Entertainment Law
You’ve written the script. You registered it with the WGA and the U.S. Copyright Office. You’ve raised the money, and you’re ready to start shooting your feature. Maybe you’re a production company and you’ve found a great script and want to option it. Maybe you’ve been offered a 50-50 net deal, or a split rights deal. Before you can land a distributor, you need to make sure that you secure chain of title. You need to secure ownership rights to your film. Lewis & Hand’s film attorneys can help you to navigate the universe of agreements involved in making a film.
Lewis & Hand, LLP’s entertainment law attorneys represent writers, directors, filmmakers, actors, producers, and production companies in connection with independent movies and film, new media, and the theatre. Our attorneys combine entertainment industry experience writing and producing documentaries, television pilots, screenplays and stage plays with a very personal and hands on approach to client representation.
No matter the size or scope of the project, our lawyers are committed to ensuring that each client receives efficient and thorough representation during every stage of a project’s development (i.e., from concept to distribution) and that a client’s rights and ownership interests are well protected. Because the Lewis & Hand team also handles the trademark and copyright registration process for many of our clients, our attorneys are especially sensitive to the intellectual property issues that are most important to you in negotiating your agreements.
If you wish to discuss your Entertainment Law needs, contact Lewis & Hand, LLP today.
• Film and Production/Distribution Documents
• Theatre
• New Media
• Entertainment Litigation
Our Entertainment Law team advises clients on all aspects of film production, including option and purchase agreements, talent agreements (screenwriters, film directors, actors, composers, production designers), development, post production, marketing, advertising, promotion, trade unions, distribution, and related intellectual property issues.
Film Production and Distribution Documents
Lewis & Hand, LLP film lawyers will review, draft and negotiate a full range of individual, production and distribution agreements, including the following:
- Option and Purchase Agreements
- Nondisclosure Agreements
- Release Agreements
- Literary Purchase and Screenwriter Engagement Agreements
- Talent Agreements
- Production and Co-Production Agreements
- Producer Agreements
- Work-For-Hire Agreements
- Representation Agreements (e.g., agent, manager, and producer agreements)
- Licensing Agreements
- Employment Agreements
- Distribution Agreements
- Merchandizing Agreements
Our theater attorneys advise clients on theatre development and production agreements including, rights acquisition, licensing, permits, co-production, labor and employment, and booking. We draft, negotiate and review theatre related agreements, including:
- Acquisition Agreements
- Licensing Agreements
- Production and Co-Production Agreements
- Playwright Agreements
- Talent Agreements
- Booking and Touring Agreements
- Labor and Employment Agreements
Our new media attorneys advise clients on a range of new media related issues, including information technology, software, Software-as-a-Service, licensing, development, Internet, E-commerce, and related intellectual property issues. Our Internet-related services include domain name registration and acquisition, website service agreements, online terms-of-use, click-through agreements, and hosting service agreements.
Lewis & Hand film attorneys also have extensive experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in the fields of entertainment-industry, copyright, trademark and other intellectual property litigation. We have advised artists, computer programmers/software engineers, photographers, musicians, producers, film and theatre personnel, video game and new media developers, screenwriters, authors and bloggers. Representative matters include:
- Copyright and trademark infringement actions
- Royalty disputes
- Agent/manager disputes
- Non-competition/trade secrets issues
- First amendment/defamation
- Fraud and misrepresentation claims
- Breach of fiduciary duty claims