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Understanding the Business of Entertainment: The Legal and Business Essentials All Filmmakers Should Know from Focal Press guides you through the business aspects of the entertainment industry, providing you with legal insight into the highly-specialized world of entertainment law. It covers business and legal issues, how to find work in your chosen field, and key provisions in employment agreements that you need to be aware of as a creative.
Gregory Bernstein has worked in both the creative and business side of the entertainment business for over 33 years. He has held the position of vice-president of business affairs at Columbia and Tri-Star Pictures, and received writing credits on Hollywood films. He also served as the assistant executive director of the Writers Guild of America.
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Copyright Law
- Introduction
- In the Beginning
- What Works Qualify for Copyright Protection?
- What Can't Be Copyrighted?
- When Does Copyright Ownership Begin, and What Do You Have to Do to Secure Copyright Ownership?
- What Specific Rights Do Copyright Owners Receive?
- Joint Works
- Work for Hire
- How Long Does Copyright Last?
- Copyright Infringement
- Fair Use
- Chapter 2: Music Copyright
- Introduction
- Music and Copyright Law
- Music Publishing
- Licenses
- Chapter 3: Copyright and Piracy
- Introduction
- The Betamax Case
- Napster and Grokster
- YouTube and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
- Morality and Digital Piracy
- Chapter 4: International Copyright
- The Berne Convention
- Moral Rights
- Chapter 5: First Amendment Law
- Introduction
- Entertainment and "Speech"
- Obscenity
- Indecent Speech
- The Internet and Indecent Speech
- Violence in Entertainment
- Voluntary Censorship
- Libel and Slander
- Invasion of Privacy
- Defamation and Invasion of Privacy: Life Rights Agreements
- Chapter 6: The FCC and Government Regulation of the Media
- Introduction
- Vertical and Horizontal Integration
- The FCC Basics
- The Right to Broadcast
- FCC Media Ownership Rules: 1934-1980
- Film Regulation: 1934-1980
- TV and Film Regulation Since 1980
- Regulation: Where We Are Today
- Chapter 7: Media Growth and Ownership
- Introduction
- Film: The First Few Decades
- The Early Days of Radio and Television
- Media Conglomeration
- Media Ownership Today
- The Impact of Media Conglomeration
- Chapter 8: Unions, Agents and Managers
- Entertainment Unions
- Agents and Managers
- Chapter 9: Development
- Choosing Ideas
- Studio Film Development
- Television Development
- Some Thoughts About Development Hell
- The End of Development
- Which Studio Departments Manage Development?
- Production and Post-Production: The Filmmakers Take Over
- Chapter 10: Distribution
- Introduction
- The Cost of Film Distribution
- Distribution Strategy
- Distribution Personnel and Activities
- Following the Money
- The Impact of High Distribution Costs
- Television Distribution
- Internet Distribution
- Other Studio Departments
- Chapter 11: Gross and net Proceeds
- Introduction
- Film Accounting: When is a Film "Profitable"?
- Gross Proceeds and Net Proceeds
- Chapter 12: Entertainment Contracts
- Introduction
- Rights Agreements: Options/Purchase Contracts
- Agreements for Screenwriters
- Agreements for Directors
- Agreements for Actors
- Agreements for Producers
- Chapter 13: Independent Film Development, Financing, Contracts and Distribution
- Introduction
- Development
- Film Financing
- Television Financing
- Negotiating Contracts with Independent Filmmakers
- Film Distribution
- Film Finance and Distribution Deals
- Chapter 14: Making It into the Business
- Michael Poryes
- Cynthia Kanner
- Mike Knobloch
- Hamilton Sterling
- Dana Lustig
- Maureen Tunney
- Index