Rights Management
ZMI Rights Management acquires, develops, administers and commercializes intellectual property across film, music, publishing and the arts. Operating in the United States and United Kingdom, we manage both our own growing catalogue and selected rights on behalf of producers, artists, publishers, estates and institutional partners.
Our work extends across the full commercial life of a property, from its initial identification and acquisition through development, financing, production, licensing, distribution and long term catalogue management. We work across formats, territories and platforms to protect the underlying property while creating new opportunities for adaptation, production and release.
Catalogue Management
ZMI manages a catalogue of film, audio, literary, music and publishing rights developed and acquired through FilmCo ZMI, ZMI Records and ZMI’s publishing and media operations.
For our own catalogue, we maintain rights records and chain of title, coordinate registrations and contractual documentation, prepare materials for commercial exploitation and identify opportunities for new releases, reissues, adaptations, compilations and international editions.
We actively present projects and catalogue titles to distributors, broadcasters, streaming platforms, publishers, record companies and other licensees. This includes negotiating territory, format, term, exclusivity, distribution window and permitted use while preserving the long term value of the underlying rights.
Development, Packaging and Finance
ZMI develops and packages selected film, television, documentary and media projects around original concepts and established intellectual property.
Our work includes securing underlying rights, commissioning or developing scripts, attaching producers and creative talent, back office administration, budgetary administration and handling film production, financing and distribution partners.
We also coordinate financing strategy, film tax credits, international coproduction structures, production incentives and early discussions with distributors, broadcasters, sales agents and institutional partners.
Licensing and Distribution
ZMI structures and negotiates licenses across film, television, digital media, music, publishing, educational use, exhibitions and other commercial applications.
Depending on the property, we may license rights directly, appoint a distributor, enter a territorial partnership or develop a new production around existing intellectual property. Our presence in both the United States and United Kingdom allows us to pursue opportunities across domestic and international markets while coordinating rights and distribution from a central point.
Rights and Clearances
ZMI provides rights and clearance services for selected productions, publications and cultural projects. We research and identify the rights required for a project, locate and approach rights holders, negotiate permissions and organize the documentation needed for production, financing, insurance, distribution and release.
Our clearance work may include film and photographic archives, music, literary works, artwork, trademarks, personal appearances, locations and other third party material. We also assist rights clearance, including releases, permissions, chain of title, E&O preparation, delivery documentation and the coordination of specialist legal opinions where required.
Representation and Partnerships
ZMI works selectively with rights holders seeking active management rather than passive administration. This may include representing a catalogue, assessing acquisition and development opportunities, creating new uses for existing material, introducing rights to international markets or building film, music and publishing projects around an established body of work.
We are particularly interested in distinctive catalogues, archives, estates and creative properties with unrealized cultural or commercial potential. Each relationship is structured around the nature of the rights, the objectives of the owner and the markets in which ZMI can create meaningful value.