Copyright Work for Hire That Includes Separately Copyrighted Information

[chuckcobb]

I am negotiating an agreement with a company to produce some online training videos for them. The agreement states that the training videos will be considered a "work for hire" and the company will own all rights to the materials in the videos. I have published five books and it is very likely that I will use material from some of my separately copyrighted works in producing these training videos. While I am in agreement with giving the company ownership rights to the videos I produce I don't want to give up ownership rights of some of the separately-copyrighted material that I might use in the videos. How can I best accomplish this?

 

[army judge]

I am negotiating an agreement with a company to produce some online training videos for them. The agreement states that the training videos will be considered a "work for hire" and the company will own all rights to the materials in the videos. I have published five books and it is very likely that I will use material from some of my separately copyrighted works in producing these training videos. While I am in agreement with giving the company ownership rights to the videos I produce I don't want to give up ownership rights of some of the separately-copyrighted material that I might use in the videos. How can I best accomplish this?

You can't if you proceed with this "CONtract".
You're about to THROW out your baby with the bath water.
I suggest you agree to NOTHING until you allow YOUR attorney to review the "CONtract" and advise you how to proceed.

The "CONtract" you describe, if you use portions of your other copyrighted materials will grant the other party your rights to your other materials, ASUUMING that can even be done.

Be prepared to say no thanks and walk away, unless you regain some control, quickly.