Legal question

[beleg]

Hi. just wondering if anyone on this board knows the answer. I am working on a video game where I am doing all the programming and writing the soundtrack, however I will probably need to hire some musicians to do things I can't do (sing, drums, violin). I was just going to put a posting on craigslist asking for volunteers, but I am curios how do I ensure that, if they game is a smashing success, these musicians I have hired do not sue me.  Is there some sort of contract that you recommend?

[henwrench]

In this instance, if you are looking to market and therefore profit, what would normally happen is this...

        You would pay the musicians an agreed fee. Herbie Flowers was paid about £50 to play and write the bassline for Lou Reed's 'Walk On The Wildside'. Oh how he must have kicked himself when the song and it's seminal bassline went stratospheric. So the other option is...

        ...the points system. An agreed slice of the pie, so to speak. Not usually more than a few pence per unit. But if the game goes on to be the next Tomb Raider...

       Leave the choice to the musician. It will give you a good idea of how much faith they have in your product. If they opt to take the money and run or go for an agreed (very, very small) percentage of sales is what you need to draw up in contracts. For the musician, it's like a gamble...

                                                                   henwrench

[Flash Harry]

You have a huge resource here. Ask and you will be bountifully endowed.

And if there is cash in it, mine's a guinness.

[Oldrottenhead]

mines a lager and cognac

[Flash Harry]

^^^^ See, you have all you need.

[Oldrottenhead]

never mind the lawyers huv yeah got a guid drinks cabinet?

[Speed Demon]

I work for food.

My tapeworm has a family to feed.

[Hook]

I like sparkly beads and shiny stones!

[beleg]

I want to go the pay once for their services route so that I do not have to worry about accounting later on in the process. Do you have any recommendations for free resources online that provide contracts?

[henwrench]

I want to go the pay once for their services route so that I do not have to worry about accounting later on in the process. Do you have any recommendations for free resources online that provide contracts?

     I don't know about that, but if you want to pay once for the service provided, you won't need any contracts, just an invoice from the musician. So the musician will basically give you a bill for X amount, you will pay them X amount and then (importantly) the musician will give you a receipt, indicating that you've PAID IN FULL. End of story...

                                                         henwrench