Legal Vault Copy

These custom designed templates are industry standard with the addition of culturally specific elements designed to support Indigenous people. This vault offers a wide selection of legal templates related to all areas of production from concept to delivery and beyond. As a seasoned producer and production company owner, Jennifer Podemski has spent 20+ years developing ways to ensure cultural safety and promote Indigenous ways of knowing within the screen sector. One of the greatest barriers she has identified is navigating through the legal process. Each of the agreements provided in the vault is accompanied by in depth tutorials to guide you through the process.

From option agreement to distribution agreement and everything in between, the expectations for Indigenous producers to sign agreements do not promote or foster healthy or safe relationships for Indigenous people. In Jennifer’s personal experience, peers often find themselves pressured to sign agreements quickly because of looming deadlines, leaving little opportunity to thoroughly assess whether these agreements truly align with their needs. Often without the finances available to support hiring an Indigenous lawyer in addition to our entertainment lawyer.

The concept of the Legal Vault Project was created as a mechanism to eliminate this barrier, empower Indigenous producers thus building capacity for Indigenous people within the screen sector.

Every legal agreement template within this vault will be created by a team of seasoned entertainment lawyers and Indigenous lawyers who specialize in intellectual property and Indigenous practices and protocols.

Experience dictates that bringing Indigenous lawyers alongside entertainment lawyers, will build stronger protections for Indigenous storytellers and the communities they represent. This process can be very costly and time consuming.

The templates will be available for free to members.

Indigenous framed, culturally supported legal documents for entertainment industry, production and partnerships, anchored by Indigenous ways, knowledge, protocol, and practice. This project addresses a gap in the screen sector and which we believe is an innovative solution and approach.