The entertainment industry encompasses award-winning live theatre, blockbuster films, glamorous performers and artists, and many other individuals who work their magic behind the scenes. After all, entertainment relies on collaboration, creativity, imagination, and hard work.
While producing television shows, movies, music videos, theatre performances require unique skills, every facet of the entertainment industry requires attention to legal aspects. Even though their names may not appear on marquees and they may not stand center stage, entertainment lawyers play a vital role within the industry.
Entertainment law comprises many topics, including intellectual property rights, publishing, and fee negotiation, to mention a few. The following FAQs will give you a practical sense of the roles that entertainment lawyers play and how an entertainment lawyer can help your business thrive in this industry.
FAQ 1: What does an entertainment lawyer do?
Entertainment lawyers’ practices within the industry generally focus on:
- Drafting and negotiating contracts with the individuals responsible for directing, production, performing, writing, and recording.
- Negotiating and facilitating distribution deals and solutions for entertainment projects, such as television shows, films, and books.
- Bartering financing agreements for bank loans, sponsorships, grants, co-production deals, and other investments.
- Preparing form agreements for entertainment industry customers, including location releases, nondisclosure agreements, and licensing agreements.
- Reviewing contracts and legal documents with regard to business functions within the entertainment industry, including entity formation, intellectual property, and partnership agreements.
In addition to understanding the substantive laws relating to the entertainment industry, these lawyers can also help their clients with projects that are not necessarily considered traditional legal jobs. These may include reviewing and commenting on pitches and budgets for television show pilots, mobile apps, films, and other projects.
FAQ 2: How do entertainment lawyers work with other professionals within the industry?
Depending on their areas of focus and their clientele, entertainment lawyers often work with a broad range of professionals within the entertainment industry. If a client requires assistance in another area, the lawyer can consult with other professionals, such as those who focus their practices on employment and labor law, intellectual property, tax law, and tort law.
Some entertainment attorneys even have the privilege of working directly with celebrity clients as their personal lawyers. Lawyers in these roles will often collaborate with the celebrity’s other legal and business advisers, including managers and agents.
Other parties with whom entertainment lawyers often work include network and studio executives, financiers, and producers.
FAQ 3: What do an entertainment lawyer’s daily duties look like?
In general, entertainment law is largely a transactional practice and extensively deal-driven. Although most long-lead projects proceed at a predictable pace, short-term or emergent projects may move much more quickly.
Entertainment lawyers generally focus on the following tasks:
- Creating film, television, and music production business entities
- Drafting and negotiating agreements, including production agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, side-artist agreements, manager and agency contracts, and option and purchase agreements
- Reviewing equity and debt financing terms
- Negotiating collaboration and co-production deals
- Copyright and trademark registration
- Advising on social media promotion and compliance
FAQ 4: Why do individuals choose the entertainment law industry as a focus for their career?
Creative jobs and ones whose main principles are to support the entertainment industry are highly sought for their prestige and interest in their subject matter.
Choosing a career in the field of entertainment law seems like a natural fit for individuals who have both a marked aptitude for legal jurisprudence and a love for how music, television, and films are produced.
As part of their professional duties, entertainment law professionals will often work closely with content creators, distributors, producers, directors, financiers, and others who play significant roles in the industry.
Entertainment attorneys require a thorough understanding of the processes required to create art, as well as a deep knowledge of the laws relevant to the industry. An individual who is able to satisfy both of these criteria can become an Entertainment Lawyer Beverly Hills can rely on.
