Art and Media Law

“Your manager and agent will take 10-20% of your gross income for years—or even decades. Understanding their contracts isn’t just important; it’s the most critical financial decision of your career.”

For any working artist—be it an actor, musician, influencer, or writer—your team is your lifeline. At the core of that team are two key players: the manager and the agent. Both are hired to advance your career, but they operate under very different rules, governed by a talent representation agreement. Signing an artist manager contract or a talent agent contract without understanding the terms is one of the fastest ways to lose control of your career and finances.

This guide breaks down both types of agreements. We will explore the critical legal and functional differences between managers and agents, dissect the key contract terms every artist must know—like Scope, Commission, Term, and the all-important Sunset Clause—and reveal the red flags to avoid.

By the end, you’ll know how to negotiate a fair deal that protects your interests, aligns incentives, and builds a professional team that works for you, not against you.

“Average recording contract: Artist gets 15-20% royalty. Label gets 80-85%. But with the right negotiation, you can get 50% or more—here’s how.”

A recording contract is the single most important document a music artist will ever sign. It determines who owns your master recordings, how much money you make from every stream, and whether your career launches or stalls in legal limbo. It governs the relationship between artist and record label, covering funding, distribution, and ownership.

This guide covers all major record deal types: traditional major label deals, indie label agreements, distribution deals, and the controversial 360 deal. Most artists sign bad deals because they focus on the advance instead of the long-term rights.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly what to look for, what to negotiate, and how to avoid career-destroying clauses. We’ll break down royalty rates, recoupment math, red flags, and the specific terms you need to fight for to protect your music career.

“The biggest threat to your creative career isn’t lack of talent—it’s the entertainment contract you don’t understand”

Every serious creator—musician, actor, YouTuber, filmmaker, podcaster, influencer—will eventually face an entertainment contract. These agreements decide who owns your work, how you get paid, what you can say yes or no to, and whether your career scales—or stalls.

Most people sign their first entertainment agreement with more excitement than caution. Labels, studios, brands, and agencies draft contracts to protect their interests, not yours. Buried inside are clauses about rights, territory, term, royalties, advances, reversion, MFN (Most Favored Nation), and work-for-hire that can lock you in for years or cost you millions.

This hub guide covers everything: 8 core entertainment contract types, 8 key terms you must know cold, how to read a contract step by step, 10 red flags to refuse, negotiation strategies that actually work, real-world examples of good vs bad deals, and a pre-signature checklist you can use before signing anything.

By the end, you’ll understand how to approach any entertainment contract with clarity, not fear—and how to protect your rights, your royalties, and your future.