MANUFACTURING AND
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This
Agreement is made as of 28 July 2009 by
and between Universal Music Canada Inc., 2450 Victoria Park Avenue,
Suite 1, Toronto, Ontario M2J 5H3 (“Universal”) and
UOMO Productions Inc., 161 Bay
Street, 27 th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2S1, G.S.T.
[Number] (the “Company”).
ARTICLE
I
TERM
1.1
The Term
will consist of an initial contract period (the “First
Contract Period”) and each of the renewal contract periods
for which Universal has exercised the options pursuant to this
Agreement (collectively, together with the First Contract Period,
referred to as “Contract Periods”), unless terminated
or extended pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement.
1.2
The Term
will commence on the date hereof and continue for a First Contract
Period ending on 30 June 2012, unless extended pursuant to this
ARTICLE I or Section 12.2 hereof.
1.3
The
Company hereby grants Universal 2 separate,
successive and irrevocable options to extend the Term for
additional Contract Periods (each renewal contract period referred
to consecutively and in chronological order as the “Second
Contract Period”, and the “Third Contract
Period”). Universal may exercise each option to extend
the Term for an additional Contract Period by giving the Company
notice of Universal’s election to do so at any time prior to
the expiration of the particular Contract Period. Each
renewal Contract Period will run consecutively, commencing upon the
expiration of the immediately preceding Contract Period (or, if
Universal so advises, the then-current Contract Period will end on
the date of Universal’s exercise notice and the next Contract
Period will commence immediately thereafter) and will continue
until the date that is 12 months from the date of commencement of
the particular Contract Period.
1.4
Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the event that, upon the date when the particular
Contract Period would otherwise have expired, Universal has neither
exercised Universal’s option to extend the Term for a further
Contract Period, nor notified the Company that Universal does not
wish to exercise such option, then the following provisions will
apply:
(a)
The
Company will forthwith notify Universal in writing that the option
has not yet been exercised (the “Option
Warning”).
(b)
Universal
will be entitled to exercise Universal’s option at any time
within 30 days after receiving the Option Warning.
(c)
The
then-current Contract Period will be deemed to have continued until
the earlier of:
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(i)
the date
that Universal exercises the option, in which event the Term will
be extended for a further Contract Period;
(ii)
the date
that Universal gives the Company notice that Universal does not
wish to exercise Universal’s option, in which event the Term
will end on such applicable date, without imposing any further
liability or additional obligations upon Universal in connection
herewith; or
(iii)
the date
30 days after Universal receives the Option Warning.
ARTICLE
II
RIGHTS
2.1
The
Company hereby grants to Universal for the Term the following
exclusive rights in the Territory:
(a)
To
Manufacture, and to authorize others to Manufacture the Records and
the containers therefor;
(b)
To
Exploit, and to authorize others to Exploit, the Records in the
Territory through all channels and by all methods now or hereafter
known, including, without limitation: (i) Normal Retail Channels,
including Exploitation of the Masters on Compilation Records
released by Universal either solely by Universal or pursuant to a
joint venture agreement; (ii) as Premium Records (subject to the
Company’s prior written consent); (iii) Electronic
Transmission; and (iv) Electronic Subscription; and
(c)
To
license, through any method and by any means, including, without
limitation, by way of joint venture, the Masters to any third party
on a flat fee or royalty basis for the Manufacture and Exploitation
of Compilation Records, provided that not more than two (2) Masters
from any Album will be embodied on a single Compilation Record
without the Company’s prior written consent.
2.2
In
connection with Universal’s Exploitation of the Records, the
Company hereby grants to Universal for the Term the following
additional non-exclusive rights in the Territory:
(a)
To
license, through any method and by any means, including, without
limitation, the Masters to any third party on a flat fee or royalty
basis for use as background music, synchronization in motion
pictures and television soundtracks and other similar purposes,
including, without limitation, use on transportation
facilities;
(b)
To Market
the Records in accordance with the terms hereof, and to cause or
authorize others to do so;
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(c)
To
perform the Records publicly and to permit the public performances
thereof in any medium and by any means whatsoever, whether now
known or hereafter developed (it being understood that the Company
will receive all applicable “neighbouring rights”
income); and
(d)
To use,
and to authorize other Persons to use, solely in connection with
Universal’s Exploitation and Marketing of Records hereunder,
without liability to any Person: (i) the business names, and the
trademarks or logos (“Marks”) of the Company; (ii) to
the extent that the Company has such right, the Names, Likenesses,
Marks and biographical material of each Artist; provided that no
such use will be or imply a merchandising tie-in with, or
endorsement of, any goods, wares, services or institutions, without
the prior written approval of the Company; and (iii) to the extent
that the Company has such right, the names, likenesses, Marks and
biographical material of any producer and any other Person
performing services with respect to the Masters; provided that no
such use will be or imply a merchandising tie-in with, or
endorsement of, any goods, wares, services or institutions, without
the prior written approval of the Company. With respect to
any producer and any other Person performing services in connection
with the Masters, the Company will use reasonable efforts to
provide Universal with the rights set out in this
Section.
2.3
Notwithstanding the
foregoing rights granted to Universal, after the Commercial Release
by Universal and/or Universal’s affiliates or licensees, as
applicable, of each Album, the Company will have the following
rights, during the Term in the Territory:
(a)
To
distribute a reasonable number of copies (not to exceed 250) of
each Album in compact disc form, for strictly promotional purposes,
provided that such compact discs will not be offered by the Company
for resale. The cost of each such compact disc will be the
Manufacturing cost therefor, as set forth in Schedule
“A” attached hereto, as such cost may change upon 30
days prior written notice to the Company, plus the shipping costs
therefor; and
(b)
To sell
copies of each Album in compact disc form at the applicable
Artist’s public performances and from the Company’s
website or applicable Artist’s website. The cost to the
Company for compact discs to be sold at the applicable
Artist’s public performances or through the Company’s
or Artist’s website will be an amount per compact disc equal
to the PPD therefor multiplied by the Distribution Fee (for
example, if the PPD for the compact disc is $11.98, the cost to the
Company per compact disc would be calculated as follows: $11.98
multiplied by the Distribution Fee of 20% equals $2.40), plus
shipping costs therefore and plus the Manufacturing Costs (as
indicated in Schedule “A”), provided, however, that
Universal reserves the right to require that the Artist and Company
not offer such compact discs for sale at certain of the Artist's
performances or through the Company’s or Artist’s
website if Universal determines, acting reasonably, that such sales
might negatively affect Universal's ability to Exploit Records
through Normal Retail Channels in the Territory.
2.4
For
greater certainty: (i) the indemnity in ARTICLE IX hereof applies
to any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses,
including legal expenses and fees, arising out of the sale or
distribution pursuant to Section 2.3 of compact discs by the
Company; and (ii) the restriction on assignment in Section 13.7
applies to prevent the Company from assigning to any
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other
Person any of the rights granted to the Company in Section 2.3
without Universal's prior written approval (for example, the
Company may not authorize or permit any other Person to, directly
or indirectly, by any means, distribute, sell or fulfil orders for
Records without Universal's prior written approval).
2.5
Universal
will not be obligated to exercise any of the rights granted to
Universal pursuant to the provisions of this ARTICLE II if, in
Universal’s sole discretion, the exercise of such rights: (i)
would violate any statute, law or regulation or any rights of any
Person; or (ii) would constitute a breach of this Agreement or of
any other agreements to which Universal or the Company is a
party.
2.6
Universal
hereby acknowledges that the Company’s parent, Uomo Media
Inc., has entered an agreement with Colgate Palmolive Canada (the
“Colgate Agreement”) involving the promotional download
of up to 30 seconds of the Master entitled “Fresh”
featuring the Artist “Shawn Desman”. Universal
hereby agrees that the Colgate Agreement will not be deemed a
breach of this Agreement.
2.7
All
rights not granted to Universal hereunder are reserved in their
entirety by the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to export the Records outside the Territory.
ARTICLE
III
FEES; FUNDS; COSTS
3.1
Universal
will retain a distribution fee (the “Distribution
Fee”), quarterly, equal to the following:
(a)
In the
case of Records Exploited through Normal Retails Channels (other
than Compilation Records): 20% of Net Billing, reducing on a
prospective basis to: (i) 19% of Net Billing at $2,000,000 in Net
Billing; (ii) 18% of Net Billing at $4,000,000 in Net Billing; and
(iii) 17% of Net Billing at $6,000,000 in Net Billing.
(b)
In the
case of Records Exploited through Electronic Transmission and
through Electronic Subscription: 20% of Net Receipts.
(c)
In the
case of Masters licensed by Universal to a third party on a flat
fee or royalty basis for the Manufacture and Exploitation of
Compilation Records: 20% of the Net Receipts therefrom;
and
(d)
In the
case of Masters licensed by Universal to any third party on a flat
fee or royalty basis for use as background music, synchronization
in motion pictures and television soundtracks and other similar
purposes: 50% of the Net Receipts therefrom.
3.2
In the
case of Masters Exploited by Universal on Compilation Records and
Premium Records, Universal will pay the Company the following: 80%
of the highest royalty rate payable for any other master included
on such Compilation Record or Premium Record, as
applicable.
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3.3
To the
extent that the Company requests Universal to provide any services
in addition to those set forth herein, such as marketing and/or
promotion, and Universal agrees to provide such services, such
services will be provided for an amount which is to be mutually
agreed and negotiated by the parties hereto. Any agreement to
such effect will be detailed in writing and any charges relating
thereto will be invoiced by Universal to the Company and will, at
Universal’s election, be prepaid to Universal by the Company,
or will be payable by way of Universal deducting these amounts from
any payments or amounts otherwise due to the Company hereunder.
ARTICLE
IV
RESERVES
4.1
Reserves
against anticipated customer returns and/or credits in respect of
the Records will be calculated, held and liquidated in the
following manner and at the following times:
(a)
Subject
to the other provisions of this Section 4.1, Universal may hold in
reserve an amount of up to 20% of each
applicable quarter’s Gross Billing. At the end of each
calendar year during the Term, at the request of either party, the
amount of the reserve will be reviewed to determine if the amount
held is reasonable, considering among other factors, the returns
history of the Records and market conditions, and upon mutual good
faith agreement, the reserve will be adjusted
accordingly.
(b)
Subject
to the other provisions of this Section 4.1, the reserve established with respect to each billing
quarter to the extent not reduced by actual returns and/or credits
will be liquidated and paid over to the Company as
follows:
(i)
50% at the
end of the 6 th month following the month in which such
reserve was originally established (such reserve to be established
on the accounting statement for the same billing quarter);
and
(ii)
the
balance at the end of the 12 th month following the
month in which such reserve was originally established (such
reserve to be established on the accounting statement for the same
billing quarter).
(c)
In the
event that the amounts held in reserve are insufficient to cover
amounts for which Universal is obligated to credit
Universal’s customers, the Company will, upon
Universal’s request, immediately reimburse Universal for the
amount of such credits to Universal’s customers or, at
Universal's election, Universal may deduct the applicable amounts
from monies otherwise payable to the Company, then or in the
future. Returns and/or credits will be first applied against
the reserve account on a FIFO basis (i.e. to the earliest reserve
period first.)
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(d)
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, in the event that the
Company is indebted to Universal hereunder when amounts held in
reserve are to be liquidated, the credit for such reserves will
first be used to offset any such indebtedness.
4.2
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, in the event that the
Company is indebted to Universal hereunder 180 days prior to the
expiration or termination, for whatever reason, of the Term, then
Universal will have the right to withhold reserves up to a maximum
of 50% of each applicable quarter’s Gross Billing.
ARTICLE
V
PAYMENTS AND ACCOUNTINGS
5.1
Within
60 days following the end of each
fiscal quarter
(as designated by Universal) during the Term, Universal will render
to the Company a statement setting forth in detail all activities
subject hereto, including an inventory analysis. Together
with such statement, Universal will remit the Net Proceeds, if any,
shown to be payable to the Company on such statement.
5.2
All
statements rendered by Universal are conclusively binding upon the
Company and not subject to any objection by the Company for any
reason unless specific objection in writing, stating the basis
thereof, is given to Universal within 2 years from the date such
statement