio") (collectively,
the "Studio Territory"), Owner shall be entitled to the following
royalty: Thirty Five Percent (35%) of One Hundred Percent
(100%) of
"Net Merchandising
Receipts" and Fifty Percent (50%) of One Hundred Percent (100%) of
"Net
Interactive Game Receipts". "Net Merchandising Receipts" shall be
defined
as gross merchandising receipts (including licensing fees received
in connection with theme park rights) actually received by the
Studio
(net of returns and allowances) from licensing of the applicable
rights in
the Property in the Studio Territory after deduction of all unaffiliated
third party royalties and participations (other than any participation
payable to Escape
Artists, LLC or its affiliates or principals), if any, actually paid
by
the Studio and unaffiliated foreign subagents fees (provided if any
affiliate of the Studio is actually exploiting the rights (e.g.,
exploitation by Sony electronics to
produce product using the name and logo of the Property) then only
amounts
received by the Studio from such affiliate shall be included as gross
merchandising receipts and the terms of any agreement between the
Studio
and any such affiliate shall be comparable to an arms length transaction
with an
unaffiliated third party. "Net Interactive Game Receipts" shall be
defined
as
gross receipts actually received by the Studio from exploitation
of the
applicable
Rights (net of returns and allowances) from the Studio Territory
from
"Interactive Rights" (as defined in Section 11.2.4 herein below),
after
deduction
of all unaffiliated third party royalties and participations (other
than
any participation payable to Escape Artists, LLC or its affiliates
or
principals),
if any, actually paid by the Studio and unrelated foreign subsubagents
fees, if any. In the event that the Studio alone or through
anyaffiliated
company without the involvement of any third party
manufacturermanufactures
an interactive video game then in lieu of the percentage of Net
Interactive
Game receipts set forth in this Section above Owner shall receive
a
royalty of Seven and One Half Percent (7.5%) of "gross sales" as
computedand
adjusted per MIB Agreement (as defined below), which provides as
follows:
" `gross sales' shall mean the gross sales price on all shipments
ofthe
product, after the deduction of all returns and uncollectible accounts.
And actual
deductions for cash, trade, quantity or freight discounts. Alltransactions
between Company and affiliated parties shall be governed byarms-length
negotiations and prices, discounts and other monetary items determined
thereby shall be consistent with such terms given to
unaffiliatedthird
parties."
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11.2.2
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Merchandising
Outside of the Studio Territory. Company and Owner shall jointly
control the merchandising rights (including interactive games)
outside of
the Studio Territory, and split all profits (after deduction of
costs and
third-party royalties) fifty percent (50%) to each of Owner and
Company;
provided, however, that if there is disagreement between Company
and Owner
regarding exploitation of the merchandising rights, Company's decisions
shall be final and binding; provided, further, that in the event
Company
or its successor is not actively in the business of developing,
producing
or distributing Motion Pictures, then Owner's decisions shall be
final and
binding.
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11.2.3
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Hasbro First Look. Provided the Studio that is
acquiring the rights
to the First Picture in the domestic territory does not have a then
pre-
existing
agreement with a toy company for toy merchandising, Company shall
require the domestic distributor to give Hasbro a "first look" at
entering
into a licensing agreement for toy merchandising for the First Picture,
provided
if the studio and Hasbro do not enter into an agreement within 15
business
days of commencement of negotiations, then the studio shall have
no
further obligation to
Hasbro.
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11.2.4
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Interactive Rights Definition. "Interactive
Rights" as used herein shall be as defined in the "Men In Black"
Agreement
["MIB Agreement"]
between Columbia Pictures and Malibu Comics, true and correct
excerpts of which have been supplied to Company by Owner), which
definition is as follows: (i) all interactive software in any delivery
systems, including, without limitation, magnetic semiconductor and
optical
media, which
is compatible with (A) video game console systems, (B) computer
systems,
(C) optical disc-based systems, such as CD-ROM, (D) coin actuated
video
game systems (i.e., interactive video entertainment which is enabled
by
insertion of a coin, token, or debit card), including upright and
table-top models
and kits and boards for the foregoing, and (E) hand-held video games,
and
(F) any location based video games, and (G) any variations of the
above
(including, e.g., virtual reality based on or derived from interactive
software delivery systems as opposed to virtual reality presented
in
another manner, as, e.g.,
theatrically), and (ii) notwithstanding the reservation of rights,
comic
books
published or appearing on video and video disc and optical disc-based
systems to the extent that said comic books involve interactive choices
by
the reader resulting in different game play scenarios (as opposed
to comic
books using video, video disc or optical disc-based systems as a
medium
akin to traditional publishing to be read by a reader without interactive
choices other than for storytelling purposes [such as branching
stories]).
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11.2.5
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Merchandise Items Samples. Company shall cause
the Studio to provide to Owner twenty (20) samples of each type of
merchandise to Owner,
excluding any items with a cost of $100 or more. Owner shall have
the
right to purchase any item of available merchandise at cost (but
such
items
may not be resold)."
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(d)
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The
following shall be added to the end f paragraph
18.1:
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"In
addition, subject to the approval of the Studio, Owner shall receive a
nonanimated logo after the end titles of the Picture."
Wannest
regards,
ESCAPE
ARTISTS PRODUCTIONS, LLC
| PLATINUM
STUDIOS, LLC | |
| | | |
|
By:
| /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx | |
| | | |
| | Chairman | |
| | | |
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