VG Bild-Kunst administers claims for the fields of direction, camera work, cutting, costumes, set and graphic design (in the case of cartoon films). Under certain conditions, claims can also be administered for production.

All cinematographic works shown on television as provided in the German Copyright Act can be notified to VG Bild-Kunst. These include, for example, feature films, series, soap operas, sitcoms, documentations, documentary soaps, features, cartoon films, etc. Following a members’ resolution, such works must be at least three minutes long and cartoon films at least one minute long – always rounded up to full minutes.

Membership of VG Bild-Kunst is free. The administrative costs and contributions to the Stiftung Sozialwerk social foundation and Stiftung Kulturwerk cultural foundation are deducted from the proceeds. Further details can be obtained from the distribution plan of VG Bild-Kunst.

An administration agreement has to be concluded with VG Bild-Kunst for Professional group III (Film). You can request the original contractual documents on the homepage of VG Bild-Kunst, by telephone or by sending an eMail. Contractual documents cannot be downloaded.

You have the option of notifying your claims by completing the questionnaire or using the online reporting system. A password for online registration will be sent to you with the contractual documents.

VG Bild-Kunst makes distributions from the levy on blank media/hardware levy and the retransmission of television broadcasts in cable networks.

At present, collecting societies do not receive any private copying royalties for use of films in the Internet, because such films are used from legal services under licence and illegal offers do not involve a royalty claim.

VG Bild-Kunst notifies all claims abroad, provided there are such royalties in the country in question. Please note that currently it is mainly director’s claims that are remunerated by the foreign sister societies.

Unlike all the other rights (e.g. performing rights) the statutory claims to the royalty for private copying and cable retransmission always remain with the author and can only be assigned to collecting societies for administration. A producer can assign all rights and claims to third parties.

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