Creators VS Tapas - Being an Artist under contract by Tapas

[ratique]

Does the profit you get is based on how many keys the users buy and maybe ads?

The profit is based on the keys. You already get most of what is made with ads on this site, it's unrelated to being under contract.

And it had a huge drop on views, subs and likes hm, so I wondered if neither free content people would check, then how it would be if they had to pay for it?

I know Tapas also help premium creators a lot, giving exposure on their homepage and social media, but this is one of the things that bugs me a lot

Tapas' part of the deal is to work on marketing for your comic to counter the drop off. But if the quality of the comic would be the issue, you could always ask if they are able to offer feedback or editorial support - or even pair you with a writer.

[soapcahtoa]

Are you able to live off of what you earn from tapas premium? I've always wondered about its viability as a career ;v;

[ratique]

I don't currently, but I know that others are

[Harmony-S-S]

I may not be an artist, but this did help me understand how tapastic works, so thank you!

[LordVincent]

Bless you for this post!

I am a premium creator too and I've been trying to keep my eyes away from the incubator drama because it makes me very sad. It is unnecessary, there are a lot of misconceptions and sometimes even lies being spread about tapas by these people, and it's unfair to such a good company.
I can confirm that my experience working with Tapas has been positive. They are respectful of us creators and our artistic intent as well as our limits (like you said; we are humans, not drawing machines).

The twitter drama will not end the incubator program. It will not stop Tapas from having more than enough applicants. It will not improve Tapas attitude towards their contracted creators because when it comes to respect and attitude, there's nothing to improve. I have no complaints.
What twitter drama WILL do is paint a false picture of Tapas which inevitably hurts the contracted creators. The very people that drama causers claim to want to protect and help.

I wish people would bear in mind the negative impact they have on us before they press "send".

[Luminosophy]

I don't know how this works, but would you theoretically be allowed to run a Patreon or equivalent for your comic despite being part of that program? (Or would the extra rewards you give the audience/ income you earn conflict with the contract?)

[ratique]

I run a small patreon where I post previews or background information (when I have time). Instead of a competitive site I see it like another social media account. Just one where people pay you.

But I would never post the full comic on there. It is exclusive to Tapas and I would break my contract if I would.

[LordVincent]

If Tapas has you on premium they want at least some level of exclusivity. If you are concerned about patreon rewards you can just ask and discuss your thoughts/plans with the staff member you are in contact with before signing the contract.

Good contracts keep the interests and wishes of both parties in mind. Communication about what exactly those wishes are is necessary to create a good contract, so it's best if you express those wishes and make sure you are satisfied with the deal before signing anything.

[Luminosophy]

Thanks guys, this has convinced me to apply at a future time when I'm ready.

[Harmony-S-S]

This topic is so bookmarked....

[ratique]

Thanks guys, this has convinced me to apply at a future time when I'm ready.

That's what I like to hear!

[minerrale]

I don't even know how to apply for it, but just wanted to thank you guys for making all this clearer

[bakasama25]

So if Tapas wants to make a mobile game based on a Premium comic does mean a contract has be worked out between the creator and Tapas Media?

[joannekwan]

Yes. A creator would have another separate contract for that.

[ratique]

So if Tapas wants to make a mobile game based on a Premium comic does mean a contract has be worked out between the creator and Tapas Media?

Yes. A creator would have another separate contract for that.

Not necessarily. Additional uses for the comic can already be part of the original contract, although Tapas wouldn't move forward with something you don't agree with. The revenue share would again be 50% (unless otherwise stated).

If you are talking about the contract between Tapas, the creator and whomever is going to make the mobile game - then yes, this is a new contract that will likely have to be signed by everyone involved.

[joannekwan]

But to put it simply, if anything isn't covered in your first contract and a new opportunity arises, Tap will make an updated contract or a totally new one to cover everyone's bases.

[Croik]

I'm really glad to hear that Tapas is flexible in taking care of its Premium Creators! But it also sounds like some of what you've described doesn't apply to the Incubator.

Again, this depends on your contract negotiations, but in my case, my IP will fully return to me after a certain period of time. Even when I die, my IP and rights will fall to my next of kin (I asked about that specifically, since these are the questions that keep me up at night).

This specifically does not seem to jive with what is described in the Incubator FAQ.

"As this is a co-production agreement, the copyright of the work will be shared evenly between the creators and Tapas Media, 50/50. Tapas will fully fund the creators to develop the work, give access to editorial resources, and work on developing the project for opportunities such as print publishing, redistribution and TV/online series deals. Funding and resources will be provided by Tapas, and profits will be shared 50/50."

The Incubator does not suggest that you're able to negotiate this aspect. In fact it says "If the idea of joint ownership isn’t comfortable with you, please don’t feel obligated to apply."

The reason people are wary of this isn't so much that they're afraid Tapas will do something nefarious with their IP. They're worried that if something unexpected happens, like Tapas loses investors or suffers some kind of financial crisis and shuts down, then the IP they worked so hard on could become hostage to a company's bankruptcy proceedings. If Tapas went down, but wanted to save its IPs just in case they successfully optioned one for film (to rebuild capital), as a creator you would have very few options to fight for it back.

AKA what happened at Tokyopop. Afterward, some creators admitted that they did not feel like Tokyopop mislead or tricked them into giving up their 50%. But they still lost control of their work for years.

Tokyopop Is Returning, But Should Creators Take a Chance?

Long story short: even if Tapas has the best intentions, shit happens, so make sure you protect yourself and your rights to your own work.

[joannekwan]

It still potentially applies as all Incubator series will be Premium series.

I'll @vvbg to see if they can clarify if there was anything in their Incubator contract akin to a revision of rights clause.

[ratique]

They're worried that if something unexpected happens, like Tapas loses investors or suffers some kind of financial crisis and shuts down, then the IP they worked so hard on could become hostage to a company's bankruptcy proceedings.

I actually had this in my first draft of my post, but removed it. So here it is. In case of of Tapas' bankruptcy, the rights fall back to the artist. Make sure this is part of any contract you are given.

But it also sounds like some of what you've described doesn't apply to the Incubator.

Correct to a degree. As mentioned, every artist will have a vastly different contract depending on their work and needs.

The Incubator does not suggest that you're able to negotiate this aspect. In fact it says "If the idea of joint ownership isn’t comfortable with you, please don’t feel obligated to apply."

I'm not sure I have ever been in the position where I was going to sign a contract, and the other party specifically suggested that I have the option to negotiate. Yet I still did, because I would never sign a contract with clauses that make me fell uncomfortable. And neither should you.

The base idea of the incubator program is a shared IP. If you are completely opposed to this idea, then Tapas is unable to have the potential to one day make the money back they are spending on you and have no reason to invest time in selling your story.

[daniellekoste]

I wanted to chime in and answer that this depends entirely on your contract. If you make your comic exclusive to Tapas then posting it elsewhere would be a breach of contract, but not all premium content is tapas exclusive and that's something that will be sorted during signing