What is the deal with Suicide Girls?

[bullsparade]

Ok I have been asked to shoot one of the Suicide Girls this weekend. Apparently there is a photgrapher in San Antonio who is "contracted" SG but she has been unable to get up there to shoot with him. So she requested I do it for her. SG agrees, then sends me this AWFUL contract. Let me show you a few lines from it:

Assignment. Without reservation or limitation, Photographer hereby irrevocably transfers, sells,assigns, delivers and conveys to SG all rights, title and interest in and to the Photos as of the moment of the Photos creation and all rights, title and interest in and to the Photos in any format (e.g., paper orelectronic) and all corresponding negatives or other component parts, whether or not delivered to SG.Photographer also grants SG a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, irrevocable, fully paid up right and license to use Photographer’s name in connection with any Photos. No rights of any kind are reserved to or by Photographer or shall revert to Photographer who expressly waives any rights of attribution or integrity.

and more awful stuff:

8. Non-Competition. Photographer agrees that for two (2) years after the full execution of this Assignment, Photographer will not directly or indirectly: (i) sell or otherwise provide Internet, photographic,video, film, audio, text, design, artistic or other creative content to any “SG Competitor”; or (ii) own, manage,operate, join, control, finance or participate in the ownership, management, operation, control or financing of,or be connected as an officer, director, employee, partner, member, principal, agent, representative,
consultant or otherwise, to any “SG Competitor”. “SG Competitor” means any person, entity or organization other than SG that competes with SG, including but not limited to any person, entity or organization thatcreates, develops, manufactures, produces, distributes, markets, licenses or sells events, products or services that compete with SG.

9. Non-Solicitation. Photographer agrees that for two (2) years after the full execution of this Assignment, Photographer will not hire (as an employee, agent or consultant) any employee, advisor or consultant of SG or directly or indirectly seek to persuade any employee, advisor or consultant of SG to discontinue his or her relationship with SG or to become involved with any business which is a SG Competitor, nor will Photographer assist anyone else to engage in any of the foregoing.

I have no problem transferring rights to the exact photos THEY use, but to force me into a "all rights" given to them for 2 yrs on anyhting that even resembles a Suicide Girl session and a non-compete that is so vague in nature is wrong.

Does anyone have experience with these people? The model isnt even comfortable with her release it is written much the same way.

[rages4calm]

I have shot a few Suicide Girls and been a member of there website for a very long time, I agree that it is somewhat uncomfortable, but they do this mostly for the safety of the models, there is actually a SG official photographer in both Houston and San Antonio, one of them is actually a member of this forum his name is lithium picnic www.lithiumpicnic.com. There are actually alot more to that contract that I don't think is shown unless it has changed but you can get more info on there actual website.

If I can remember correctly you can still show the photos in a portfolio when approaching a client but you can not stick it in an online gallery until the contract is up.

[bullsparade]

Yes there's more to the contract, those were just excerpts from it. The other stuff basically is standard stuff. Those items I listed were the ones I found most restrictive. Wikipedia has a section Suicide Girls and after I read through it, I found that is the biggest complaint with them from a photgraphers/model view....their contract. It also noted that in several instances photogs and Models have moved on and SG sued but has yet to win in court.

It is real hard to have a court decide in favor of Non-compete's and complete surrender of rights but who the heck wants to get cuaght in Legal mumbo jumbo.

My thing is, I dont have a problem surrending all rights to the pictures they choose to use. I am willing to go that far but any others I may choose to use should be mine. Also to limit me to NOT shooting anything that competes with them is worng. I am simply being contracted for one shoot. The rest of my life or in the contracts case, the next two years... I will shoot whatever I want.

[rages4calm]

If I remember correctly whatever photos are not given to the model or given to SG on a cd or through the web... you may use however you want..

They never said anything to me when I used the left overs o_O

[Gordon]

Contracts aren't a contract until they are signed. Right now its just a proposal.

You could always strike out the sections of the contract that you don't like and get them to reapprove it.

They don't have to reapprove it.

You don't have to sign...

Any time I've negotiated anything I always start out asking for everything possible I can think of getting. Sometimes people just say yes! Otherwise you've got plenty of things to make concessions on.

So its a ridiculous contract - it isn't their fault if too many people sign it as is.

[bullsparade]

Yes, Gordan that is what I was planning to do, stike out the things that I didnt agree with. You make a good point.

I dont want to put the model in the postion of losing her SG status because I am not willing to sign "my soul" over to SG but b the samer token I dont want to compromise my future opportunities just because the model needs some pictures ASAP.

Good Info guys, I appreciate it.