I don't know the exact rules, but different companies seem to treat them differently. Some companies specifically list the name of the person responsible for record keeping, and others just say that records are being kept at the company.

My guess is that by law, the companies probably are supposed to list the name of the person, but given the turnover of employees and the sale of companies, giving company information probably makes more sense for many companies.

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Bill was right on about what it deals with, though. All companies are required by law to keep flawless records on every video that is manufactured. This means that a legible copy of a legal ID is kept on file for all performers within the videos.

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I've been reading that certificate of compliance (that is what it is called, or something like that), and I have noted many names that are different in the beginning.

---BIGmike, over and out!---

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Probably the number 1 reason that US based retailers don’t carry DVDs from Asia and Europe is because they don’t conform to this law. Violations can result in larges fines and prison sentences.

Ken Graham
Five Star DVD

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Errr, not really. Lack of proper records will control the
choice of a paricular title, but other factors overshadow
it. (I've only run into 1 European company whose record
keeping was so bad that it has tainted all discussions with
that company. Don't ask....)

Anyway,
1. Will the company do business with a U.S. company? Are
they at all interested in distributing in the U.S.? (The
owner of one company is completely convinced that if his
videos are distributed in the U.S., that he will be arrested the very next time he enters the country on vacation.)
2. For DVDs; do they or will they master DVDs in NTSC
format? Most will not. Some will if the distributor/retailer will buy a large enough volume to justify a special manufacturing run. (The PAL vs. NTSC issue is probably worth a post in its own right.)
(For videos, will they supply a master, etc.)
3. This is probably where the record-keeping issue rests,
and where other legal reviews and clearances.

That step is really where you'll select specific titles and begin negotiating prices and terms. Lack of records simply drops a title from consideration.

Having said that, the other issue is that the record-keeping is required in the country where the tape or DVD is produced. So, where my distributor creates the NTSC version of a tape, the records are kept in their offices in the U.S. Where the video or DVD is produced in Europe and shipped to us as a finished piece, the records must be kept in Europe, in a form compliant with U.S. federal law (we supply a checklist for them to work with...)

Scott Kinney
Diversified Video Associates
www.xxx-imports.com

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The secondary requirement is that all pornographic items be clearly labeled with an statement that indicates where the records are kept and by whom.

Even if a porn video producer has infallible record keeping systems, that won't keep a retailer out of jail if the video, packaging and any related materials do not contain proper section 2257 statements.

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