FAQs Transparency Reporting Creative Talent

Welcome to the Creative Talent FAQ page! This page is here to help creative talent with any questions about the transparency report they got from their production company.

1. Why did I get a transparency report?

The transparency report is thanks to a European Union directive from 7 April 2019 which was recently implemented into national law. It is known as the 'disclosure obligation' and empowers authors and performers to see the economic value of their creative work. This law makes copyright exploiters, such as film and TV production companies, share information with you every year about how they’re using your creative works.

2. Does the transparency rule cover the whole EU or just certain places?

It's an EU thing! The rule comes from EU copyright laws, specifically Article 19 of the EU Digital Single Market Directive (EU 2019/790). Each country might put its spin on it, but the main idea is that if you're an important creative force, you get a yearly report.

3. Who gets these reports?

If you're a creator - writer, performer- and you've made a substantial contribution to a project, you’ll get reports. Skilled work doesn’t count, so if you're a truck driver or a carpenter, this isn't for you. If you think you got the report by mistake, contact the production company.

4. Where’s my report coming from?

The production company you signed the contract with is the one who should send you the report.

5. What’s in the report?

The transparency report informs on how your work is being used globally. It’s shared based on standard business practices and what a producer usually knows. If they do not have any information, they cannot send a report.

6. Any exceptions to this rule?

Yes, if the receipts are relatively low or if the production company doesn’t have all the details, they may skip the report. It's all about keeping things reasonable.

7. How often will I get these transparency report?

You'll get the information at least once a year, as long as your work is still being used. Just know that there is no fixed date set by the law for when you'll get it, so it could appear throughout the year.

8. What are "gross receipts" in the report?

"Gross receipts" in the report means all the gross money actually received by the production company from the exploitation of the work. The amount mentioned doesn't necessarily mean they're making a profit. It is a general information update for creative talent. It's not your personal money breakdown, and it doesn't imply that you are entitled to additional fees, but informs you how things are going overall.

9. The report shows a positive amount, do I get additional payments?

The transparency report does not imply that you are entitled to additional compensation. If there is any entitlement, you will handle it separately with the production company.

10. What does ‘break-even point reached: “No” ‘ mean?

If you see "break-even point reached: No" in the report, it's like a red flag. It means that even if there's some money coming in (shown as gross receipts), the production company hasn't covered its costs or made a profit yet. So, they're not in the clear financially.

11. Can I tell others about what's in the transparency report?

No, sorry. The information in the transparency report is highly confidential. Don't share it publicly or with anyone unless they're professional advisors who promise to keep it confidential. Spreading this information would also be a breach of your confidentiality obligations in your contract with the producer.

12. Who or what is Cleriti House?

Cleriti House is an international legal tech company providing web-based software to audiovisual companies to streamline their transparency reporting and fair payments obligations.

13. Help! My password isn't working. What do I do?

If you're having password issues, double-check for spaces when typing, especially at the end of the password. Still no luck? Shoot us an email at support@cleritihouse.com.

14. What if my question isn’t on this list?

If your question isn't covered here, reach out to the production company that handed you the report. They can assist on anything specific to your situation

Disclaimers

Just remember, these FAQs are like a friendly general guide, aiming to help you understand transparency reports. They're not a one-size-fits-all manual, and Cleriti isn't responsible for anything that might happen if you use them.