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Media & Entertainment Law

Entertainment Law Update

Law Firm website/blog devoted to entertainment law. Contains information of interest to lawyers and others in the entertainment industry. Covers film, television, music, theatre, new media, internet, etc.
By Gordon Firemark

Post Frequency: 1.6/day

Last Entry: March 24, 2011 at 16:46:53

Year End a good time to wrap up corporate affairs

Posted on November 23, 2008
As year’s end approaches, it’s a good time to consider dissolving and winding-up the affairs of unused corporations and Limited Liability Companies, thereby avoiding taxation for 2009. Similarly, if you’re considering starting a new corporation or LLC, you may wish to realize the expenses associated with corporate start up in 2008 by getting things underway before [...

Why every artist, band or writer should know about Google Alerts

Posted on November 19, 2008
Last week, I received an email from a bandleader client who?d discovered that another band had adopted the same exact name as his. Needless to say, he was upset and concerned that this other user would undermine the market for his band’s goods and services...

Helping others learn to practice Entertainment Law? at Solo Practice University

Posted on November 17, 2008
I’m honored to have been asked to join the faculty at Solo Practice University, a web-based legal education community created by Susan Cartier Liebel of Build a Solo Practice, LLC. Solo Practice University? (SPU) teaches legal professionals about the practical aspects of running a law practice...

Summary: FCC v. Fox Television Stations

Posted on November 13, 2008
Recommended reading: Andrew J. Contigula’s blog has a good summary of last week’s Supreme Court argument in FCC v. Fox Television Stations. The case is being closely followed by entertainment and communications lawyers, and deals with the Federal Communications Commission’s enforcement efforts against ‘indecent’ speech and broadcasts containing “fleeting expletives”, such as those uttered by celebrities [...

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Guest Posting at Current Trends in Copyright, Trademark & Entertainment Law?

Posted on November 05, 2008
I’m honored to have been asked to guest-post on Tamera Bennett’s “Current Trends in Copyright, Trademark & Entertainment Law” blog. My piece discusses the different ways in which copyright issues are handled in theatre.

Copyright in pre 1978 unpublished works?

Posted on October 31, 2008
Copyright geeks (like me) will enjoy the good discussion of copyright protection for works created before 1978 but not published until after the new copyright act took effect. Hat tip to Tara Warrington for spotting Leslie Klinger’s piece, and a nice analysis, using Bram Stoker’s alternate ending for Dracula, as an illustration...

at TheatreLawyer.com: A bit about collaboration agreements

Posted on October 30, 2008
I’ve just posted the final post in a 3-part series of posts about the importance of Collaboration Agreements for writing and other creative teams. See it on my other blog: TheatreLawyer.com.

at TheatreLawyer.com: A bit about collaboration agreements

Posted on October 24, 2008
I’ve just posted the first in a 3-part series of posts about the importance of Collaboration Agreements for writing and other creative teams. See it on my other blog: TheatreLawyer.com.

Why Poor Man?s Copyright and Creative Commons didn?t work out for Quote Unquote Records

Posted on October 21, 2008
Hat tip to Dallas based entertainment lawyer Tamera Bennett for her blog post explaining the need for official copyright registration. (at least to one web-hosting company). Independent label Quote Unquote Records’ website was recently taken down by its web hosting provider, after the label couldn’t produce copyright registration certificates for songs posted on its website in mp3 format...

Why and How artists MUST take action when their work is infringed.

Posted on October 15, 2008
Every creative person, whether an actor, writer, filmmaker, musician or painter runs the risk of his or her work eventually being copied without permission. While sometimes, this copying is done with a clear profit motive, an increasingly common vector by which unauthorized copies appear is through well-intentioned friends and fans posting an artist’s song, photograph, painting [...

New York Governor signs ?Anti-Piracy Act? to prohibit use of recording devices in live & movie theatres

Posted on October 13, 2008
New York Governor David A. Paterson has signed into law the State’s “Anti Piracy Act”, which makes it a crime to use a recording device in a motion picture or live theatre without the written consent or authority of the theatre operator...

Interview for Praxis Theatre

Posted on September 26, 2008
I was interviewed earlier this week for Praxis Theatre’s blog. “It’s an interesting 10 qustions with…” format Here’s the link: http://praxistheatre.blogspot.com/2008/09/10-questions-gordon-p-firemark.html

Los Angeles identified as an incubator for new Musicals. (Finally, a little recognition)

Posted on September 20, 2008
A good piece in Backstage.com reports today on the increase in number of new Musicals opening in Los Angeles, before making the step to Broadway. Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 is the Center Theater Group’s latest, following successes withThe Drowsy Chaperone and Curtains! The article discusses some of the advantages (talent pool, money, etc) and challenges [...

Selling out: Product Placement in Songs.

Posted on September 19, 2008
It seems that some entrepreneurial songwriters are approaching companies with offers to mention products and brands in their song lyrics. When a misguided PR exec sent an email offering such a service to Jeff Crouse of the Anti-Advertising Agency and Double Happiness Jeans… Crouse decided to Blog it...

The Law and Video Podcast for September 16, 2008

Posted on September 17, 2008
Law and Video is the first live, call-in podcast to clear the air on legal issues for filmmakers and videographers who are looking for answers to questions related to starting a production business, copyright issues, contracts, intellectual property and distribution...

Running a website or blog? You?d better have a Privacy Policy

Posted on September 03, 2008
Every website operator or blogger should have a clear, concise privacy policy conspicuously posted on the site. Failure to do so, or using a cut-and-pasted policy from another site is a recipe for disaster.

In a World mourning the loss of Don LaFontaine

Posted on September 03, 2008
The industry mourns a legend. One of the greatest voice-over artists of all time, Don LaFontaine , passed away on Sunday. He will be sorely missed. Mr. LaFontaine made famous the “In a World….” opening of movie trailer voice-overs...

This week in Law Podcast

Posted on August 29, 2008
Recommended Listening: This Week In Law with Denise Howell, and her panel of entertainment, intellectual property and technology lawyers. Episode 17 is recently out, and has some great discussion of legal issues surrounding internet, technology, open source and GPL licensing, music, video, film, youtube and lionel train sets...

Latest Episode of the Law and Video Podcast

Posted on August 26, 2008
Law and Video is the first live, call-in podcast to clear the air on legal issues for filmmakers and videographers who are looking for answers to questions related to starting a production business, copyright issues, contracts, intellectual property and distribution...

Podcasting live, Fridays at 5pm Pacific

Posted on August 22, 2008
The Law and Video Podcast is back. I’ll be answering listener questions about the law and video (entertainment law, privacy, film, television, music, permits, licensing, etc) live on Fridays at 5pm Pacific. For more details, visit www.lawandvideo...

Do lawyers need agents?

Posted on July 28, 2008
From LawComix: Check out this funny take on lawyers jockeying for position on court pleadings:

Settlement reached in ?Urinetown? pissing match.

Posted on July 02, 2008
Playbill is reporting that the lawsuit against Akron, Ohio based Carousel Dinner Theatre, by the broadway team responsible for the original production of Urinetown has been settled by the parties, with the Arkon producers paying the New York team an undisclosed sum, and acknowledging the unlicensed use of elements from the New York production...

Barry Neil Schrum is an entertainment

Posted on June 13, 2008
Barry Neil Schrum is an entertainment lawyer in Nashville. On his Law on the Row website (reference to Nashville’s ‘Music Row’), he’s posted a very good article about idea protection when making submissions. He’s addressed not only copyright protection and the usual quasi-contract approach to idea protection, but also trademarks...

Law and Video Podcast returns June 3rd

Posted on June 02, 2008
The Law and Video Podcast will be back on its regular schedule Tuesday at 5pm pacific, when I’ll be answering questions live. Visit http://www.lawandvideo.com for more information. Or, listen by clicking the widget in the left column of this page!

REMINDER - CEL PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING

Posted on June 01, 2008
Effective July 1, 2008, use of handheld cellular telephones while driving is prohibited. Fines start at $70 (including penalties, etc.), and increase to $175 for subsequent offenses. Go hands-free or get a ticket.

on Theatrelawyer.com - tax withholding burdens for arts presenters

Posted on May 12, 2008
Over on my other site - Theatrelawyer.com, I’ve just posted an article I wrote for the Western Arts Alliance entitled “Tax Withholding: An unwieldy burden for entertainers and the organizations that hire them.”

360 deals - some basics from M.E.L.O.N.

Posted on March 27, 2008
My friend and colleague Tony Berman is at it again, preparing a useful and comprehensive blog post about the growing phenomenon of so-called 360 deals, where record companies participate not only in revenues from an Artist’s record sales, but also from merchandise, touring, ticketing, online presence, marketing, sponsorships, endorsements, and the like...

Law and Video Podcast - new episode

Posted on March 25, 2008
The latest episode of The Law and Video Podcast is now available at http://www.lawandvideo.com. This week we discussed: News: Industry pushes for Copyright Prevention Law tied to college loan funding Live Call: Can I do anything with some old film footage I bought at a garage sale? Email questions: How do I start an independent record label? How do I find [...

Some legal guidelines for Photographers

Posted on March 18, 2008
While surfing the net tonight, I discovered this article on Photojojo, which has some interesting tidbits of legal information for photographers. Most of the tips apply to amateur and professional photographers alike, but if your photos will be used for commercial purposes, don’t forget that some jurisdictions have stronger rights of publicity and privacy laws than [...

Law and Video entertainment law Podcast for March 4, 2008

Posted on March 06, 2008
The latest episode of The Law and Video Podcast is now available at http://www.lawandvideo.com. This week we discussed: Smoking Bans vs. the First Amendment - Minnesota bars and restaurants casting themselves as theatres. Patrons as “performers”, with smoking as theatrical performance...

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