ACTOR SHOWREELS BY MATTHEW BEARNE

Terms and Conditions

Updated April 2026

 

1. Introduction

1.1 This agreement sets out the terms and conditions governing the relationship between Matthew Bearne (the “Proprietor”) and you, the Client. It is a legally binding contract designed to ensure both parties gain the maximum benefit.

1.2 This website (actorshowreelsbymatthewbearne.com) and the brand “Actor Showreels by Matthew Bearne” are trading styles of Matthew Bearne, a sole trader. Matthew Bearne also operates Super 8 Acting Academy.

1.3 Any contract formed through this website is a contract with Matthew Bearne as an individual. Matthew Bearne is solely responsible for the obligations and liabilities arising from all trading names listed.

2. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following words shall have the following meanings:

2.1 “Proprietor” means Matthew Bearne, trading as Actor Showreels by Matthew Bearne.

2.2 “Client” means the individual or entity commissioning the Project.

2.3 “Project” means the commissioned showreel work, including the script, filming, and edit.

2.4 “Materials” means all elements created in connection with the Project, including but not limited to the script, cinematography, direction, sound recording, edited film, and any ancillary materials.

2.5 “Deliverables” means the final edited showreel footage and any approved photographs or screenshots provided to the Client.

2.6 “Deposit” means the booking deposit of £60 per scene.

2.7 “Sums Paid” means all monies paid by the Client to the Proprietor up to the date of cancellation, termination, or repudiation, including the Deposit and any instalments.

3. Showreel Pricing

• 1 Monologue: £250

• 1 Duologue Scene: £399

• 2 Duologue Scenes: £699

• The Super Reel — One scene: £550

4. Deposit and Payment

4.1 Booking Deposit

A non-refundable booking Deposit of £60 per scene is required to reserve a booking. This Deposit is non-refundable from the point of payment, as it covers initial consultation, scriptwriting time, and reservation of the filming date.

4.2 Balance Payment

The remaining balance must be paid in full no later than 6pm, four days before the scheduled filming date. Failure to pay by this deadline may result in cancellation of the booking, and the Deposit will be retained in full.

4.3 Spread Payments

Clients may opt to spread payments over two months for showreel scenes priced at £399 (one scene) or £699 (two scenes):

• First instalment (50% of the total fee) is due before filming commences.

• Second instalment (remaining 50%) is due before editing and final delivery of the footage.

4.4 Late Payment Policy

• If the second instalment is not received within 30 days of its due date, a late payment fee of 5% of the outstanding balance will be applied.

• If payment remains unpaid for a further 30 days (60 days past due), an additional 10% late fee will be added.

• After 90 days of non-payment, the matter may be referred to a debt collection agency or legal action may be taken to recover outstanding amounts.

4.5 Delivery Hold

Edited footage will not be released until the full balance, including any applicable late fees, has been received.

4.6 Cancellation by the Client

If the Client cancels before filming commences, the Deposit shall be retained in full. Where additional sums have been paid (under clause 4.3 or otherwise), the Proprietor may, at its sole discretion, refund such additional sums less a £70 administration fee, provided no further work has been undertaken on the Project.

Once filming has commenced, no refunds of any kind shall be issued.

5. Actor Preparedness

All actors are expected to arrive fully prepared and off-book for their scenes. This means knowing your lines, having rehearsed your character choices, and being ready to perform with minimal need for prompting.

While time is allowed for direction and performance refinement on the day, unpreparedness will impact the efficiency of the shoot. More takes may be required, which can limit creative options and may affect the final quality of the showreel. Excessive retakes due to lack of preparation will be evident in the final edit, and the Proprietor cannot guarantee additional time or reshoots to compensate.

6. Intellectual Property, Actor Releases and Client Usage Rights

6.1 Ownership of Intellectual Property

The Client acknowledges and agrees that the Proprietor shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all worldwide intellectual property rights (including but not limited to copyright) in and to the Materials. The Materials constitute a commissioned work pursuant to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, with the Proprietor as the first owner of all rights therein.

6.2 Assignment and Warranties by the Proprietor

The Proprietor warrants that it has the full right and authority to enter into this agreement and that, to the best of its knowledge, the original elements of the Materials (specifically the script and creative direction) will not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights.

All contributions from actors, crew, or any other third parties are secured under written agreement assigning or licensing all relevant rights to the Proprietor.

6.3 Third-Party Releases and Clearances

It is a fundamental condition of the Proprietor’s service that, prior to filming, all performers (and a parent or legal guardian for any minor) appearing in the Project shall agree to these Terms and Conditions and acknowledge this by checking the tick box in the booking form.

By checking the tick box and agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, the Client and any performer shall irrevocably:

• (a) Grant consent to be filmed, recorded, and have their performance, name, and likeness used in connection with the Project.

• (b) Assign to the Proprietor all rights, title, and interest in their performance contained within the Materials.

• (c) Confirm that no further payment, fees, or royalties are or will be due for the use of the Materials for promotional purposes by the Proprietor or by any other client(s) who participated in the same scene(s) for their own individual promotional purposes, as defined in clause 6.4.

6.4 Licence Granted to the Client

Upon full payment of fees, the Proprietor grants the Client a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use the Deliverables solely for the Client’s professional self-promotion. This permitted use includes, but is not limited to:

• Use on the Client’s personal actor websites and profiles (e.g. Spotlight, IMDb).

• Use on the Client’s professional social media accounts.

• Inclusion in digital or physical portfolios.

• Submission to casting directors, agents, and theatrical productions in pursuit of work.

The licence is personal to the named Client and does not permit commercial resale, sub-licensing, or use in a manner that implies endorsement of a third-party product or service without separate written agreement from the Proprietor.

6.5 Proof of Clearance

Upon written request, and subject to confidentiality obligations to the performer, the Proprietor may provide the Client with a copy of the relevant Release Form acknowledgement from the scene partner(s) in the Project, evidencing the clearances described in clause 6.3.

7. The Collaborative Nature of Your Showreel (Scene Partners)

7.1 Mutual Grant of Rights

Each showreel scene is filmed with a scene partner. This collaborative model is fundamental to creating high-quality work for both actors. As a condition of commissioning this service, the Client expressly agrees that:

• The Client grants their scene partner the same worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use the final footage for their own professional self-promotion as is granted to the Client.

• In return, the scene partner grants the Client the identical licence for the Client’s own promotional use.

The Proprietor coordinates this mutual grant of rights via signed release forms from all parties.

7.2 No Exclusivity

The Client understands and agrees that they will not have exclusive rights to the footage. The scene partner has the equal right to use it in their portfolio. This mutual benefit is what enables the production to take place.

7.3 Client Confirmation

By proceeding with booking and payment, the Client confirms understanding of and agreement to this collaborative model and the mutual grant of rights described above.

8. Showreel Delivery and Usage

• The final edited showreel will be delivered within 20 working days of filming, in a web-friendly format.

• It is intended for self-promotion (casting sites, agents, casting directors, YouTube/Vimeo, etc.).

• Showreels do not count as professional credits. For additional usage rights, see clause 12 (Marketing and Further Usage).

• No raw footage (rushes) will be provided or permitted for external editing.

• Scripts written by Matthew Bearne may not be copied or reproduced by any other company or individual.

• Rewrites are expected, but all requested amendments must be sent via email and agreed by the Proprietor.

• The Proprietor shall not be obliged to retain raw camera and sound files (rushes) for longer than 30 days from the date of filming, and shall not be responsible for the loss of archived footage beyond 30 days.

9. Rescheduling and Postponements

• If the Client requests to reschedule within seven days of the original filming date, a new Deposit will be required to secure the new date.

• In the event of a postponement, full payment may be required.

• The Proprietor reserves the right to postpone a booking at any time.

10. Scene Partners and Props

• A maximum of two actors per scene is allowed (three is possible, but only available in The Super Reel package).

• Clients must provide their own scene partners and props.

• If the Client cannot find a scene partner, the Proprietor will assist where possible, but is not obliged to do so.

• Splitting Costs: Clients wishing to split costs with another actor must state this at the consultation stage. The scene will be designed for a 50/50 split, and the Client handling the booking will be responsible for full payment.

11. Editing and Client Feedback

• Showreel scenes are crafted in the edit to achieve the best pace and tone, which may differ from Client expectations.

• Clients have seven days from receiving their showreel to submit one email containing all technical and creative feedback.

• Re-edits beyond this initial round will incur a £75 fee per round, provided all requested changes are included in a single email.

• Each additional re-edit request will be charged at £75 per round.

12. Marketing and Further Usage

• All footage, stills, and scripts are owned by, and are under the copyright of, Matthew Bearne.

• Footage may be used for marketing purposes by both the Proprietor and the Client, in accordance with the licence granted under clause 6.4.

• Showreels may be submitted to film festivals, but must be credited: “Written and Directed by Matthew Bearne.”

13. Protection of Image and Likeness

The Proprietor is committed to protecting the Client’s identity and privacy. As part of this commitment, content has been proactively opted out of third-party AI training datasets (including Meta’s) to the fullest extent possible.

The Proprietor will not knowingly submit, sell, or allow the Client’s image or likeness to be used for the training of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, augmented reality (AR), or related technologies.

14. Additional Material

Adding existing footage to a showreel costs £75 and must be paid during the editing process.

15. Reshoots

Reshoots are at the sole discretion of the Proprietor and will only be considered in the event of a demonstrable error on the part of the Proprietor. The Proprietor reserves the right to deny a reshoot free of charge.

16. Client Responsibilities, Venue, and Frustration of Contract

16.1 Client-Caused Frustration of Contract

If the contract becomes impossible to perform due to circumstances within the Client’s control — including but not limited to failure to agree a suitable venue, failure to provide a scene partner, or any other act or omission on the Client’s part that prevents filming from proceeding — all Sums Paid by the Client up to that point shall be retained by the Proprietor as compensation for time, scriptwriting, and project preparation already undertaken. No refund of any kind shall be issued.

16.2 Venue Requirements

The Client is responsible for agreeing a suitable filming venue in advance of the scheduled shoot date. Where the Proprietor suggests a venue and the Client declines without providing a viable alternative within a reasonable timeframe, this shall be considered a Client-caused frustration of contract under clause 16.1, and Sums Paid shall be retained accordingly.

16.3 Engagement with Competing Services

If the Client confirms in writing or by clear conduct that they intend to engage an alternative showreel production company in place of the Proprietor’s services, this shall be treated as a repudiation of the contract. In such circumstances, all Sums Paid shall be retained in full and the Proprietor’s obligations under the contract shall cease immediately.

16.4 Continued Offer to Perform

Where the Proprietor has made a reasonable written offer to fulfil the commission following a dispute, and the Client declines or fails to respond within 14 days, the Client shall be deemed to have repudiated the contract. All Sums Paid shall be retained in full and no further obligation shall rest with the Proprietor.

16.5 Correspondence

The Proprietor reserves the right to limit correspondence in the event that the volume or tone of communication becomes unreasonable. All formal disputes should be raised in a single, clearly written email. The Proprietor is not obliged to respond to repeated or duplicative correspondence on the same matter.

17. Consumer Rights

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall affect any statutory rights the Client may have as a consumer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable consumer protection legislation.

Where the Client books services remotely (online or by phone), the Client may have a 14-day right to cancel under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. By booking and requesting that work begin within this 14-day period (including the commencement of scriptwriting upon payment of the Deposit), the Client expressly agrees to the work commencing immediately and acknowledges that they will lose the right to cancel under those Regulations once performance of the service has begun.

18. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with this agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

 

AGREEMENT CONFIRMATION

Please confirm below that you have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions set out by Actor Showreels by Matthew Bearne.