Under the new Decree of the Government of Vietnam, how will royalties for the creation of cinematographic works be paid from September 1, 2026?
On July 17, 2026, the Government of Vietnam promulgated Decree No. 287/2026/ND-CP on royalties in the fields of cinematography, fine arts, photography, performing arts, journalism, and publishing.
According to the Decree, royalties for the creation of cinematographic works through assignment, commissioning, or bidding shall be paid according to the technical-economic norms applicable to the cinematographic sector or the regulations governing professional titles if the relevant title is not yet covered by such norms. Additionally, depending on the genre and quality of the work, holders of creative titles shall receive an additional payment calculated as a percentage of the film’s production cost, excluding selling, administrative, and financial expenses.
The applicable royalty rates for each film genre are as follows:
(1) Feature films
- Screenwriter: 2,25% – 2,75%
- Director: 2,50% – 3,00%
- Director of photography: 1,70% – 2,10%
- Sound designer: 1,50% – 1,80%
- Composer: 1,50% – 1,90%
- Production designer: 1,20% – 1,50%
- Special effects artist/makeup artist: 0,80% – 1,10%
- Film editor: 0,70% – 0,80%
(2) Documentary and scientific films
- Screenwriter/director: 4,21% – 5,50%
- Cinematographer: 2,15% – 3,00%
- Film editor/sound designer/composer: 0,86% – 1,40%
- Artist: 0,57% – 0,90%
(3) Animated films
- Screenwriter/director: 3,65% – 4,95%
- Lead artist: 2,70% – 3,70%
- Layout and animation artist: 2,50% – 3,50%
- Cinematographer: 1,80% – 2,50%
- Composer: 1,30% – 1,80%
- Sound designer: 0,86% – 1,40%
- Background artist: 0,50% – 1,00%
- Film editor: 0,33% – 0,53%
Note: For a film combining multiple genres, royalties shall be determined according to the film’s principal genre.
In addition, royalties for the utilization and use of cinematographic works for which the State acts as the representative of the owner or the representative responsible for managing copyright and related rights shall be determined under a written agreement between the ownership or management representative agency and the utilizing or using party. Such agreement shall comply with the law on cinematography and other relevant laws and shall be based on criteria such as the frequency, duration, purpose, form, and scope of utilization or use; the revenue and profits earned, if any; or other criteria prescribed by relevant laws.
See more details in Decree No. 287/2026/ND-CP effective as of September 1, 2026.
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