OVERSEAS FILMGROUP, INC.
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
RECITALS
A. The Board has adopted the Plan for the purpose of retaining the
services of selected Employees, non-employee members of the Board or the board
of directors of any Parent or Subsidiary and consultants and other independent
advisors in the service of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).
B. Optionee is to render valuable services to the Corporation (or a
Parent or Subsidiary), and this Agreement is executed pursuant to, and is
intended to carry out the purposes of, the Plan in connection with the
Corporation's grant of an option to Optionee.
C. All capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning
assigned to them in the attached Appendix.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows:
1. GRANT OF OPTION. The Corporation hereby grants to Optionee, as
of the Grant Date, an option to purchase up to the number of Option Shares
specified in the Grant Notice. The Option Shares shall be purchasable from time
to time during the option term specified in Paragraph 2 at the Exercise Price.
2. OPTION TERM. This option shall have a term of ten (10) years
measured from the Grant Date and shall accordingly expire at the close of
business on the Expiration Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance with
Paragraph 5 or 6.
3. LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY. During Optionee's lifetime, this option
shall be exercisable only by Optionee and shall not be assignable or
transferable other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution
following Optionee's death.
4. DATES OF EXERCISE. This option shall become exercisable for the
Option Shares in one or more installments as specified in the Grant Notice. As
the option becomes exercisable for such installments, those installments shall
accumulate and the option shall remain exercisable for the accumulated
installments until the Expiration Date or sooner termination of the option term
under Paragraph 5 or 6.
5. CESSATION OF SERVICE. The option term specified in Paragraph 2
shall terminate (and this option shall cease to be outstanding) prior to the
Expiration Date should any of the following provisions become applicable:
(a) Should Optionee cease to remain in Service for any reason
(other than death, Disability or termination for Cause) while this option is
outstanding, then Optionee shall have a period of three (3) months (commencing
with the date of such cessation of Service) during which to exercise this
option, but in no event shall this option be exercisable at any time after the
Expiration Date.
(b) Should Optionee die while this option is outstanding, then
the personal representative of Optionee's estate or the person or persons to
whom the option is transferred pursuant to Optionee's will or in accordance with
the laws of inheritance shall have the right to exercise this option. Such
right shall lapse, and this option shall cease to be outstanding, upon the
EARLIER of (i) the expiration of the twelve (12)-month period measured from the
date of Optionee's death or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(c) Should Optionee cease Service by reason of Disability while
this option is outstanding, then Optionee shall have a period of twelve (12)
months (commencing with the date of such cessation of Service) during which to
exercise this option. In no event shall this option be exercisable at any time
after the Expiration Date.
NOTE: Exercise of this option on a date later than three
(3) months following cessation of Service due to Disability
will result in loss of favorable Incentive Option treatment,
UNLESS such Disability constitutes Permanent Disability. In
the event that Incentive Option treatment is not available,
this option will be taxed as a Non-Statutory Option upon
exercise.
(d) During the limited period of post-Service exercisability,
this option may not be exercised in the aggregate for more than the number of
Option Shares in which Optionee is, at the time of Optionee's cessation of
Service, vested pursuant to the Vesting Schedule specified in the Grant Notice.
Upon the expiration of such limited exercise period or (if earlier) upon the
Expiration Date, this option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding for any
vested Option Shares for which the option has not been exercised. To the extent
Optionee is not vested in the Option Shares at the time of Optionee's cessation
of Service, this option shall immediately terminate and cease to be outstanding
with respect to those shares.
(e) Should the Optionee's Service be terminated for Cause, then
this Option shall immediately terminate and cease to be exercisable for any of
the Option Shares.
6. SPECIAL TERMINATION OF OPTION.
(a) This option shall be assumable by the successor corporation
(or parent thereof) in any Corporate Transaction, and to the extent this option
is not so
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assumed, the option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding immediately
following the consummation of such Corporate Transaction.
(b) If this option is assumed in connection with a Corporate
Transaction, then this option shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after
such Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class of securities which
would have been issuable to Optionee in consummation of such Corporate
Transaction had the option been exercised immediately prior to such Corporate
Transaction, and appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the Exercise
Price, PROVIDED the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the same.
(c) This Agreement shall not in any way affect the right of the
Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change its capital or
business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or
transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
7. ADJUSTMENT IN OPTION SHARES. Should any change be made to the
Common Stock by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization,
combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the
outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's receipt of
consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be made to (i) the total number
and/or class of securities subject to this option and (ii) the Exercise Price in
order to reflect such change and thereby preclude a dilution or enlargement of
benefits hereunder.
8. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS. The holder of this option shall not have any
shareholder rights with respect to the Option Shares until such person shall
have exercised the option, paid the Exercise Price and become a holder of record
of the purchased shares.
9. MANNER OF EXERCISING OPTION.
(a) In order to exercise this option with respect to all or any
part of the Option Shares for which this option is at the time exercisable,
Optionee (or any other person or persons exercising the option) must take the
following actions:
(i) To the extent the option is exercised for
vested Option Shares, the Secretary of the Corporation shall be
provided with written notice of the option exercise (the "Exercise
Notice"), in substantially the form of Exhibit I attached hereto, in
which there is specified the number of vested Option Shares to be
purchased under the exercised option. To the extent that the option
is exercised for one or more unvested Option Shares, Optionee (or
other person exercising the option) shall deliver to the Secretary of
the Corporation a Purchase Agreement for those unvested Option Shares.
3.
(ii) Pay the aggregate Exercise Price for the
purchased shares in one or more of the following forms:
(A) cash or check made payable to the
Corporation; or
(B) cancellation of any indebtedness owed by the
Corporation to the Optionee; or
(C) a promissory note payable to the Corporation,
but only to the extent authorized by the Plan Administrator in
accordance with Paragraph 13; or
(D) in shares of Common Stock held by Optionee
(or any other person or persons exercising the option) for at
least six (6) months, and valued at Fair Market Value on the
Exercise Date; or
(E) to the extent the option is exercised for
vested Option Shares and such procedure is available at the time
of such exercise, through a special sale and remittance procedure
pursuant to which Optionee (or any other person or persons
exercising the option) shall concurrently provide irrevocable
instructions (a) to a Corporation-designated brokerage firm to
effect the immediate sale of the purchased shares and remit to
the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds available on the
settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the aggregate Exercise
Price payable for the purchased shares plus all applicable
Federal, state and local income and employment taxes required to
be withheld by the Corporation by reason of such exercise and (b)
to the Corporation to deliver the certificates for the purchased
shares directly to such brokerage firm in order to complete the
sale.
Except to the extent the sale and remittance procedure is
utilized in connection with the option exercise, payment of the
Exercise Price must accompany the Purchase Agreement delivered to
the Corporation in connection with the option exercise.
(iii) Furnish to the Corporation appropriate
documentation that the person or persons exercising the option (if
other than Optionee) have the right to exercise this option.
4.
(iv) Execute and deliver to the Corporation such
written representations as may be requested by the Corporation in
order for it to comply with the applicable requirements of Federal and
state securities laws.
(v) Make appropriate arrangements with the
Corporation (or Parent or Subsidiary employing or retaining Optionee)
for the satisfaction of all Federal, state and local income and
employment tax withholding requirements applicable to the option
exercise.
(b) As soon as practical after the Exercise Date, the
Corporation shall issue to or on behalf of Optionee (or any other person or
persons exercising this option) a certificate for the purchased Option Shares,
with the appropriate legends affixed thereto.
(c) In no event may this option be exercised for any fractional
shares.
10. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
(a) The exercise of this option and the issuance of the Option
Shares upon such exercise shall be subject to compliance by the Corporation and
Optionee with all applicable requirements of law relating thereto and with all
applicable regulations of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq National Market or
the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, if applicable) on which the Common Stock may be
listed for trading at the time of such exercise and issuance.
(b) The inability of the Corporation to obtain approval from any
regulatory body having authority deemed by the Corporation to be necessary to
the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Stock pursuant to this option shall
relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to the non-issuance or
sale of the Common Stock as to which such approval shall not have been obtained.
The Corporation, however, shall use its best efforts to obtain all such
approvals.
11. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Except to the extent otherwise provided
in Paragraphs 3 and 6, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of, and be binding upon, the Corporation and its successors and assigns
and Optionee, Optionee's assigns and the legal representatives, heirs and
legatees of Optionee's estate.
12. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given or delivered to the
Corporation under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing and addressed
to the Corporation at its principal corporate offices. Any notice required to
be given or delivered to Optionee shall be in writing and addressed to Optionee
at the address indicated below Optionee's signature line on the Grant Notice.
All notices shall be deemed effective upon
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personal delivery or upon deposit in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid and properly
addressed to the party to be notified.
13. FINANCING. The Plan Administrator may, in its absolute
discretion and without any obligation to do so, permit Optionee to pay the
Exercise Price for the purchased Option Shares by delivering a full-recourse,
interest-bearing promissory note secured by those Option Shares. The payment
schedule in effect for any such promissory note shall be established by the Plan
Administrator in its sole discretion.
14. CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement and the option evidenced hereby are
made and granted pursuant to the Plan and are in all respects limited by and
subject to the terms of the Plan. All decisions of the Plan Administrator with
respect to any question or issue arising under the Plan or this Agreement shall
be conclusive and binding on all persons having an interest in this option.
15. GOVERNING LAW. The interpretation, performance and enforcement
of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California
without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.
16. SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL. If the Option Shares covered by this
Agreement exceed, as of the Grant Date, the number of shares of Common Stock
which may be issued under the Plan as last approved by the shareholders, then
this option shall be void with respect to such excess shares, unless shareholder
approval of an amendment sufficiently increasing the number of shares of Common
Stock issuable under the Plan is obtained in accordance with the provisions of
the Plan.
17. ADDITIONAL TERMS APPLICABLE TO AN INCENTIVE OPTION. In the event
this option is designated an Incentive Option in the Grant Notice, the following
terms and conditions shall also apply to the grant:
(a) This option shall cease to qualify for favorable tax
treatment as an Incentive Option if (and to the extent) this option is exercised
for one or more Option Shares: (i) more than three (3) months after the date
Optionee ceases to be an Employee for any reason other than death or Permanent
Disability or (ii) more than twelve (12) months after the date Optionee ceases
to be an Employee by reason of Permanent Disability.
(b) This option shall not become exercisable in the calendar
year in which granted if (and to the extent) the aggregate Fair Market Value
(determined at the Grant Date) of the Common Stock for which this option would
otherwise first become exercisable in such calendar year would, when added to
the aggregate value (determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) of
the Common Stock and any other securities for which one or more other Incentive
Options granted to Optionee prior to the Grant Date (whether under the Plan or
any other option plan of the Corporation or any Parent or
6.
Subsidiary) first become exercisable during the same calendar year, exceed One
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) in the aggregate. To the extent the
exercisability of this option is deferred by reason of the foregoing limitation,
the deferred portion shall become exercisable in the first calendar year or
years thereafter in which the One Hundred Thousand Dollar ($100,000) limitation
of this Paragraph 18(b) would not be contravened, but such deferral shall in all
events end immediately prior to the effective date of a Corporate Transaction in
which this option is not to be assumed, whereupon the option shall become
immediately exercisable as a Non-Statutory Option for the deferred portion of
the Option Shares.
(c) Should Optionee hold, in addition to this option, one or
more other options to purchase Common Stock which become exercisable for the
first time in the same calendar year as this option, then the foregoing
limitations on the exercisability of such options as Incentive Options shall be
applied on the basis of the order in which such options are granted.
18. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. The following provisions shall apply upon the
Optionee's commencement of an authorized leave of absence:
(i) The vesting schedule in effect under the
Grant Notice shall be frozen as of the first day of the authorized
leave, and no additional installments of the Option Shares shall vest
during the period Optionee remains on such leave.
(ii) Should Optionee resume active Employee status
within sixty (60) days after the start date of the authorized leave,
Optionee shall, for purposes of the vesting schedule set forth in the
Grant Notice, receive Service credit for the entire period of such
leave. If Optionee does not resume active Employee status within such
sixty (60)-day period, then no Service credit shall be given for the
period of such leave.
(iii) If the option is designated as an Incentive
Option in the Grant Notice, then the following additional provision
shall apply:
(A) If the leave of absence continues for more
than ninety (90) days, then this option shall automatically
convert to a Non-Statutory Option under the Federal tax laws at
the end of such ninety (90)-day period, unless the Optionee's
reemployment rights are guaranteed by statute or by written
agreement. Following any such conversion of the option, all
subsequent exercises of such option, whether effected before or
after Optionee's return to active Employee status, shall result
in an immediate taxable event, and the Corporation
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shall be required to collect from Optionee the Federal, state and local
income and employment withholding taxes applicable to such exercise.
(iv) No additional Option Shares shall vest and the option
shall cease to remain outstanding for any Option Shares, if Optionee does not
resume Employee status prior to the Expiration Date of the option term.
8.
APPENDIX
The following definitions shall be in effect under the Agreement:
A. AGREEMENT shall mean this Stock Option Agreement.
B. BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.
C. CAUSE shall have the same meaning in effect for that term under any
written employment agreement which may exist between Optionee and the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) at the time Optionee's Service is
terminated. In the absence of such a written employment agreement, the
Optionee's Service shall be deemed to have been terminated for Cause if such
termination is due to the commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement or
dishonesty by Optionee, any unauthorized use or disclosure by Optionee of
confidential information or trade secrets of the Corporation (or any Parent or
Subsidiary), or any other intentional misconduct by Optionee adversely affecting
the business or affairs of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) in a
material manner. Such definition shall not be deemed to be inclusive of all the
acts or omissions which the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) may
consider as grounds for the dismissal or discharge of Optionee or any other
individual in the Service of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).
D. CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
E. COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.
F. CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean either of the following shareholder-
approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:
(i) a merger or consolidation in which securities
possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting
power of the Corporation's outstanding securities are transferred to a
person or persons different from the persons holding those securities
immediately prior to such transaction, or
(ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the Corporation's assets in complete liquidation
or dissolution of the Corporation.
G. CORPORATION shall mean Overseas Filmgroup, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
A-1
H. DISABILITY shall mean the inability of Optionee to engage in any
substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or
mental impairment and shall be determined by the Plan Administrator on the basis
of such medical evidence as the Plan Administrator deems warranted under the
circumstances. Disability shall be deemed to constitute PERMANENT DISABILITY in
the event that such Disability is expected to result in death or has lasted or
can be expected to last for a continuous period of twelve (12) months or more.
I. EMPLOYEE shall mean an individual who is in the employ of the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary), subject to the control and direction
of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and
method of performance.
J. EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the option shall have been
exercised in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Agreement.
K. EXERCISE PRICE shall mean the exercise price payable per Option Share
as specified in the Grant Notice.
L. EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option expires as
specified in the Grant Notice.
M. FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant date shall
be determined in accordance with the following provisions:
- While the Common Stock is traded only on the OTC Bulletin
Board, the Fair Market Value per share shall be the average of the
highest bid and lowest asked prices of the Common Stock quoted on the
relevant date.
- If the Common Stock should subsequently become traded on the
Nasdaq Small Cap Market, then the Fair Market Value per share shall be
the average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices of the Common
Stock quoted for the relevant date. However, for any date in question
under the Plan on which there is a closing selling price quoted for
the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, such closing selling
price shall be deemed to be the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock on that date.
- Should the Common Stock be admitted for trading on the
Nasdaq National Market, the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock on any relevant date shall be the closing selling price per
share on that date as reported by the National Association of
Securities Dealers on the Nasdaq National Market.
A-2
- If the Common Stock becomes traded on any Stock Exchange,
then the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on any relevant
date shall be the closing selling price per share on that date on such
exchange, as reported in The Wall Street Journal.
X. XXXXX DATE shall mean the date of grant of the option as specified in
the Grant Notice.
X. XXXXX NOTICE shall mean the Notice of Grant of Stock Option
accompanying the Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed of the
basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.
P. INCENTIVE OPTION shall mean an option which satisfies the requirements
of Code Section 422.
Q. 1934 ACT shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
R. NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy the
requirements of Code Section 422.
S. OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock subject
to the option.
T. OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted as
specified in the Grant Notice.
U. PARENT shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an
unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Corporation, provided each
corporation in the unbroken chain (other than the Corporation) owns, at the time
of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations
in such chain.
V. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's Basic 1996 Stock Option and Stock
Appreciation Rights Plan.
W. PLAN ADMINISTRATOR shall mean either the Board or a committee of the
Board acting in its capacity as administrator of the Plan.
X. PURCHASE AGREEMENT shall mean the stock purchase agreement in
substantially the form of Exhibit B to the Grant Notice.
Y. SERVICE shall mean the Optionee's performance of services for the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) in the capacity of an Employee, a non-
employee member of the board of directors or an independent consultant.
A-3
Z. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New York
Stock Exchange.
AA. SUBSIDIARY shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in
an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Corporation, provided each
corporation (other than the last corporation) in the unbroken chain owns, at the
time of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the
total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other
corporations in such chain.
A-4.
EXHIBIT I
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
I hereby notify Overseas Filmgroup, Inc. (the "Corporation") that I
elect to purchase __________ shares of the Corporation's Common Stock (the
"Purchased Shares") at the option exercise price of $___________ per share (the
"Exercise Price") pursuant to that certain option (the "Option") granted to me
under the Corporation's 1996 Basic Stock Option and Stock Appreciation Rights
Plan on ____________________, 199___.
Concurrently with the delivery of this Exercise Notice to the
Secretary of the Corporation, I shall hereby pay to the Corporation the Exercise
Price for the Purchased Shares in accordance with the provisions of my agreement
with the Corporation evidencing the Option and shall deliver whatever additional
documents may be required by such agreement as a condition for exercise. To the
extent such procedure is available at the time the Option is exercised, I may
also utilize the special broker/dealer sale and remittance procedure specified
in my agreement to effect payment of the Exercise Price for any Purchased Shares
in which I am vested at the time of exercise.
, 199
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Date
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Optionee
Address:
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Print name in exact manner
it is to appear on the
stock certificate:
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Address to which certificate
is to be sent, if different
from address above: ------------------------------
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Social Security Number:
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