IMAGO STATUTES
ARTICLE 1 – DENOMINATION
Between the adherents to the present statues, as an association subjects to the French law is founded for an unlimited period joining in a Federation the European associations of cinematographers and named IMAGO, European Cinematographers.
ARTICLE 2 – REGISTRATION
IMAGO is at present registered at Paris – France but can be registered in any other country as well.
ARTICLE 3 – AIMS
The aims of Imago are:
1.To promote the activity of cinematographers respecting their cultural identities.
2.To define, improve, and enforce the technical, artistical, and moral conditions necessary to exercise their competency not only in order to achieve and preserve the quality of the images they are the authors but also to secure their correct transfer and reproduction with all actual and future kind of technique.
3.To enforce the moral rights and duties of the cinematographers in their quality of creative contributors to the creation of pictures as well as in their reproduction and representation by any means of diffusion and medium whatsoever.
4.To work to obtain recognition as artists and co- authors of their films.
5.To participate in all events, meetings or commissions concerning the creation, the reproduction or the transferring of images of cinematographic origin.
6.To promote and to take part in every process of training, teaching, research, study, and standardisation concerning any technique and job regarding the cinematographical image.
7.To ensure the representation of IMAGO in the organisations and commissions of the European Union and the Council of Europe concerned with the cinematographical activity.
8.To encourage the co-operation and the exchange of knowledge and know-how between the members by all suitable means.
9.To realise these purposes, IMAGO will use all means of action authorised by law according to the nature events and public as well as private projections, discussions with all organisations, administrative authorities, film industry and video transmission companies.
10.To take the initiative in establishing closer contacts with other filmmakers (authors, directors, cinematographers, producers etc.) throughout the world.
11.Documents originated from the federation may be written and presented in their entirety in the national language of any members associations.
12.To handle lawsuits in exemplary cases.
ARTICLE 4 – MEMBERSHIP
1. Active members: Every European association of cinematographers and having statutes defining it as such may ask the federation for membership as active members.
2. Associate members: Cinematographers Associations from countries outside of Europe and Organisations supporting the aims of Imago may become associate members.
3. Patron members: patron members may be companies, associations, and person that provide assistance, be it financial or material.
4. Honorary members: honorary members could be Directors of Photography, members of adherent associations or not, or Personalities who contribute in an outstanding way to the development of the European cinematography.
ARTICLE 5 – ADMISSION
Any applicant must be agreed by the General Assembly.
ARTICLE 6 – OBLIGATIONS – RESIGNATION – EXCLUSION
By the simple fact of their membership the members of the Federation accept the Statutes Terms, the Interior Rules as well as all decisions taken by the General Assembly of the Federation.
Membership is lost:
1. By resignation addressed to the IMAGO president with three months notice before the end of the financial year.
2. By exclusion pronounced by the General Assembly for the following reasons:
Non payment of the membership dues.
Non observance of the Statutes, Clauses or IMAGO Interior Rules.
Change of Statutes of the association concerned making its situation incompatible with IMAGO statutes.
A delegate of the concerned association having been invited first by registered letter to justify or give explanations before the General Assembly. The General Assembly votes the exclusion by secret ballot at 3/4 majority. Members having resigned or having been excluded have no rights regarding IMAGO´s assets or social funds and cannot claim reimbursement of paid dues or the exoneration of dues outstanding the day of the decision.
ARTICLE 7 – FEES AND DUES
Fees and annual dues are decided upon by the General Assembly. Annual dues should be paid within a period of three months after the beginning of the financial year.
All dues unpaid at the end of this period will be requested by registered letter
ARTICLE 8 – FINANCIAL RESOURCES
The Federation's financial resources consist of:
membership fees,
private and public grants,
income from all legal activities according to the nature of the statutes,
interest of money invested coming from the above mentioned sources.
The federation's assets consist of:
All real and personal estate which will become the property of the federation,
Gifts, legacies and interests derived from them,
Personal estate and contributions of capital considered as deposit which remains the
property not distrainable of the depositor.
ARTICLE 9 – GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The General Assembly is the managing and representative body of the Federation. It decides on the projects and controls their realisation.
The General Assembly elects the President for a period of two years.
The General Assembly decides about new members admission.
The Ordinary General Assembly is convened once a year. It consists of representatives of the affiliated associations. Honorary members may assist in an advisory capacity.
All members are invited at least one month in advance of the date chosen by the President. The invitation has to include the agenda. Each association is represented by one or more delegates. Only active members can vote. They have one vote per association.
The General Assembly can make decisions when more than 50% of the active members are present or represented.
The President or his representative presides over the General Assembly and presents the activity report and projects. He accounts for his administration and submits the year's results and the balance sheet to the quietus of the Assembly. He proposes the budget of the oncoming year.
All decisions are taken at least with a 3/4 majority of the Active Members present or represented.
The complete report of the General Assembly has to be distributed to the members within six weeks after the meeting, including the names of the delegates and representatives.
An Extraordinary General Assembly may be called by the President or by at least 1/3 of the Active Members. The representation is the same as with the Ordinary General Assembly.
ARTICLE 10 – THE PRESIDENT
The President is the legal officer of the Federation. He /she is proposed by an Active Member association and elected by the General Assembly with a majority of at least 3/4 of the votes. He/she is empowered to sign all ordinary administrative deeds concerning the assets on all real and personal estates in the name of the Federation. He/she convenes and presides over the General Assembly. He/she controls the activities of the Federation. The President may choose a legal advisor, a chartered accountant or other collaborators who are not part of the Federation but are remunerated by it.
The President is responsible for the financial functioning of the Federation. He/she prepares the budgets, the balance sheets, and the requests of grants. He/she may be assisted in the accounting by a chartered accountant. He/she has the right of signature for the bank accounts.
The President may delegate any of his functions under his responsibility to another person or group of persons of his choice.
ARTICLE 11 – TREASURER AND GENERAL SECRETARY / COORDINATOR
The President nominates a treasurer and a general secretary / coordinator; they have to be confirmed by the General Assembly.
ARTICLE 12 – INTERIOR RULES
The Interior Rules are established by the General Assembly. They codify the rules of IMAGO's internal functioning. They determine the poll system, the voting rights, the procedures and details of the prerogatives of the different assemblies, councils, comities, boards and commissions.
ARTICLE 13 – DISSOLUTION
The dissolution of the Federation should be decided only by the vote of the General Assembly which names a liquidator who decides the way of devolution of the assets in line with the legal instructions.
ARTICLE 14 – LITIGATIONS
Any litigation or conflict which may arise between the member associations, between the associations and the Federation or with any other external organisation is to be submitted to arbitrators named by the parties for a conciliation. In case a conciliation is not reached the litigation shall be judged by the law court of the country where IMAGO is based.