Frequently Asked Questions About RightsTrade
About RightsTrade
What is RightsTrade?
RightsTrade is an online B2B marketplace for buying and selling film and television distribution rights. Sellers share titles, list available rights, and send secure screeners. Vetted buyers search by territory and rights, screen titles, and make offers, all in one platform.
Who uses RightsTrade?
Sales agents, studios, distributors, and independent producers sell on RightsTrade. Buyers include distributors, broadcasters, streaming and AVOD platforms, and other companies that acquire content for one or more territories.
Who owns RightsTrade?
RightsTrade is owned by The Cinelytic Group, which builds software for the film and TV industry. The group’s products are separate tools that can each be used on their own:
- RightsTrade: the online marketplace for buying and selling film and TV distribution rights.
- Cinelytic: a forecasting and comps platform for greenlighting, financing, and distribution decisions. It includes the Comps Tool.
- Callaia: script coverage in under a minute for writers, producers, and studios. Reports include a logline, synopsis, comparable films, actor recommendations, and ratings across key creative criteria. Priced per script.
- ScriptSense: script analysis and production breakdowns for studios, agencies, and production companies. It turns scripts into summaries, character profiles, and comps, and makes uploaded material searchable across a team. Subscription-based.
- SocialSense360: trailer sentiment analysis for film marketing teams. It shows how audiences are reacting to a trailer so campaigns can be adjusted.
Is RightsTrade rights management software?
No. RightsTrade is a marketplace for discovering, screening, and licensing content rights. It doesn’t replace the contract and royalty systems content owners use internally.
How is RightsTrade different from a film market or festival?
RightsTrade is available year-round and online. Buyers can search titles and avails and watch screeners at any time, not just during a market week.
Buying Content
How do I register as a buyer?
Buyer registration is free. Sign up here, verify your email, and create your user and company profile. Your company is then reviewed, and you’ll be notified once it’s approved as a Buyer.
Is it free to buy on RightsTrade?
Yes. Registration is free for buyers, and RightsTrade doesn’t charge commission on deals.
Why are buyer companies vetted?
Vetting confirms that each buyer is a legitimate company with real acquisition activity, so sellers can share screeners and avails with confidence. Buyers are reviewed on their company details and acquisition history.
What is an “avail”?
An avail is a title’s available acquisition rights: the right to license a specific type of rights (for example SVOD or free TV) in specific territories for a set period, either exclusively or non-exclusively. For example, a title might be available in the United States with exclusive SVOD rights from January 2027 to March 2028.
How do I find titles that are available in my territory?
You can use our Avails Search tool. Select your territories, rights types, genres, and other criteria, and RightsTrade shows titles whose rights are listed as available. You can also browse titles and companies, and your Recommendations page suggests titles that match your acquisition profile.
Can I get help finding content?
Yes. The Buyer Concierge service is free. Tell our team what you’re looking for and we’ll send curated title recommendations.
How do I contact a seller or request a screener?
From any title page, you can contact the seller or request a screener. From an avails search, you can send a price inquiry on several titles at once. Sellers review each screener request and may approve or deny it.
Selling Content
Who can sell on RightsTrade?
Content owners and authorized representatives in the business of licensing distribution rights, such as sales agents, studios, distributors, and producers.
How much does it cost to sell on RightsTrade?
Selling requires a paid subscription based on catalog size:
- Indie (1–5 titles): $250/month paid semiannually ($1,500 every 6 months). Subscribe here.
- Boutique (6–15 titles): $375/month paid semiannually ($2,250 every 6 months). Subscribe here.
- Enterprise (more than 15 titles): Contact us.
RightsTrade does not take commission on your deals.
What’s included in a seller subscription?
- Title pages with metadata, key art, and trailers
- Avails listing, so buyers can find your titles by territory and rights
- Secure screener sharing with viewing analytics
- Title promotion: homepage features, targeted marketing campaigns to buyers, and personalized recommendations
How do buyers find my titles?
Buyers find titles through avails search, browsing, and recommendations. Listing your genres and avails makes your titles discoverable. RightsTrade also promotes titles through homepage features and recurring campaigns to buyers looking for matching genres.
Can I share screeners with buyers who aren’t on RightsTrade yet?
Yes. You can invite any contact to watch a screener. They register for free before watching, which keeps your content protected.
Can I keep my titles private?
Yes. You can make a title visible only to your company, hide it from avails search, or hide its avails unless you share an avails report. Public trailers are visible to signed-in members, and screeners stay private until you authorize a specific viewer.
Can I see who has watched my screeners?
Yes. You can see who watched, when, on what device, and for how long. You can also get an email the first time a recipient starts watching, and download reports.
Security
How secure are my screeners and documents?
Screeners are protected by DRM encryption, a visible watermark with each viewer’s email address, and authorizations tied to individual viewers. You control the details:
- Viewing windows set down to the minute
- Optional limits on views and devices
- IP targeting
Screeners are stored on Amazon S3, which follows MPA best practices for secure media storage and delivery. Scripts and other documents can be shared as watermarked PDFs.
What happens if a viewer tries to remove the watermark?
The video stream stops if tampering is detected.
Deals and Pricing
Does RightsTrade take a commission?
No. RightsTrade doesn’t take a percentage of deals, and you can negotiate and close on or off the platform.
Can I close deals on RightsTrade?
Yes. Deal Wizard lets buyers and sellers define licensing terms, negotiate, and sign agreements online with DocuSign. You can also negotiate offline.
Getting Started
How do I join RightsTrade?
Buyers can register for free and are approved after company review. Sellers can choose a plan. To discuss a larger catalog or request a demo, contact us.
What if my company isn’t a buyer or seller?
Festivals, media outlets, and other industry companies can join the community, but access is limited. You won’t be able to search titles, request screeners, or see avails. To request buyer status, email info@rightstrade.com with your acquisition history or plans.
