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Exhibit 10.2
ASSUMPTION OF OBLIGATIONS AND PLEDGE AGREEMENT
(VIDEO CATALOG)
This
Assumption of Obligations and Pledge Agreement (this "Agreement")
is
made and entered into as of March 21, 2005,
by and between Genius Products,
Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Pledgee"),
and American Vantage Companies, a
Nevada corporation ("Pledgor").
WHEREAS,
Pledgee and Pledgor are parties to that certain Agreement and
Plan of Merger dated as of March 21, 2005
(the "Merger Agreement"), pursuant to
which Pledgee will acquire the Company (as
defined in the Merger Agreement);
WHEREAS,
as a further inducement to Pledgee to enter into and consummate
the transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement, Pledgee desires to
assign, and Pledgor desires to assume,
certain obligations of the Company, on a
going-forward basis, following the
consummation of the transactions contemplated
by the Merger Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties
hereto is a condition to the closing of the
transactions contemplated by the
Merger Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the
mutual
covenants contained herein, and for other
good and valuable consideration, the
receipt, adequacy and legal sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, the
parties do hereby agree as follows:
1.
CAPITALIZED TERMS. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein
shall
have the meanings for such terms that are
set forth in the Merger Agreement.
2. CERTAIN
DEFINITIONS.
(a) "Assignment" has the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.
(b) "Certificates" means the certificate or certificates
evidencing
ownership of the Collateral, in such
denominations as Pledgor shall reasonably
request.
(c) "Collateral" means seven hundred thousand (700,000) shares
of
Purchaser Common Stock registered in the
name of Pledgor and/or its Affiliates,
which comprises a portion of the Merger
Consideration, to the extent not
released and distributed by Pledgee to
Pledgor in accordance with Section 10(b)
hereof.
(d) "Default" has the meaning set forth in Section 8 hereof.
(e) "Obligations" has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.
3.
ASSIGNMENT, ASSUMPTION AND OTHER AGREEMENTS.
(a) Effective as of immediately following the Effective Time,
Pledgee hereby assigns, sells, transfers
and sets over (collectively, the
"Assignment") to Pledgor the Pledgee's
obligations and liabilities related to or
associated with (i) accounts payable that
are attributable to the Direct
Response Video Catalog of Wellspring Media
that are set forth on Schedule 1
attached
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hereto, and (ii) amounts owing under the
lease for the property in the name of
Wellspring Media at 5900 Wilshire Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA (the "Wilshire Blvd.
Premises"), in all cases without set-off or
counterclaims against Pledgee
(collectively, the "Obligations"). Pledgor
hereby accepts the Assignment and
assumes and agrees to pay and discharge all
of the Obligations when due from and
after the Closing. In addition to any
remedies available to Pledgee under
Section 9 hereof, in the event that Pledgor
fails to pay any Obligation when it
becomes due, and Pledgee shall pay such
amount on behalf of Pledgor, then
Pledgor shall pay the amount of such
Obligation to Pledgee with such amount
carrying interest at a rate of 10.0% per
annum from the due date for such
Obligation until such amount plus accrued
interest is paid in full to Pledgee
(with any such accrued interest also
constituting an Obligation hereunder).
(b) Pledgee agrees to vacate the Wilshire Blvd. Premises within
15
days following the sale or shutdown of the
Video Catalog business conducted at
that location, and will reasonably
cooperate with Pledgor in subletting or
assigning the Wilshire Blvd. Premises
thereafter.
(c) Pledgor agrees, following the Effective Time, to segregate
and
deposit 50% of the net proceeds actually
received by Pledgor or its Affiliates
from the sale of Merger Consideration,
until such time as $1,100,000 of proceeds
is actually deposited by Pledgor (which
shall be no later than 60 days following
the Effective Time), into a joint bank
account with Pledgee, which account will
require the signatures of both Pledgee and
Pledgor to make withdrawals or
transfers. The parties agree to promptly
use such funds for the payment of
Obligations and Pledgor's other obligations
hereunder until they are fully
satisfied, after which time the remaining
funds, if any, will promptly be
released back to Pledgor.
s
(d) Pledgor agrees to pay to Pledgee one-half of any reduction
in
amounts legally owing under any individual
Obligation resulting primarily from
the negotiation or efforts of Pledgee with
the creditor, within five days of
receipt of written notice by Pledgor
accompanied by reasonable proof or other
documentation evidencing the subject
creditor's unconditional agreement to such
reduction. For example, if Pledgee obtains
a settlement with a creditor of an
Obligation legally reducing the amount owed
to such creditor from $20,000 to
$10,000, Pledgor will pay to Pledgee $5,000
within five days of receipt of such
notice and proof or documentation of such
reduction.
4. PLEDGE
AND SECURITY INTEREST. To secure Pledgor's obligations to
Pledgee to assume and fully discharge when
due all of the Obligations and
Pledgor's other obligations hereunder,
Pledgor hereby pledges the Collateral to
Pledgee and grants to Pledgee a continuing
security interest in the Collateral.
5. DEPOSIT
OF COLLATERAL. Pledgor shall (i) deliver to Pledgee the
Certificates; and (ii) deliver to Pledgee
one original stock power for each
Certificate in the form of Exhibit A
attached hereto, duly executed in blank.
6.
WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF PLEDGOR.
Pledgor
represents, warrants, covenants and agrees as follows:
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(a) Obligations. Schedule 1 attached hereto sets forth a true,
correct and accurate listing of all
obligations and liabilities related to or
associated with accounts payable that are
attributable to the Direct Response
Video Catalog of Wellspring Media.
(b) Novations. Pledgor shall use its best efforts to seek
novations
of all of the Obligations such that Pledgor
is the obligor of record with
respect to all of the Obligations.
Notwithstanding anything herein or in the
Merger Agreement to the contrary and for
the avoidance of doubt, upon and
following the Assignment, Pledgor shall be
the primary obligor with respect to
all of the Obligations.
(c) Ownership of Collateral. Pledgor has good, valid marketable
title to the Collateral, free from any
liens, charges, pledges, security
interests, encumbrances, rights to purchase
or other claim or interest of any
kind, other than those granted herein.
(d) Liens.
Pledgor will neither create nor permit the creation of
any lien charge, pledge, security interest,
encumbrance or other claim or
interest in the Collateral without the
prior written consent of Pledgee.
(e) First-Priority Security Interest. Pledgee will at all times
have
a valid, perfected first-priority security
interest in the Collateral.
(f) Transfers. Pledgor will neither make nor permit any transfer
of
the Collateral without the prior written
consent of Pledgee.
(g) Reimbursement of Expenses. Pledgor will reimburse Pledgee
for
any expenses reasonably incurred