International co-productions look glamorous from the outside — Cannes brochures, flags on posters, photos of producers clinking glasses at film markets.
But anyone who’s actually done one knows the truth:

👉 They’re not “bigger.”
👉 They’re not “fancier.”
👉 They’re not “automatic financing.”
👉 They’re not even “international versions of what we already do in the U.S.”

They are fundamentally different machines with different rules, different assumptions, and different ways of thinking about ownership, liability, and control.

And most U.S. filmmakers don’t realize they’ve stepped into a completely different legal universe until something goes sideways — usually rights, money, or hiring.

Today we’re talking about the two differences that catch Americans off guard every single time:

1️⃣ Copyright and ownership structures
2️⃣ No single-purpose LLCs (your entire default system doesn’t exist abroad)

We’ll also touch on the practical realities of working with producers in the EU, India/Bollywood, and the UAE — and how to protect your chain of title when your partners don’t use U.S.-style corporate stacks.

If you’re planning a cross-border project — or dreaming about one — this is your legal reality check.

1. Copyright in International Co-Productions: You Don’t Own What You Think You Own

In the U.S., we treat copyright like a property deed.
Clean chain → clean title → distributor’s happy → E&O signs off → we move on.

International partners?
They approach authorship differently… because their law approaches authorship differently.

In many EU territories, “authors” aren’t just writers and directors — they can be cinematographers, composers, editors, and sometimes the entire creative crew.

Their rights can’t always be waived.
Some can’t even be assigned.

That means:

• You may not be able to secure exclusive rights the way you would in the U.S.
• “Work for hire” sometimes doesn’t legally exist.
• Contributors may retain the ability to object to edits, color changes, or subtitles.

This hits Americans hard when they first learn it.
You think you’re signing a standard work-for-hire… but the law says otherwise.

India’s Copyright Act automatically divides rights between authors and producers unless your agreement is airtight.

Writers, composers, and lyricists may retain separate rights unless explicitly transferred.

If you’re used to American options, assignments, and step deals — India will feel like you’re playing by different physics.

Creators often sign through big production houses or government-backed entities, meaning:

• Rights transfer may be smooth
• But leverage is usually lower
• And approvals matter far more than you expect

Each region requires different paperwork, different assumptions, and different negotiation strategies.

But the biggest problem for U.S. filmmakers?

👉 You cannot rely on a chain of title that assumes U.S. copyright rules.

And distributors spot this from a mile away.

🎬 2. International Partners Don’t Use Single-Purpose LLCs — And It Changes Everything

Let’s get this out of the way:

The single-purpose LLC is an American invention.
It’s not global.
It’s not universal.
And it’s not standard anywhere else.

Why this matters:

In the U.S., your project LLC is:

• The contracting party
• The employer of record
• The holder of rights
• The bucket liabilities fall into
• The entity investors sign into
• The structure your CAMA attaches to

In many other countries, producers don’t drop a new LLC for each film.

They use:

• Their main production company
• A subsidiary that already exists
• A sole proprietorship
• A government-registered entity
• Or no entity at all (yes, really)

That means you’re no longer dealing project-to-project.
You’re tying your film to the lifespan and credit history of their entire operating business.

That exposes U.S. producers to risks they’re not used to:

• Prior debts
• Existing liens
• Tax issues
• Social insurance obligations
• Employment law carryover
• Liability you didn’t create
• Accounting systems you don’t control
• Corporate approvals you don’t know about

If you’re used to clean project LLCs — international co-pros feel like going from a scalpel to a Swiss Army knife wrapped in duct tape.

3. The Hidden Challenge: Two Hiring Systems Colliding

Here’s where the real chaos happens:

You hire U.S. cast and crew.
They hire their local cast and crew.
And the laws governing both sides do not match.

You need:

• U.S. startwork
• U.S. work-for-hire
• U.S. payroll
• U.S. union compliance
• Loanouts
• 1099 rules
• Workers’ comp
• E&O-approved chain of title

They need:

• EU employment contracts
• Mandatory social fees
• VAT
• Holiday pay
• Local insurance
• Local union or guild paperwork
• Copyright transfers tailored to local law
• Region-specific filming permissions

If both sides aren’t aligned, you end up with:

• Missing releases
• Conflicting rights
• Tax exposure
• Incorrect payroll classification
• A chain of title that dies at delivery
• And a distribution deal that evaporates

International co-productions don’t fail in the camera department.
They fail on paper.

4. The #1 Mistake in International Co-Pros: No One Owns the Film

U.S. filmmakers assume:

“We’ll create an LLC → everyone signs → the LLC owns the movie.”

But that’s not how your foreign partners see it.

Foreign producers Often assume:

• Ownership is split by percentage
• Each producer owns their own territory
• Broadcasters retain rights in perpetuity
• Government funders require “cultural ownership”
• Copyright automatically belongs to creators
• The film is a shared property, not a corporate asset

If you don’t define:

• Who owns worldwide rights
• Who owns which copyright
• Who controls exploitation
• And how revenue flows…

…you may end up with a movie no one has the right to distribute globally.

This happens more often than you think.

5. So… Are International Co-Productions Worth It?

Yes — if they’re structured cleanly.

They can bring:

• Access to incentives
• Local crews
• Funding programs
• Larger casting pools
• Authentic storytelling
• Global distribution opportunities
• And a creative spark you simply don’t get working with only American teams

But they’re not “just another film.”
They are a specialized legal and logistical discipline.
You have to treat them that way.

Want the Full Breakdown?

We put together a deep, practical, step-by-step guide inside the Creator Vault:

“The International Co-Production Agreement Guide: How to Structure, Protect, and Deliver a Cross-Border Film (EU / Bollywood / UAE Edition)”

Inside you’ll learn:

• The exact clauses to negotiate
• How to protect chain of title
• How to build a co-production structure without an LLC
• How to handle hiring in multiple countries
• What distributors expect
• What E&O insurers require
• What to do when your partner refuses U.S.-style paperwork
• And what you absolutely cannot forget to put in writing

👉 Read the full guide in the Thoolie Creator Vault