Put the co-production deal in writing before the project moves

The biggest problems in joint creative projects usually appear after people have already contributed time, money or content. A co production agreement records who is responsible for what, who can approve key decisions, who owns the finished material and how revenue or costs are shared. That matters whether the project is a branded campaign, live event, film, podcast or digital series. Without that written framework, parties can end up arguing about usage rights, credits, delivery expectations or who can exploit the work after launch.

It will usually cover the parties' contributions, production responsibilities, budget or cost allocation, approval processes, ownership of existing and newly created IP, permitted use of the final content, revenue splits, credits, confidentiality, liability positions and exit or termination rights. Some projects also need clauses dealing with distribution, sublicensing, insurance responsibilities or what happens if one party misses a milestone. The exact wording depends on the structure of the collaboration, but the goal is to capture the commercial deal in a document that can actually be used during the project.

The drafting often turns on who is bringing what to the table. For example, one party may fund the project while another supplies talent, crew, equipment, studio access, audience reach or pre-existing IP. We also look at where the content will appear, who can approve edits, whether either side can reuse footage or assets, and how income is expected to flow. A short-form social campaign and a longer production with multiple contributors can need very different risk allocation, control and licensing clauses.

A precedent can be a starting reference, but tailored drafting is usually safer where the document affects customers, staff, suppliers or regulators. However, co production deals often break down on the details templates gloss over. Shared ownership, licence back rights, approval thresholds, recoupment of costs, credits and exploitation rights are rarely one-size-fits-all. A generic form may also assume a simple two-party arrangement when your project involves agencies, talent, producers or investors with different roles. Tailored drafting is usually more useful where the project has meaningful IP value, multiple funding sources or any uncertainty about who can do what with the finished work.

Once you engage, we gather the practical details of the project and the commercial points already agreed between the parties. Your lawyer then drafts the agreement or reviews the version you already have, highlighting issues that may need clearer wording before signature. Timing depends on how complex the production structure is and how quickly instructions are confirmed. If the arrangement also needs external approvals, If approval steps are relevant, we will explain what needs to be prepared and what sits outside the legal work.. Ongoing representation, regulator approval and third-party decisions are not included in the fixed-fee.

Submit an enquiry on this page or click 'Get started'. One of our legal consultants will review it within 1 business day and get in touch to understand what you need.

Your consultant will then email you a fixed-fee quote setting out the cost, scope and timing. If you're happy with it, you can accept the quote and sign our engagement letter online.

Once you've accepted, one of our Australian-qualified lawyers will work with you to complete your project. They'll contact you by email or phone if they need anything.

Sprintlaw works on fixed-fee pricing wherever possible, so you can review the scope and cost before you decide whether to proceed. For the Co Production Agreement service, pricing starts from $900.00.

After you enquire, a legal consultant will confirm what is included, the expected timing and whether any extra work is needed before you engage us.

We work online, so we can help wherever you are in New Zealand. Our team works remotely, mainly from Australia.

Your work is done by our Australian-qualified lawyers, who hold Australian practising certificates and specialise in business law. None of them are New Zealand lawyers or hold a New Zealand practising certificate.

Sprintlaw NZ Limited is a legal consultancy, not a law firm, and is not regulated by the New Zealand Law Society. We don't act in court or tribunal matters, conveyancing (including leases and business sales) or other reserved areas of work. Communications with Sprintlaw are unlikely to be protected by legal professional privilege. We still keep everything confidential under our engagement letter.