4TH GROUND

Content Partner Handbook & Non-Exclusive License Agreement

1. Welcome to 4th Ground

4TH GROUND is a transactional video-on-demand streaming platform built for independent creators, production companies, and studios. This handbook outlines how filmmakers, distributors, aggregators and sales agents can license their Titles to our service under a transparent non-exclusive model. Our objective is to provide fair commercial terms while ensuring Rights Holders retain ownership and full control of their Titles.

2. Our Mission

At 4TH GROUND, we are building a sustainable and transparent marketplace for film and episodic content. Creators retain full control over territories and release strategy. Audiences receive secure, high-quality streaming. We provide a safe and trusted home for storytellers. Our pre-release and pre-sale windows allow filmmakers to test with real audiences, validate demand, and build momentum ahead of wide release. Every title is supported with 24/7 creator support and dedicated marketing support.

3. Eligible Partners

4th Ground welcomes partnerships with content owners worldwide. Evaluation is based on quality, legal availability, and audience suitability, not budget or company size.

3.1 Who Can Submit

• Independent Filmmakers: Feature films, documentaries, shorts, animation, and festival selections.
• Production Companies: Single titles or full catalogues with distribution authority.
• Distributors: National, international, and regional distributors expanding TVOD availability.
• Sales Agents: Reputable agents with documented authority for digital rights.
• Aggregators: Professional aggregators authorized to represent content libraries.
• Rights Holders: Studios, broadcasters, estates, educational institutions, and government agencies.

3.2 Required Authority

By submitting content, you confirm you possess all necessary rights to grant digital transactional streaming and rental licenses, provide marketing materials, and receive revenue. We may request chain-of-title documentation prior to publication.

4. Non-Exclusive Distribution

All agreements are non-exclusive. You retain 100% ownership of your film and all intellectual property. Licensing to 4th Ground does not prevent distribution on any other platform including SVOD, AVOD, broadcast, physical media, or festivals.

You may request removal at any time with 30 days written notice. Existing customer rentals will be honored until their viewing period expires.

5. Rights Ownership

Ownership of copyright, masters, trademarks, and all associated rights remains entirely with you. 4th Ground receives only a limited, revocable, non-exclusive license to host, encode, stream, and market your title while it is available on the platform.

This license automatically terminates upon removal of the title, subject only to accounting and legal obligations.

6. Territory Control

You control geographic availability. Select worldwide, regional, or country-specific rights during onboarding. Our platform uses geo-blocking to enforce these restrictions and protect existing licensing agreements.

Territory settings can be updated at any time to reflect new deals or expiring licenses. You are responsible for ensuring selected territories match your current rights.

7. Content & Listing Options

7.1 Titles We Accept

4TH GROUND programs across all genres and formats, including Titles that depict crime, violence, substance use, and other mature themes when handled responsibly and in context. We do not accept explicit pornographic content. This includes unsimulated sexual acts where the primary purpose is sexual arousal. We also do not accept content that promotes hate speech, discrimination, real-world harm, sexual abuse or exploitation of children. We reserve the right to assign an age rating and/or require a content warning.

• Genres: Drama, Romance, Comedy, Thriller, Horror, Sci-Fi, Action, Western, War, Documentary, Historical, Arthouse, Experimental, Animation, Family, Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Musical, Crime, LGBTQ+, Other.
• Formats: Feature Films, Mid-Length Films, Short Films, Episodic Series.
• Length Requirements:
  - Short Films: Minimum 20 minutes.
  - Mid-Length: Minimum 40 Minutes.
  - Feature Films: Minimum 70 Minutes.
  - Series: Minimum 60 Minutes per Season.
• Quality: Final, exhibition-ready masters only. No rough cuts or watermarked screeners.

7.2 Listing Types

You choose how your Title is sold on 4TH GROUND. You may select more than one option.

A. Standard Listing
Your Title is available for individual rental.
Best for: Feature Films, Episodic Series, Content from All Filmmakers.
Placement: Featured, New Releases, Most Popular, Recommended, Genre pages, Search.

B. Premium Listing
Your Title receives priority marketing and homepage placement.
Best for: Award-Winning Content, Content Featuring Name Talent, Content Directed by Established Filmmakers, Premium-Budget Content.
Placement: Homepage banner, Editorial collections, Email features.

C. Pack Listing
Your Title is curated into a themed Pack with other films. Viewers buy the pack and choose films within it.
Best for: Short Films, Mid-length Films.
Pack Rules:
- Minimum film runtime: 20 minutes.
- Minimum pack runtime: 80 minutes.

Pack Examples: Seasonal packs like The Valentine Pack, The Holiday Pack, The Halloween Pack, The Eid Pack, The Graduation Pack, and The New Year Pack. Mood/Social packs like The Couples Pack, The Friends Pack, The Family Pack, Weekend Away Pack, Late Night Pack, and Sunday Reset Pack. Genre packs like The Horror Pack, The Thriller Pack, The Comedy Pack, The Drama Pack, The Sci-Fi Pack, and The Documentary Pack. Curator packs like Director Spotlight Pack, Country Focus Pack, Award Winners Pack, The 4th Ground Picks, Debut Pack, and Female Directors Pack.

D. Hybrid Listing
Your Title is available for Individual Rental AND included in Packs.
Best for: Maximizing both single sales and pack discovery.

You will select your preferred Listing Type(s) during onboarding. You may request to change your Listing Type with 30 days written notice.

8. Pricing

You determine rental price, rental window, and promotional pricing. 4th Ground may provide market-based recommendations. Final authority over pricing rests with 4th Ground, which shall make such determination in good faith based on considerations including the Title.

Common rental windows are 3 to 7 days, depending on the price and the Title. Rental periods shorter than 3 days are available only for pre-sales or pre-releases. Other available windows include 24 hours and 48 hours.

Pack Pricing: You may elect to have your Title included in Pack Listings. Pack pricing is set by 4TH GROUND. A Pack may offer multiple formats at different price points. Example: Shorts Collection $3.99, Feature Collection $6.99. Net Revenue will be shared in accordance with Section 9.

9. Revenue Share

Our commercial model is transparent and creator-first.

• Standard Listing: The revenue share for all rentals of the Title on the 4TH GROUND shall be 70% to Rights Holder and 30% to 4TH GROUND. The split is calculated from Gross Revenue generated from rentals of the Title. "Gross Revenue" means the total amount actually received by 4TH GROUND from customers for the rental of the Film after refunds deductions.
• Premium Listing: Individually negotiated based on marketing scope and support.
• Pack Listing: Pack sales revenue is distributed 70% to Rights Holders collectively and 30% to 4TH GROUND. The Rights Holders’ share is allocated among all titles within the Pack on a pro rata basis. "Pro rata basis" means in proportion to each Title's runtime relative to the total Pack runtime. For allocation purposes, runtime is calculated as total content duration and excludes opening title cards and end credits. Each time a Pack is purchased, the 70% Rights Holders’ pool is divided among the Title in that Pack according to each Title's percentage of the total Pack runtime. Payouts are not based on individual Title views.

The platform share supports hosting, payment processing, customer support, fraud prevention, and ongoing development. Royalty statements are provided quarterly with detailed performance data.

10. Delivery Requirements

To ensure consistent quality, please provide complete delivery materials:

• Video: ProRes 422 HQ or high-bitrate H.264 Master.
• Audio: Stereo or 5.1, properly synced.
• Artwork: Poster, landscape backdrop, and film stills.
• Preview Clip/Trailer: Preview Clip, official trailer or teaser if available.
• Metadata: Title, synopsis, cast, crew, genre, runtime, ratings, keywords.
• Captions: SRT or VTT subtitle files are required.
• Commercial: Price, release date, territory availability.
• For Pack Eligibility: Please provide final runtime excluding opening titles and end credits. Minimum 20 minutes required for a short film to be considered for Pack inclusion.

All materials undergo quality control before publication. Some materials, including chain of title, music clearances, and other items not included in the submission portal, must be sent separately to studio@4thground.com upon request. Incomplete deliveries may delay launch.

11. Reporting

Quarterly reports include number of rentals, gross revenue, deductions, net earnings, territory performance, and audience engagement metrics. Reports are designed to help you evaluate pricing, release timing, and marketing strategy.

4th Ground operates on a fiscal quarter schedule. Official quarterly reports are emailed to rights holders on the 15th day of the month following each fiscal quarter. The reporting schedule is:

• Q1: December 1 – February 28/29 → Report emailed March 15.
• Q2: March 1 – May 31 → Report emailed June 15.
• Q3: June 1 – August 31 → Report emailed September 15.
• Q4: September 1 – November 30 → Report emailed December 15.

In addition to quarterly reports, rights holders have the right to request a revenue report by emailing studio@4thground.com once per calendar month.

12. Payments

Payments are processed quarterly via the agreed payment methods following verification and reporting. Accurate banking and tax information is required. Applicable taxes or processing fees will be reflected in your statement. Minimum payment thresholds may apply. No payment shall be issued for any quarter in which the total amount due to the Rights Holder is less than Fifty USD ($50.00). Any amounts below this minimum threshold shall accrue and be carried forward to subsequent payment periods until the total due meets or exceeds $50.00. Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, all accrued but unpaid revenue, regardless of amount, shall be paid to the Rights Holder within thirty (30) business days.

All quarterly payments are processed within 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter. Payments will be issued on: March 15-30, June 15-30, September 15-30, and December 15.

Example: All revenue earned from September 1 to November 30 will be included in the report and payment sent on December 15.

If the payment date falls on a weekend or public holiday, payments will be processed on the next working day.

13. Privacy

4th Ground processes personal information in accordance with POPIA and applicable data protection laws. We collect only information necessary to operate the service including account details, payment confirmations, and technical data.

We do not sell personal information. Data is shared only with trusted service providers for hosting, payments, and analytics. Rights holders receive aggregated performance data without personally identifiable viewer information. Data is retained only as long as necessary and then securely deleted or anonymized.

14. Anti-Piracy

We implement encrypted streaming, secure authentication, and geo-blocking to protect content. Administrative access is restricted and source files are stored separately from public assets.

We cooperate with rights holders to address infringement through takedown notices and legal support. While no system can guarantee absolute security, we maintain industry-standard protections and continuously improve our measures.

15. Marketing & Promotion

By submitting your Title, you grant 4TH GROUND a non-exclusive license to use approved trailers, preview clips, posters, stills, and metadata to promote your Title and the 4TH GROUND platform. This includes website features, social media, email newsletters, and advertising. All Titles on 4TH GROUND receive platform marketing support, including listing placement, category features, and social promotion.

The Content Rights Holder is responsible for driving the majority of audience marketing for their Title. 4TH GROUND provides platform-level support and amplification to complement the Content Rights Holder's efforts. You remain responsible for ensuring all materials provided are accurate and fully cleared for promotional use.

16. Responsibilities

Rights Holder: As the content owner/Rights Holder, you are responsible for ensuring that you hold all necessary rights and clearances for the film or series you are submitting. This includes, but is not limited to: music licenses, talent and actor releases, location agreements, archival footage rights, trademark permissions, and any third-party materials used within the production. By submitting your content, you confirm that your work does not infringe on the copyright, trademark, or any other intellectual property rights of a third party.

4th Ground: Provide secure hosting, streaming, geo-blocking, reporting, and customer support. We do not guarantee specific revenue, rentals, or placement.

17. Termination

Either party may terminate with 30 days written notice. Upon termination, we will remove the Title from public availability and cease new transactions. Accrued royalties will still be paid according to the quarterly schedule. The relationship is non-exclusive and flexible by design.

18. Governing Law

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. The parties agree to resolve disputes first through good-faith discussion. Legal proceedings shall be subject to the jurisdiction of South African courts.

19. Delivery Checklist

Ensure your submission includes: video master, preview clip/trailer, poster, key art, complete metadata, subtitle files, pricing, and release date. Content should be delivered in its final, exhibition-ready form. We do not accept rough cuts, watermarked screeners, or unfinished episodes. Audio must be clear and balanced, and visuals should be free of technical defects such as excessive noise, banding, or compression artifacts.

20. Conclusion

We respect the artistic integrity of your work. We will not request creative edits to your story, performances, or message. Our review is limited to technical quality control, metadata accuracy, and compliance with the guidelines above. 4th Ground reserves the right to reject any content that does not meet these standards or to request revisions to technical elements prior to publishing. Our goal is to work with you to ensure your film is presented in the best possible way to a global audience.