Entertainment Law Resources Blog

WE HAVE MOVED THE ENTERTAINMENT LAW RESOURCES BLOG TO OUR NEWLY REDESIGNED WEBSITE: WWW.MARKLITWAK.COM FOR THE MOST RECENT UPDATES VISIT THE NEW BLOG. The Blog can be reached at New Blog ...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/10/new-blog.html

I will be participating in a one hour Webinar for the California State Bar Entertainment and Sports Law Interest Group.  The panelists will describe basics and potential benefits of various fi...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/09/film-finance-webinar-september-20-2013.html

Mark Litwak was interviewed about the movie industry on the KBeach radio show the Kaine Perspective on August 1. The entire show was recorded and can be listened to: Listen to Radio Interview...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/08/mark-litwak-was-interviewed-about-movie.html

BY MARK LITWAK In 2011 Sony Pictures Classics released the hugely popular movie “Midnight in Paris,” written and directed by Woody Allen. The story centers on the character Gil Pender, a d...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/07/midnight-in-mississippi-william.html

The right of publicity is the right of individuals to control the use of their name and likeness in a commercial setting. You cannot place an image of another person on your brand of pickles wit...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/06/trouble-from-people-portrayed-in-your.html

As an entertainment attorney, I am often called upon to assist writers who have gotten themselves into trouble because they do not understand how their work may infringe the rights of others. A ...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/05/trouble-from-people-portrayed-in-your.html

TUESDAY MAY 21ST FROM 9:30AM - 4:30PM MARK WILL BE RETURNING TO NEW YORK CITY ON MAY 21ST TO PRESENT HIS SEMINAR SELF DEFENSE FOR WRITERS AND FILMMAKERS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF VOLUNTEER LAWYE...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/04/self-defense-seminar-in-new-york-may-21.html

In a suit filed recently in federal court in Chicago, a top Sherlock Holmes scholar alleged that many licensin g fees paid to the Arthur Conan Doyle estate have been unnecessary, since the main ...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/03/sherlock-holmes-and-case-of-public.html

Mark Litwak has been named to the Southern California Super Lawyers list as one of the top attorneys in Southern California for 2013.  No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are sel...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/02/mark-litwak-named-to-southern.html

SEMINAR CLIPS NOW ONLINE     Clips from Mark's seminar last May  for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts in New York are now on-line for public viewing at YouTube.  Link to Videos The clips ...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2013/01/seminar-clips-now-online-clips-from.html

Warner Brothers, New Line, and its affiliates (“Plaintiffs”) recently achieved a rare courtroom victory by obtaining a court order restraining distribution of a film they claimed unfairly co...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/12/hobbit-titles-unexpected-journey-in.html

There are many formulas for home video deals, but most fall within three patterns. The first deal allows the distributor to retain a percentage of Gross Receipts as a distribution fee, and to re...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/11/domestic-distribution-part-iii-home.html

Mark will be speaking about distributing independent film at the SPADA (Screen Production and Development Association) annual  2 day conference beginning on November 22, 2012 in Wellington, N...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/11/mark-to-speak-at-spada-conference-new.html

 The goal for many filmmakers is nothing less than to see their film shown in a theater.   Theatrical distributors typically advance all marketing and distribution costs and, for highly desir...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/10/domestic-distribution-part-ii.html

The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”) was enacted on April 5, 2012. It   allows small businesses to enter into equity-based crowdfunding for raising up to one million do...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/09/update-on-soliciting-investors.html

In my last article I discussed foreign sales agents and their role in the distribution of independent films. Now let's turn to domestic deals. "Domestic" is usually defined as North America, whi...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/08/domestic-distribution-part-i.html

With the start of the Festival De Cannes and accompanying Marche Du Film, one is reminded that film is both an art form and a business. The festival will exhibit approximately 22 feature films i...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/05/distribution-101-foreign-sales-agents.html

Although Republicans and Democrats rarely agree on anything these days, Congress has passed and President Obama signed on April 5, 2012 the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act, a collectio...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/04/crowdfunding-for-filmmakers-raise.html

President Obama signed last week the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act, a collection of laws that dramatically relaxes regulations on raising capital for startup companies. The Act has ...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/04/new-law-will-help-indie-filmmakers.html

New Law Increases Penalties for Classifying Employees as Independent Contractors As of January 1, 2012, a new California law creates significant penalties for employers who "willfully" misclas...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-law-increases-penalties-for.html

I am pleased to announce that I have been named a Southern California Super Lawyer for 2012. Each year, only 5 percent of the lawyers in the state receive this honor. Super Lawyers is a rating ...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2012/01/mark-litwak-named-superlawyer.html

THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY The Right of Publicity is the right that individuals have to control the use of their name and likeness in a commercial setting. For example, you cannot put a picture of ...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2011/12/right-of-publicity-right-of-publicity.html

Tintin a Hit Congratulations to our client Moulinsart SA on the success of the movie version of its classic comic book series Tintin. We are pleased to have represented our client in negotiatin...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2011/10/tintin-hit.html

MARK LITWAK'S INTERVIEW ON FILMNUT NOW ONLINE Mark Litwak was recently interviewed on the program Filmnut by host Jeff Schubert. The show is  distributed by www.thestream.tv Click Here to ...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2011/09/mark-litwaks-interview-on-filmnut-now.html

When producers shoot a scene at a place open to the public people in the background might be captured on camera. It is often not practicable to get every member of the crowd to sign a release. Co...

http://marklitwak.blogspot.com/2011/09/crowd-release.html