JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 10.1 - JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT BETWEEN
REGISTRANT AND GLOBAL RENAISSANCE
ENTERTAINMENT
GROUP, DATED OCTOBER 19, 2009
This
agreement is entered into this 19th day of October, 2009 by and among Global
Renaissance Entertainment Group, Inc., a legal entity in formation by Xxxxxx
Xxxxx (“Xxxxx”), with its principal business address at 0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx,
Xxxxx 000000, Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000 (hereinafter “Renaissance”), Global
Entertainment Holdings, Inc. a publicly traded company on the OTC (Symbol: GBHL)
with offices at Raleigh Studios, 000 X. Xxxxxxx Xxx., Xxxxx X-000, Xxx Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000 (“GBHL”) and Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, President of Urban Street Lit Films, whose
address is 00000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxx, XX 00000 (“Godboldo”) with
respect to a joint venture between Renaissance and Global to develop a film fund
and to develop, finance and produce both mainstream and urban content motion
pictures:
RECITALS:
A.
|
Renaissance
is a company in formation that will be owned and/or controlled by Xxxxx,
who also owns and/or controls or has exclusive access to the rights to a
series of books authored by Xxxx Xxxxx (the “Xxxxx Brand”), which are in
various stages of development as motion picture projects and upon which,
together with other urban content and mainstream projects to which
Renaissance also has access, Xxxxx wishes to collaborate with
GBHL.
|
X.
|
Xxxxx
is a highly successful individual who, in addition to having a network of
high net worth contacts, is among other things a regular speaker at
success and motivational seminar programs either produced by Xxxxx’x
companies or as a guest speaker.
|
C.
|
GBHL
is a holding company controlling a group of companies engaged in various
areas of film development, finance, production and sales representation,
and which presently has access to a form of credit enhanced financing (the
“Structured Financing”) which it wishes to deploy generally and
specifically in collaboration with Renaissance and Xxxxx, both as a source
of the Xxxxx Brand, and as a source of enticing investor prospects to
finance a film fund that will, in turn, provide funding for the Xxxxx
Brand as well as other motion picture
projects.
|
D.
|
Predicated
on the foregoing, the parties wish to undertake this joint venture to
pursue these and other mutual goals and utilize their respective expertise
and resources to further the objectives of the venture as set forth
herein.
|
Now, therefore, in consideration of the
foregoing recitals, the mutual covenants and conditions contained herein, and
for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which
is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1.
Principal purpose of the Venture: The purpose of the joint venture
(“Venture”) is multi- fold and the purpose as well as the principal and
joint roles of the parties as set forth herein are not necessarily limited to
those listed:
a)
|
To
establish an entity that will serve as a film funding vehicle, tentatively
called Global Renaissance Funding (“GR Funding”), that will be jointly
owned by GBHL and Renaissance, or their designees, for the primary purpose
of funding the production of motion
pictures;
|
b)
|
The
completion of the formation of Renaissance by Xxxxx to serve as one of the
production entities for mainstream content for motion picture projects
“Sponsored” (as defined herein below) by Xxxxx. GBHL will use one of its
established subsidiaries as a production entity for motion picture
projects which it has “Sponsored.”
|
c)
|
Renaissance
will be owned initially ninety percent (90%) by Xxxxx, or his legal entity
designee, five percent (5%) by GBHL, and five percent (5%) by Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx, or his legal entity
designee;
|
d)
|
Renaissance
will form a subsidiary, tentatively to be called Global Renaissance
Metropolitan, a Nevada LLC (“GR Metropolitan”) for the production of urban
themed projects to be jointly undertaken by the parties and which will be
owned 80% by Renaissance and 20% by Urban Street Lit Films, LLC., a
company owned or controlled by Godboldo
(“USLF”).
|
e)
|
For
purposes of this Agreement, a “Sponsoring Party” is defined as either GBHL
alone, or Renaissance alone, or both GBHL and Renaissance acting
together.
|
2. Principal Roles of the Parties (inclusive):
a) | GBHL: |
1)
|
Provide
credibility and track record having been in one form or another in
business since 1996, with its key principals engaged in the motion picture
business since 1983 and having produced, together with its affiliates,
over 15 feature-length films “on time” and “on
budget;
|
2)
|
Provide
contacts and relationships with talent agents, distributors and film
studios;
|
3)
|
Provide
Proprietary contacts and relationships with talent agents, distributors
and film studios;
|
4)
|
Provide
Proprietary Financial Model (i.e. Structured Financing) for financing film
projects with reduced risk;
|
5)
|
Provide
Investment Enhancement: To assist in raising capital for GR Funding, GBHL
will provide a stock incentive in a public company, as outlined
below.
|
6)
|
Provide
Corporate Guarantee For Debt Financing up to $75,000, to assist the
Parties in raising initial capital for the joint venture and to assist in
obtaining gap financing where necessary. To this extent, GBHL will provide
a corporate guarantee in the form of a general obligation promissory note,
which is either convertible into GBHL common stock, or with warrants
attached for the purchase of GBHL common
stock.
|
7)
|
Provide
a foreign or domestic distribution /sales company that will handle
selected motion picture projects for a 5% sales agency commission payable
to a GBHL subsidiary.
|
b)
|
Renaissance:
|
1)
|
Raise
initial $20M for GR Funding from known clients/contacts with or without
employing Structured Financing and other incentives and to be used for
funding the production of motion picture projects selected by GR
Funding;
|
2)
|
Provide
marketing expertise and public forums to attract additional capital and
institutional support;
|
3)
|
Provide
access to “urban” genre projects, including films based on Xxxx Xxxxx
literary works;
|
4)
|
Increase
current slate of motion picture projects with higher budgeted mainstream
films with packages that are substantially developed or near turn- key
with “A-List” Talent attached, directors, distribution, foreign pre-
sales, and an experienced production
team,
|
c) | Godboldo: |
1) | Provide GR Metropolitan with a right of first refusal on all projects originating with his company, Urban Street Lit Films. |
2) | Provide administrative services in the organization of the joint venture. |
d) | Jointly: |
1) | Establish a “steering committee” with mutually agreed upon guidelines (“Committee”) consisting of an equal number of designated decision makers from each of Renaissance and GBHL (initially two representatives from each Party), to formulate selected criteria and/or guidelines that will govern which motion picture projects shall be financed by GR Funding. The parties shall also designate one or a greater, odd number of mutually agreed upon independent, and seasoned professionals with substantial experience in production, foreign sales and domestic distribution to serve as advisers to assist the Committee in resolving any conflicts in making decisions. Having served as a producer of four or more theatrically released films, and/or with at least ten years in foreign sales and/or in domestic distribution would qualify an individual as an expert in each of the referenced professions. |
2) | Accord the Committee equal decision making authority with respect to business decisions such as the designation of a domestic and a foreign distributor (including whether Global Universal Film Group (GUFG), a subsidiary of GBHL, is the appropriate foreign sales agent for any non-GBHL projects); |
3) | Business decisions with respect to funding motion picture projects shall be guided by the principal set forth in Section 5(d), below. |
4) | Market and promote the Structured Financing concept and otherwise raise capital for GR Funding. |
3. Term:
The term (“Term”) of the Venture will commence on the date hereof and continue
until the earlier of (a) termination by either party to this agreement upon
thirty days notice, or (b) the eventual financing of GR Funding and/or the
production of a Project utilizing financing procured by GR Funding and approved
by the Committee in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, at which
point this Agreement shall not be terminable except by mutual agreement or legal
proceedings and shall continue in effect so long as the parties shall retain
their respective interests in the entities jointly owned and or controlled by
them or in accordance with the agreements entered into between them with respect
to each project undertaken by the parties. Except as provided in paragraph 4
below, in the event this Agreement is terminated in good faith by either party
prior to the funding of GR Funding and/or the production of a Project undertaken
pursuant hereto, neither party shall owe any further obligation whatsoever to
the other.
4.
Relationship of the Parties: Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to create
an employer/employee or agency relationship between the Parties and neither
party shall have the power or authority to bind the other to any commitments or
obligations whatsoever unless with the other’s express written consent. In that
regard neither Party shall be obligated to offer any idea, project or other
business matter to the other, it being mutually acknowledged and agreed that all
rights under doctrines of “partnership opportunities” or “fiduciary obligations”
in connection with such transactions, opportunities, business or other
enterprises are hereby expressly waived, and each shall be free to pursue any
other business activities whatsoever, whether or not same are in competition to
the other except as limited by the non-circumvention provisions of this
Agreement. The foregoing to the contrary and notwithstanding, the Parties have
previously entered into a non-circumvention agreement, which shall remain in
full force and effect and shall take precedence in the case of a conflict of
terms.
5.
Structure - Ownership/Control/Sharing in Proceeds/Compensation/Start-Up
etc.:
a.
|
GR
Funding will be formed by GBHL as a subsidiary and a Nevada Limited
Liability Company, which is owned 51% by GBHL and 49% by Renaissance,
and/or its designees, but voting control shall be shared equally by the
Parties as Members of GR Funding.
|
i.
|
In
exchange for financing each particular motion picture project (“Project”),
GR Funding will acquire by assignment, a 100% interest for accounting
purposes in the asset representing the motion picture. Additionally, GR
Funding shall receive a fifty percent (50%) equity interest in each single
purpose vehicle (“SPV”) created to produce each Project within the
territory or state in which such Project is to be produced. Further, GR
Funding shall receive a fifty percent (50%) interest in the “Producer’s
Profits”, which are derived from the sale of the motion picture’s
worldwide rights.
|
ii.
|
GR
Funding will offer potential investors “Units” of $100,000 (fractional
interests at management’s discretion); each Unit with 10,000 shares of
GBHL common stock attached. Each Unit will be entitled to a 10%
preferential return on their capital, plus an ongoing 20% of the
“Producer’s Profits” from all motion picture projects financed by GR
Funding. The remaining percentage of the “Producer’s Profits” realized by
GR Funding (i.e., 30%) will be shared equally by GBHL and Renaissance,
notwithstanding their respective unequal ownership interests in GR
Funding.
|
iii.
|
From
the gross amount of any funding raised for GR Funding, the following fees,
in addition to the placement fees specified in Section 5(e), shall be
payable: (a) 5% thereof shall be payable to GBHL, in cash, in
consideration for the common stock of GBHL issued in connection with each
investment Unit; (b) 5% thereof shall be issued to Renaissance and/or
Xxxxx (or their designees), in cash, plus 10,000 shares of GBHL stock for
each Unit of investment (proratable for fractional interests if permitted)
as consideration for all expenses and fees associated with capital/fund
raising efforts on behalf of GR Funding. All such compensation shall be
realized in a manner that is in full compliance with all applicable SEC
rules and regulations and in compliance with any State Blue Sky
laws).
|
b.
|
GBHL
or its designee shall receive a 5% equity ownership interest in
Renaissance in exchange for 110,000 shares of GBHL restricted stock. This
transaction shall be evidenced by a separate “share exchange agreement”
with appropriate terms and
documentation.
|
x.
|
Xxxxxxxx
shall receive a 5% equity ownership interest in Renaissance in exchange
for his granting GR Metropolitan a right of first refusal on all projects
originating with Urban Street Lit
Films.
|
d.
|
Project
and/or motion picture financing may be structured in part by GR Funding
providing a portion of the funds raised to GBHL as part of the plan to
implement Structured Financing and attract investors, all such strategies
to be subject to the mutual approval of the Parties on a “project by
project” basis and subject to applicable SEC rules and regulations and in
compliance with State Blue Sky
laws.
|
e. |
GR
Funding will invest in motion picture projects that are approved by the
Committee and sponsored by GBHL and/or Renaissance, with such approval and
investment being guided by the agreement of the Parties that overall
one-half of the capital or funds raised by GR Funding will be deployed for
motion picture projects sponsored by each of the Parties (i.e., 50% of
funds will be used for GBHL Sponsored motion picture projects, and the
balance of funds used for Renaissance Sponsored
projects).
|
i.
|
Given
that fifty percent (50%) of each Project funded by GR Funding will be
acquired by GR Funding initially in the form of a fifty percent (50%)
ownership interest in the SPV (see 5.a.i. and ii. above), the “Sponsoring
Party” of each Project (as defined hereinabove) will acquire a thirty-five
percent (35%) interest in the SPV (out of the remaining 50% of the SPV),
and the non –Sponsoring Party will acquire the remaining fifteen percent
(15%) interest in the SPV and the corresponding, pro-rata interest in the
“Producer’s Profits” upon completion of the Project and provided that all
financing from GR Funding has been paid in full. The Parties contemplate
that certain Projects will be considered as “jointly sponsored” by the
Parties, in which case each would receive a twenty-five percent (25%)
interest in the SPV and corresponding, pro-rata interest in the
“Producer’s Profits.”
|
ii.
|
The
Sponsoring Party will submit details of each proposed Project to the
Committee of GR Funding, detailing such items as: above the line
personnel, proposed locations, financial plan, etc., or any other items
required by the Committee.
|
iii.
|
The
Sponsoring Party will appoint one or more producers for the motion
picture, and the non-Sponsoring Party will receive one producer credit and
one executive producer credit. Producers from the non-Sponsoring Party
will receive compensation on a “favored nations” basis with any one
producer appointed by the Sponsoring
Party.
|
iv.
|
Administration
rights with respect to each film “asset” (i.e. copyright) shall be
accorded to the Sponsoring Party for that project notwithstanding
ownership or voting control of the entity in which the “asset” is held.
Where a project is jointly Sponsored by the parties, the parties shall
share joint administration of the copyright such that all business
decisions with respect to a jointly sponsored project shall be subject to
the mutual approval in writing of the parties which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed. In the event the parties are unable to
agree, the matter shall be referred to the advisers referred to in
paragraph 2.d.i. above.
|
f.
Subject to the approval of the Committee on a “case by case” basis for
Renaissance Sponsored Projects only, GBHL (or its designated subsidiary)
will be available to serve as the motion picture’s Sales Agent and will be
responsible for negotiating contracts for foreign distribution of the
Project in exchange for a sales agency fee of 5% of the motion picture’s
sale of rights; provided, however, that GBHL shall have the sole right to
act as Sales Agent for all Projects for which it acts as a Sponsor. Where
GBHL subcontracts the actual foreign sales function, and/or the domestic
distribution with respect to a Renaissance Sponsored Project, Renaissance
shall have approval rights over the terms and conditions of such sales
agency or distribution agreement, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed. Where GBHL itself handles the foreign sales, GBHL
shall be entitled to charge a reasonable distribution fee and terms, to be
established on a case by case basis by the
parties.
|
g.
If $10 Million is raised for GR Funding by Renaissance and/or Xxxxx within
four (4) months, GBHL will issue a Xxxxx a bonus of three hundred fifty
thousand (350,000) additional shares of GBHL common stock. All stock
issuances will be restricted under Rule 144 and subject to GBHL’s receipt
of a properly executed subscription agreements and other
documentation.
|
h.
Each of the Projects undertaken by the Venture shall include appropriate
designation by the Parties of individuals to serve in various production
capacities as appropriate to each Project and subject to the mutual
approval of the Committee of the services to be rendered, credit accorded
and compensation to be received by such
Parties.
|
6.
Expenses: Except as specifically provided herein, each Party shall bear its own
expenses in furtherance of the Venture until such time as investments have been
procured by GR Funding and are available to the Venture at which time each of
the parties shall be entitled to reimbursement of its actual, reasonable and
verifiable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in direct furtherance of the purposes
of the Venture unless recoupment thereof is otherwise provided for by the
parties.
7. No
Rights or Obligations: No rights of any kind or nature to any of the Projects
are conveyed by this Agreement per se, and neither party is obligated to
actually finance or approve of the financing or production of any Project
(except for such payments are specifically provided for herein), all such
endeavors contemplated hereunder to be subject to the mutual approval of the
Parties in good faith as and when the details of each such endeavor shall have
been ascertained and appropriately vetted by the Parties in a written
instrument.
8.
Non-Circumvention: During the term of this Agreement and for a period of three
years following termination, the parties agree that neither of them (the “First
Party”) will circumvent the other (the “Second Party”) with respect to the
Second Party’s projects, contacts or sources to the exclusion or limitation of
the participation of the Second Party as stated in this Agreement, or with
regard to the advancement of any other project of the First Party unless with
the inclusion of the Second Party on the terms and conditions as contemplated
hereunder.
9.
Warranties and Indemnifications: GBHL warrants that it will remain fully
compliant with all SEC filing requirements to remain a publicly traded entity
listed and compliant with OTC listing requirements and will take all necessary
steps to return to the Bulletin Board market (or better) as soon as practicable.
The Parties each warrant and agree that they have the unencumbered authority to
grant the rights they have undertaken to grant and to undertake their respective
obligations as set forth in this agreement, and each agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the other from all liabilities and expenses (including reasonable
attorneys’ fees) which may result from a breach of the warranties made
herein.
10.
Assignment: The Parties do not have the right to assign this Agreement or any
part hereof except with the express written consent of the other unless to an
entity owned or controlled by such Party, in which case such approval shall not
be unreasonably withheld or delayed and a copy of any such assignment shall be
given to all Parties.
11.
Section Headings: The paragraph headings of this Agreement are for convenient
reference only. They are not to be used to govern, limit, modify or construe
this agreement or any provision thereof or otherwise to be given any legal
effect.
12.
Entire Agreement: This Agreement contains the full and complete understanding
and agreement between the parties with respect to the within subject matter.
This Agreement supersedes all other agreements between the Parties hereto,
whether written or oral (except for the Non-Circumvention and Mutual
Confidentiality Agreement, dated September 10, 2009 between the parties),
relating to the subject matter hereof and may not be modified or amended except
by written instrument executed by both of the Parties hereto. This Agreement is
in all respects subject to the laws of the State of California applicable to
agreements executed and wholly performed within the State and the parties hereto
expressly consent to the venue and the jurisdiction of the courts of the State
of California for the resolution of any disputes arising hereunder.
Wherefore,
by the signature and delivery of a signed copy hereof by each of the Parties to
the other, this shall serve as the agreement of the parties binding upon them
and their respective heirs, successors in interest and permitted
assigns.
AGREED
& ACCEPTED:
Global
Renaissance Entertainment Group, Inc. (a legal entity in formation)
By: /s/ Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
DATE: ________
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Its:
President
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
/s/ Xxxxxx
Xxxxx DATE:
________
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, Individually
By: /s/ Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
DATE: ________
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Its:
CEO
Godboldo
/s/ Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
DATE: ________
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx, an Individual