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I’ve heard that it is illegal to use U.S. currency in films, though I have seen it in films before.…
Entertainment attorney David Albert Pierce says social media platforms can profit from your videos, but not in the ways you…
Since we're all inside working on screenplays (right?), we're re-sharing this post on a common question: Do I need life…
Don't delay in submitting your burning legal questions: A few lucky readers will have theirs answered in the Indie Law…
Do you need a union to make your film? You must have asked yourself this before. We’ll answer, but first,…
Answering your question “Do I have rights?” is always the easy part. Enforcing them is another matter entirely. Make sure…
There are plenty of instances of copyright infringement where the infringer didn’t make a cent. What is equally important is…
"Promissory estoppel” means that when you make a contract with someone, they cannot withdraw if they reasonably assume you will…
When I was in film school, a rumor developed that the school owned any student film we made there, stripping…
He wouldn’t offer upfront compensation, but said I would be attached as the writer as part of a network deal.…
Q: I’m friends with a semi-famous musician and she’s helping me writing a biopic about her life. I was told
Question: Are quotes considered intellectual property and if so, would I need legal permission to use one in my feature…
Q: Is there some way to ensure that I receive a “written by” or “screenplay by” credit when the client
As a producer, what are my rights when filming a documentary subject as he confronts a criminal about a past…
Q: Who owns the copyright to a script when it’s based off someone else’s originally created characters? Cinema Law to…
Will fair use protect you? Half the questions I get in my law practice deal with this issue. Unfortunately, fair…
You should never begin working with someone until you have a written commitment from them, even if you feel like…
Unpaid interns and volunteers are a necessary evil in indie moviemaking. Just go easy on the “evil” part of that…
Also known as “Contracts or it didn’t happen,” the practice of keeping a paper trail might help you get out…
Q: I'm writing a film based on a doc I made. When I made the doc, all on-camera subjects signed…
International copyright law doesn’t exist as a single monolithic area of practice. There’s no “international copyright” that covers you everywhere.
Under U.S. Copyright Law, each artist who works on a collective project like a film maintains ownership over their specific…
Entertainment lawyer Gregory Kanaan reassures aspiring indie filmmakers that fair trademark use does exist in a number of cases.
Most of the big film festival won’t accept a submission if all copyrighted material within the film isn’t cleared for…