All You Wanted To Know About Entertainment Law
Entertainment law is not a separate legal entity and is a combination of numerous traditional legal subjects like contract, tort, copyright, trademark, etc. What makes it different from the rest is the risks associated with the industry. It is true that there is a lot of money involved in all aspects of entertainment and even then, nobody can predict the hits, the chart – busters, bestsellers, etc. All the ingredients which make up the industry, i.e. the artists, resources, the time spent and money have to face jeopardy.
The industry can be broadly divided into five types:
- Television
- Music
- Live theater
- Films
In all of the above divisions, there are deal negotiations, contracts, issues in production, arbitration and subsequently, lawsuits. All these can be take care of only by a lawyer who is well versed with the happenings in the industry and has experience in the same. Provisions in the contracts and their legal implications have to be carefully examined so that the risk involved is shared equally by all concerned parties.
When it comes to the above divisions, the following the structure in which the whole process takes place:
Creation – This is done by artists, writers, directors, fashion designers, etc.
Distribution – This is taken care of by television and cable networks, motion picture studios, record companies, publishers, etc.
Retailers – These are the record stores, television stations, motion picture studios, book stores, etc.
When it comes to the creators, our law firm will help you in ensuring that the other two entities do not place the maximum risk on you. Whilst drawing contracts or venturing into administration agreements, it is always advisable to have an attorney you can trust.
Apart from this, there is also the important aspect of copyrights. You as a creator have all the rights for your creation during your lifetime and even after 70 years of your death. However, to be able to claim this right, your creation has to be registered in the relevant governing body. Once you have done this, you can sue anyone who has reproduced, sold, translated, used in any other platform, made public, etc. your idea.
For more details on how you can avoid such situations and keep away from any problems, you can always contact us. We will help you in taking all the right steps.
