📧 “Rights and Permission Info” to TSW
Sure, and thanks for getting back to me.
In a nutshell, I plan to send TSW notice that I am going to formally modify the agreement I made in 2011 for the JBIC stuff. I've attached it for reference. As it is written, the agreement does not appear to be unlimited, nor does it include any prohibitions on modifying or revoking the agreement, with or without advance notice from either party. In a few days, I plan to modify the contract by suspending my permission in its entirety. There are two issues I have with the 2011 agreement that make me want to revoke that permission;
The contract I entered into does not grant exclusive rights or permissions to TSW or its agents. Nonetheless, TSW agent The Work of the People has been using my work and my likeness to earn revenue. Because I possess no copy of the audio/video Travis Reed captured, apparently at no cost to TSW, I am denied the same benefit of earning revenue from my work and likeness. I am troubled that TSW has maximized revenue in this way while allowing its subjects to be deprived of the same benefit.
Also, I know that I waived my right to review the products TSW developed, but I am also aware that TSW regularly earns tens of thousands of dollars every year on revenues from publishing contracts like the one dependent upon my agreement for JBIC. Although not nearly as troubling as the case of The Work of The People, I do believe it is unjust to make money off someone's work without so much as crediting them.
I am willing to negotiate a limited license that would allow specific agents like Zondervan to continue marketing my work and likeness, rather than issuing a blanket modification that may affect whatever agreement TSW has with other agents, like Zondervan. If you or a lawyer is willing to share either of those agreements with me, I am happy to take into consideration before I notify TSW of the change to the 2011 agreement. However, I must insist on hearing from someone who can speak on the organization's behalf ASAP. If I don't hear from someone by 11:59pm on Sunday, January 26th, I will plan to notify TSW's registered agent and/or Board of Directors the following day of my intent to revoke permission to use my work and likeness. A decision doesn't have to be made by Sunday night, but I do need to hear from a TSW representative if y'all would like to re-negotiate the agreement.
I have reached out to [redacted] (without any of the details above because he and I have no agreement), but I have not heard back. I have not attempted contact with Zondervan, but I plan to at some point.
