Rights Management
ZMI Rights Management acquires, develops, administers and commercializes intellectual property across film, music, publishing and the arts. Operating in the United States and United Kingdom, we manage both our own growing catalogue and selected rights on behalf of producers, artists, publishers, estates and institutional partners.
Our work extends across the full commercial life of a property, from the initial identification and acquisition of rights through production, licensing, distribution and long term catalogue management. We work across formats, territories and platforms to protect the underlying property while creating new opportunities for distribution, adaptation and release.
Catalogue Management
ZMI manages a catalogue of film, audio, literary, music and publishing rights developed and acquired through ZMI Films, ZMI Records and ZMI Arcadia.
For our own catalogue, we maintain rights records and chain of title, coordinate registrations and contractual documentation, prepare materials for commercial exploitation and identify opportunities for new releases, reissues, adaptations, compilations and international editions.
We actively present projects and catalogue titles to distributors, broadcasters, streaming platforms, publishers, record companies and other licensees. This includes negotiating territory, format, term, exclusivity, distribution window and permitted use while preserving the long term value of the underlying rights.
Licensing and Distribution
ZMI structures and negotiates licenses across film, television, digital media, music, publishing, educational use, exhibitions and other commercial applications.
Depending on the property, we may license rights directly, appoint a distributor, enter a territorial partnership or develop a new production around existing intellectual property. Our presence in both the United States and United Kingdom allows us to pursue opportunities across domestic and international markets while coordinating rights and distribution from a central point.
Our work includes preparing titles for market, identifying appropriate buyers and partners, managing negotiations and delivery requirements, and maintaining oversight of continuing contractual rights and obligations.
Rights and Clearances
ZMI provides rights and clearance services for selected productions, publications and cultural projects. We research and identify the rights required for a project, locate and approach rights holders, negotiate permissions and organize the documentation needed for production, distribution and release.
Our clearance work may include film and photographic archives, music, literary works, artwork, trademarks, personal appearances, locations and other third party material. We also assist with title research, releases, permissions, chain of title and the coordination of specialist legal opinions where required.
Because we manage these issues within our own productions and catalogue, our approach is grounded in the practical requirements of filmmakers, publishers, distributors, broadcasters and insurers. The objective is not simply to obtain permission, but to secure rights on terms that allow a project to be financed, completed, distributed and commercially used as intended.
Representation and Partnerships
ZMI works selectively with rights holders seeking active management rather than passive administration. This may include representing a catalogue, developing new uses for existing material, introducing rights to international markets or building film, music and publishing projects around an established body of work.
We are particularly interested in distinctive catalogues, archives, estates and creative properties with unrealized cultural or commercial potential. Each relationship is structured around the nature of the rights, the objectives of the owner and the markets in which ZMI can create meaningful value.