Collection Account Management (CAM)

A collection account manager (CAM) is an independent third party that sits in the money seat of a production. All exploitation revenues — from sales agents, distributors, broadcasters — are paid into a single ring-fenced collection account, and the CAM distributes them outward according to an agreed order of priority (the recoupment waterfall), reporting to every beneficiary as it goes.

What the CAM does

• Receives gross receipts from all sources into the collection account.
• Applies the waterfall: its own fee (typically ~1% of gross) off the top, then distribution fees and P&A recoupment, financier recoupment, deferments, equity, and finally net-profit participants — see Net profits — the calculation basis and Recoupment Corridor.
• Pays each party their share and issues periodic statements, giving financiers and talent independent assurance the money is split correctly.

It is distinct from the sales agent: the sales agent licenses the rights and chases the deals; the CAM handles the cash once revenue arrives. Engaging a CAM is common where co-producers, gap lenders or profit participants want a neutral party — rather than the producer — controlling distribution.

The agreement (and an acronym warning)

The relationship is governed by a Collection Account Management Agreement — sometimes abbreviated CAMA — signed by all beneficiaries. Note this is not the same as the Irish CAMA — Contract Adjustment Mechanism entry, which is the Composers' Annual Music Audit: same acronym, entirely different instrument. Keep them apart.

In Togra

The Net profits — the calculation basis waterfall models the CAM fee as an off-the-top tier. The CAM / sales-agent handoff pack — interop contract is the engagement-onset bundle a producer hands a CAM (rights, recoupment order, payee register, and the statement format to report back in). Imported collection statements flow into the revenue ledger, which in turn drives net-profit and Article 19 transparency reporting.