PSA: If a contract says 'all media in perpetuity' — here's what that actually means

I keep seeing actors post about contract clauses they don't fully understand. So here's a plain-English breakdown of the most common ones: **"All media in perpetuity"** = They can use your footage/likeness forever, in any format that exists now or will exist in the future. This includes streaming, TV, social media, AR, VR, AI-generated content, and things that haven't been invented yet. **"Worldwide rights"** = No geographic limits. Your face could appear in any country. **"Perpetual, irrevocable"** = You can never take it back. Ever. Even if the company gets bought by someone else. **"Buyout"** = One payment, no residuals. The day rate IS the total payment for all usage. **"Work for hire"** = They own the footage, not you. You can't use it in your reel without their permission (though many don't enforce this). **"Likeness rights including synthetic/digital representations"** = They can create AI/deepfake versions of you. None of these clauses are automatically evil. But the combination of perpetual + worldwide + all media + AI likeness for a $300/day rate? That's giving up a LOT for very little. The question isn't "should I avoid these clauses." It's "does the pay match the scope of what I'm giving away."