APA & IPA Launch Interactive Production Contract

The Advertising Producers Association (APA) has today launched a new interactive production contract with the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) at the Courthouse Hotel in London.

The contract aims to provide a strong foundation for interactive production by placing both agency and production company at the forefront of professionalism in the field. In attendance at the Courthouse today were Lins Karnes, managing director & EP, digital, B-Reel; Valentina Culatti, managing director, UNIT9; APA chief executive Steve Davies; and James Britton, managing partner, Stinkdigital (pictured from left to right).

It is an important step for APA and IPA members creating interactive content, aiming to do for interactive content what Part 1 (PIBS) and Part 2 does for TV production and limit the negotiating period for contract terms to allow for a smoother process.

Britton says: “Interactive producers have put a lot of thought and work into the Interactive Framework and now the Interactive Contract and i am confident we have created a good basis for contracting that will allow interactive production to grow.”

Valentina Culatti continues: "It has been hard work for all the professionals involved and we are glad we got to this result as a team. This meeting is important in giving the whole industry an understanding of how we created these documents and how and when to  use them.”

Lins Karnes adds:  “I am delighted that, with the IPA and the key agencies involved there, we have been able to create a document which is a solid foundation for interactive productions and will help to keep UK interactive production companies and agencies at the forefront of interactive work.”

Any film production - whether for TV, the internet or other, can and should be contracted on Part 1 (PIBS) with Part 2 being the interactive contract for other types of work: web builds and experiential projects, etc.

Typically, the companies creating interactive content may be building a website for, say, a car launch and creating films that populate that website too.

The purpose of the Interactive Framework is to help the parties agree and define the scope of work and how changes will be managed etc., to meet the way interactive productions need to be managed.

As per the Framework document, a first 50 per cent payment is the recommended course on interactive projects, as commercials.

“A contract doesn’t sound exciting but it is," states Davies. "Standard contracts and good business practice underpin great work by creating the conditions in which creative businesses can develop and everyone can concentrate on creating great work, rather than on contractual terms. It is one of the great strengths of UK commercials production, which now extends to interactive."

The contract also deals with issues such as ownership of underlying technology, in a way in which the APA and IPA regard as a fair balance of production company and agency interests.

The documents can be viewed and downloaded at a-p-a.net.