Contract governing the use of works of art submitted for content and organizing of Assembly

"What the devil? Pages filled with legal mumbojumbo and I'm asked to accept this? That damn ASMORG definitely is up to something" is maybe the first thing that pops to your mind when you read the contract below. Before you get upset, please let us tell why this contract is needed.

Much voluntarily created media and other contents is needed for creating the ASSEMBLY`s visual and auditive appearence, for example, on the screen, on the web and on the AssemblyTV. This means, that we need huge amounts of music (and other audio content), compelling videowork and breathtaking 3D-animations such as the Kill all audio and lights animations for creating the Assembly experience for the visitors and viewers of AssemblyTV. At the same time this is a great possibility for the creators to have their own work seen and heard by the others as a part of the Assembly event.

ASSEMBLY today is a very large event and it could be a relatively appealing target for organizations armed with lawyers to go after. Given the groving visibility of the event, for example through the television broadcasts, it is necessary for us to be able to protect the continuity of the event also by legal contracts. The damages on e.g. copyright infringements would be high if illegal productions would be displayed to the large audience of ASSEMBLY.

So far we've been able to work on the basis of "gentlemen's agreement", that is, we have trusted the demo groups and individuals to follow rules, regulations and laws, but today there is a constantly groving need for more donated content and also a groving amount of people willing to donate content to ASSEMBLY event so it is impossible to know everybody personally. It is imperative that both parties (we and you, who participate in the compos) understand the rights and responsibilities of each other in the form of a contract.

ASSEMBLY Organizing hasn't made this contract to take over your intellectual property rights. Yes, we do reserve the right to use and publish the works of art during the ASSEMBLY events and in marketing of the events. Hey, all demoparties have been doing this for ages: you can get entries from the www-pages and you can see last year's winners in their ads. They could also make a CD compilation out of the party entries and sell it. These and other demoscene CDs and other byproducts hardly make enough make to cover the production costs. The same situation complies also, for example, to AssemblyTV which is made with the help of voluntarily work.

When we are talking about the distribution of the works, it comes down to that we can use your work creating the mood for example when making a document of ASSEMBLY. Your work will not be handled to a third party for commercial distribution without your permit.

The contract may sound ominous, but the contents are fair. We don't aim to do anything else than to make the current unofficial conduct a real policy and to let everybody know about this policy. If you want more information about the contract and its intent, feel free to drop us a line by email.

The contract begins below the line.

General

This contract governs the terms for the use of works of art donated without compensation to the creation of the ASSEMBLY event (organized by ASSEMBLY Organizing) such as the marketing, broadcasts, publications and distribution of the event. This contract does not affect the submissions for the competitions. The party owning the copyrights (later called Author) of the work of art (later called Work) accepts this agreement and its terms and is bound by them when the Work is delivered by the Author to ASSEMBLY organizing in an electronical or in some other form.

ASSEMBLY Organizing is the marketing name of the Finnish company Scenera Oy (business identity code: FI 1610659-8). The name is registered.

Responsibilities of the Author

- The Author affirms, that she/he either owns or has obtained all necessary copyrights for the content of the Work and that the public and/or private display of the Work is not restricted by the rights of third parties (such as the rights of copyright societies). The Author is responsible for the financial damages if said rights are not obtained.

- The Author agrees to comply by the Finnish copyright legislation and affirms that the Work doesn't contain material considered to be slanderous to persons or other parties, nor racistic or pornographic material.

- The Author gives ASSEMBLY Organizing the right to use the Work or parts thereof, free of charge, in their original or modified form in the marketing, broadcasting, publishing or distribution of material related to ASSEMBLY events.

- The Author gives ASSEMBLY Organizing the right to make video records and format conversions of the Work.

- The Author gives ASSEMBLY Organizing the right to give the Work to be presented in whole or in part, in the original or modified form for the publishing in non-profit media operations or operations free of charge for the end user.

Responsibilities of ASSEMBLY Organizing

- ASSEMBLY Organizing agrees to comply and respect the Finnish copyright legislation.

- ASSEMBLY Organizing aims to take care of The Author's fatherly rights without exceptions, so that The Author gets the credit for his work.

- ASSEMBLY Organizing doesn't commit itself to the showing of the work.

- ASSEMBLY Organizing doesn't pay any compensation for The Author for showing the work under the contract's terms.

Changing of the contract terms

This contract can be altered when the Author and ASSEMBLY Organizing both agree on the change of terms. In case ASSEMBLY Organizing wants to change the terms of the contract and the Author does not agree to the change, the contract can be unilaterally terminated by ASSEMBLY Organizing after a 30 days notice period.

Validity period of this contract

This contract is valid for two years after the contract has taken effect and after that indefinitely, if it is not terminated.

Termination of this contract

The contract can be mutually terminated without further liabilities. Termination is valid immediately after both parties have agreed to it. After this the rights and liabilities of both parties are void.

The contract can be terminated unilaterally if the other party can be proven to have significantly broken the terms of this contract. In this situation the termination is valid after 30 days notice period, if the situation is not corrected during this time.

Resolving of disputes

The contract is governed by Finnish law. Disputes are primarily solved by negotiation by the parties and ultimately in court of law in Helsinki, Finland.