Option/Purchase/Shopping Agreements

Get Certified in Option/Purchase/Shopping Agreements

Taught by Mary Trier, California Entertainment Attorney

Unlock the keys to acquiring and protecting the rights to your next film or TV project with the Stage 32 Option/Purchase/Shopping Agreements Certification Course. Whether you’re a filmmaker, producer, or writer, this course demystifies the crucial differences between shopping agreements and option/purchase agreements, giving you the confidence to navigate the right contract to completion, secure your creative interests, and avoid costly mistakes that can derail your project. You’ll gain practical, easy-to-understand guidance on copyright law, chain of title, and the legal steps needed to transfer and acquire rights, so you can negotiate and draft agreements that set your project up for success from day one.

The course will cover:

• The difference between an option/purchase agreement and a shopping agreement
• Which agreement is best for any given project and why
• Legal terms you must understand
• Standard deal points that you should negotiate
• What happens when an option is exercised 
• And so much more...

What is Individual Certification?

Individual Certification is a single course centered around one subject. Upon the completion of this course you will be Stage 32 Certified in this area of production. (To be Master Certified in a particular area of expertise, please see the Master Certification section of the platform.)

After viewing the course you will be given a test of your knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. You have the ability to pause your course and go back to review sections as you are learning. You will be given three attempts to take the test. If you do not pass the test after the third time you will need to re-enroll in the course.

Once you pass the test you will be issued a Stage 32 Certificate recognizing your efforts in passing the course. You will also be listed in our master database accessible by film commissions, productions and any executives that are looking for talent. You will also receive a Stage 32 Certification badge that will be added to your Stage 32 profile, so people who are hiring on Stage 32 will know that you have completed a Stage 32 Certification course.

In addition to Stage 32, we highly recommend you post your Stage 32 Certificate on your LinkedIn and other social media profiles.

About the Instructor

This certification module is led by California entertainment attorney Mary Trier. Mary works primarily with production companies and creators on film and television projects, directing clients through varied development stages, whether it be through industry norms or complex chain of title issues. She oversees business and legal affairs at Imagine Entertainment alongside Elsa Ramo, offering legal guidance on projects like Netflix’s “tick, tick…BOOM!” and “Hillbilly Elegy,” and also advises Imagine Kids & Family, Imagine Documentaries, Imagine Impact, Hello Sunshine, Boardwalk Pictures, Balboa Productions, and Funny or Die. Mary recently provided general counsel for the Laugh Out Loud/Sundance Women Write Now Fellowship and has worked on titles such as Skydance’s “Grace and Frankie” and the film “Arkansas” starring Vince Vaughn and Liam Hemsworth. Mary was named in Variety’s “Hollywood New Leaders of 2022,” and was selected as a “Rising Star” in Super Lawyers Magazine from 2021-2023. 

(Payment plans available at checkout)

THIS COURSE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, NOR IS STAGE 32 OFFERING A LEGAL OPINION. THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. ONLY YOUR ATTORNEY CAN ADVISE YOU WHICH LAWS ARE APPLICABLE TO YOUR SPECIFIC CASE AND SITUATION. WHILE THE PRESENTER HAS USED REASONABLE EFFORTS TO INCLUDE ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT AND ASSUMES NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERROR OR OMISSION IN THE CONTENT. THIS COURSE IS PRESENTED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS.”