Legal Archive
Cinema Law: What are the Rights of a Documentary Subject?

Q: What rights does the subject of a documentary film have if the film
Entertainment Law: Movie Making – A Tale of Woes.

“We don’t make movies to make money; we make money to make more movies.” –
“Happy Birthday” Copyright Ruled to Be Invalid

A judge grants summary judgment to a filmmaker challenging Warner/Chappell’s copyright to a song
The Real ‘Happy Birthday’ Song Could Soon Make It To Movies And TV

Imagine a world where we can watch actors freely singing “Happy Birthday” on screen.
Cinema Law: Why Using Volunteers is a Risky Way to Keep Costs Down on Your Film

Q: Is it legally permissible for a California LLC to use unpaid labor to
Understanding Copyright Law: Pitches, Facts, Characters and the Ambiguities of Section 102

Gregory Bernstein’s book Understanding the Business of Entertainment, the Legal and Business Essentials All Filmmakers
What Do You Need to Open a Movie? a Post-Distribution Deal Checklist

So you made your film, screened it at a ton of festivals to rave
Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Heckled at Cannes: “You Will Destroy the Film Ecosystem in Europe”

Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandoscame under fire from European film protectionists during his
GETTING INTO BED [with a distributer]

You’ve been seeing a lot of each other for a few weeks now. He
Crowdfunding & Taxes: Kickstarter’s Hidden Bite (& How to Stop the Bleeding)
After months of busting your hump making pitch videos, coming up with rewards, and
Telling the Truth Without Paying For It
Adapting a true story for film can be tricky. On the one hand, reality
Tips for Navigating Digital Distribution
1. CARVE OUT DIY DIGITAL: Distributors and Foreign Sales companies alike often want ALL
Visual Effects Artists to Protest Obama’s DreamWorks Animation Visit
‘Green Shirt’ rally to call attention to outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries As
How Piracy Affects What You See on Netflix
Media piracy has been a thorny issue ever since the turn of the century.
Harlem Shake: Baauer cashes in on viral video’s massive YouTube success
February’s viral hit Harlem Shake relies, in time-honored viral style, on silly dancing and catchy beats.
The FCPX ecosystem is big, but not big enough to go unspotted if you are copying products
A sad day in the Final Cut Pro X ecosystem as a row has
Independent Contractor Or Employee
Over the past few months, I have had several conversations with clients about whether
How Amazon Studios is Trying to Get Free Options to Privately Submitted Screenplays
Many aspiring screenwriters want Amazon Studios to be the key to being discovered — a company
Chris Dodd Rewrites Hollywood’s History To Pretend That It Came About Because Of IP Laws
Ah, Chris Dodd. Can you open your mouth without saying something ridiculously misleading? Sometimes,
Why Netflix’s Facebook app would be illegal
Several big-name brands have Facebook apps that instantly blast out users’ activity — the
Music and the Short Film
Although many moviemakers acknowledge the importance of music to the emotional impact of a
Book Review: The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers
I’m sorry that it took me so long to pick up my review copy
How to Buy Video Production Insurance
Insuring Your Video Production Business When producers think of insurance they often think of
Smile, You’re On Everyone’s Camera
Ubiquitious facial-recognition software is coming. By Farhad Manjoo According to the Wall Street Journal,
Download YouTube Videos Legally
If you have any questions regarding the legality of downloading and using YouTube videos
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