The Pledge

Someone very wise and intelligent once said, “Knowledge is power”. Probably the same person who said, “There’s power in numbers”. Hey, who are we to know? But what we do know is that these cliches exist for a reason, because there’s real value joining together to learn and share information. That’s why this pledge exists — so that people just like you can commit to being an advocate for licensing and the health of our industries.

If you’re already convinced that licensing is the way forward and implement it in your own practice, why take the pledge? Well, the pledge is here to help you feel personally accountable. It’s easy to put off a project when there’s no deadline, to overspend when you’ve got no budget, to stay in bed when you’re not paying for a gym membership. Pledging your commitment to Use It Or Lose It means that you have a promise to keep. A promise to your industry, to your peers, and to yourself.

Look, we’re not going to send hired goons to your workplace to check that you’re upholding your oath. That’s not what this is about. Use It Or Lose It is a thing you need to do for you. We want to give you the power to stand up for something you feel is important, and that we feel is integral to the ongoing health and existence of the creative industries. And by forming a community of people who all feel the same, we can accomplish goals that we’d never be able to achieve alone and inspire real and positive change.

Below we’ve outlined the key principles involved in Use It Or Lose It. These principles have been carefully designed with both sides of the equation in mind — client and creative — with the goal of encouraging further discussion around licensing and safeguarding the future of our industry.

Take the Pledge
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I will continue to educate myself on the practice of licensing and encourage discussion with clients and peers.
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I will outline usage terms on all paperwork, including quotes and invoices.
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I will take time to understand the licence needs of each client and fully explain the rights covered (and not covered) by the terms.
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If being presented with a contract which outlines work-for-hire or a copyright transfer, I will negotiate for a rights-managed or license-based agreement.
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I will take time to thoroughly read any contract I am sent and not sign (or encourage an artist I represent to sign) anything that I do not understand.
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I will champion artists’ rights for usage and licensing and educate clients and artists wherever possible.
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I will not sign or accept 'retrospective' contracts or purchase orders (sent during or after completion of a job) that assign more rights than were agreed.
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If there are extenuating or legal circumstances where a full rights transfer is required, I will ensure that the quoted fee reflects the substantial value that it brings.
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I will only grant licenses upon payment of fees.