There is a form of film and television that is sweeping the market at an astonishing speed,enabling copyright holders to make a fortune.Yes,it is the short drama!In this fast-paced era,short dramas,with their compact plots and novel content,have quickly captured the hearts of the audience.Totally different from traditional long-form video dramas,the path of copyright monetization for short dramas is full of unique innovations and surprises,quietly rewriting the wealth landscape of the film and television industry.

I.The Rise of Short Drama Copyright Distribution

There are significant differences between the copyright monetization of short dramas and that of traditional long-form video dramas.Generally,for traditional long-form video dramas,the producer or copyright holder sells the long-form video drama to a long-form video platform at one time,and the platform exclusively holds the right of information network dissemination.Small film and television companies hardly have the strength to get a share of the pie from long-form video dramas.However,due to the low investment cost of short dramas and the relatively cheap copyright selling price,copyright holders are more eager to realize monetization quickly,and distributors can more easily obtain distribution authorizations.

Therefore,in addition to directly releasing self-produced or purchased short dramas on various video platforms and mini-programs to obtain platform profit sharing,or the episode-by-episode payment from the audience and membership recharge income,many short drama copyright holders may also cooperate with multiple distributors,and grant them relevant rights such as the right of information network dissemination of short dramas,so that the short dramas can be broadcast on multiple video platforms that the distributors cooperate with.Thus,the business model of short drama copyright distribution has also emerged as a powerful force,opening up a broad profit space for copyright holders and distributors.

II.The Main Distribution Modes of Short Drama Copyrights

As an important business model,the distribution of short drama copyrights brings profit opportunities for copyright holders and distributors.There are also various fee and profit sharing settlement models for short drama distribution(the authorized use of the right of information network dissemination).The following three are common ones.

Pure Revenue Sharing Model:Calculate the share income of the copyright holder according to a certain proportion of the profit obtained by subtracting the costs such as advertising investment from the episode-by-episode payment of the audience and the membership recharge income of each playback channel.

Guaranteed Authorization Fee+Share Income Model:In addition to the share income,the distributor also needs to pay an authorization fee to the copyright holder as the guaranteed income for the authorization.

Fixed Amount without Share Income Model:The copyright holder has no right to obtain share income from the playback of the authorized short drama,and the distributor only needs to pay a fixed authorization fee to the copyright holder.

Each model has its own characteristics and applicable scenarios.Copyright holders and distributors can negotiate and choose according to their own situations.However,while chasing profits,the hidden legal risks cannot be ignored.

III.Key Points of Compliance Review for Short Drama Copyright Distribution

Strictly Verify the Source of Rights

Strictly verifying the source of rights is the crucial first step in the distribution of short drama copyrights.From a legal perspective,if the distributor fails to carefully review the right chain documents of the copyright holder,it is very likely to fall into an infringement dilemma once a copyright dispute occurs later.The distributor must require the copyright holder to provide complete and clear right chain documents.If there are multiple layers of transfer involved,a detailed"Authorization Chain List"should be prepared to clarify the specific situation of each layer of authorization,including the authorizing subject,authorization time,authorization scope,etc.At the same time,carefully check the original copies of the right chain documents and keep copies for filing to ensure that the copyright holder has the right to grant the"right of information network dissemination"of the short drama.

Define the Nature and Scope of Authorization

Defining the nature and scope of authorization is equally important.Legally,exclusive licenses,sole licenses and ordinary licenses have different provisions on rights and obligations.If the nature of the authorization is not clearly defined in the distribution agreement,the distributor may face many restrictions when using the copyright of the short drama,and may even constitute a breach of contract.Therefore,in the distribution agreement,the nature of the authorization must be clearly defined.All playback channels and account names should be listed in detail in the form of a list as an attachment to the agreement to fix the playback usage rights.If it is necessary to add playback channels,prior written consent from the copyright holder should be obtained to avoid disputes caused by unclear authorization scope.

Standardize the Agreement Terms

Standardizing the agreement terms is an important means to protect the rights and interests of both parties.The right guarantee clause and the liability for breach of contract clause in the agreement are like the"insurance"in business activities.Requiring the copyright holder to guarantee that the authorized content does not infringe the legitimate rights and interests of other subjects can effectively avoid subsequent disputes.At the same time,the liability for breach of contract of both parties should be specified in detail.Once a breach of contract occurs,the liability can be investigated and compensation can be claimed according to the agreement.In addition,the agreement on the authorization fee and the profit sharing settlement model should be clear and accurate to avoid subsequent disputes caused by ambiguity.

Pay Attention to Legal Developments

The relevant laws and regulations in the film and television media industry are constantly updated and improved.Both copyright holders and distributors should continuously pay attention to legal developments,and timely adjust their own business behaviors and agreement terms to ensure that they always comply with the legal provisions.

As an emerging business model in the film and television industry,the distribution of short drama copyrights brings unprecedented opportunities for copyright holders and distributors.While enjoying the dividends brought by the rapid development of short dramas,it is necessary to strictly abide by the bottom line of compliance and strictly control every key point.Only in this way can one move forward steadily in the tide of the short drama market and achieve a win-win situation between commercial interests and legal compliance.