Our firm provides legal support for every type of production, whether it is a small streaming project or a large theatrical film, helping you create, protect, and produce your film. We commonly assist on narrative films, documentaries, reality television, scripted television, and digital content. Our years of production law experience will help you avoid common pitfalls and guide your production.
Our clients find that our production law services reduce long-term costs, make distribution deliverables even easier, and smooth out any SAG-AFTRA or guild issues before they become a problem. We handle the legal and business work so you don’t have to, which allows our clients to focus on their real job: creating.
Our flat-fee, percentage, and hourly production legal services often include drafting and negotiating the following:
Production Contracts:
- Provide and negotiate agreements for production/post-production (location agreements, permits, day player agreements, appearance release agreements, crew agreements and other non-union agreements).
- Contracts for above the line talent and above the line crew (producers, director, casting director, executive producers or producer’s representative).
- Performer contracts for actors (attachment letters, letter of interest, deal memos, escrow agreements, long form performer agreement, stunt performer agreement, short form certificate of engagement).
- Music licenses and composer agreement for original score.
Unions:
- File paperwork for any applicable union or guild signatory (SAG-AFTRA, WGA, DGA)
- Advise on appropriate union or guild signatory contract (New Media, Modified Low Budget, Low Budget, etc.).
- Ensure and advise on continued union or guild compliance.
Clearances:
- Screenplay clearance report, including clearance analysis of alternative names, locations, logos or other items identified as not clear for use.
- Clearance forms and contracts to obtain company and/or product clearances.
- Product clearance agreements and product placement agreements.
- Legal opinion letters (fair use opinion letter, E&O opinion letter, title reports, copyright reports, chain of title).
Post Production:
- Post-production agreements (post-production sound contract, post-house contract, SFX contract, ADR contract, vendor agreements)
- Assist with obtaining E&O insurance policy, including all required contracts and documentation.
- Main/end titles and billing block compliance.
- Obtain approvals and/or waivers from unions, crew, talent or other above-the-line personnel (still approvals, key art approvals, credit waivers, etc.).
Chain of Title:
- Review, draft, and negotiate chain of title contracts for acquiring rights and hiring writers.
- Register screenplay and film with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Legal Advice:
- Legal advice and research during preproduction and production (insurance claims, city licenses, permits, etc.).
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Why Choose Us
- Under the proper legal advice, documentaries can use copyrighted materials, including pictures and even footage. Distributors will require a fair use opinion letter drafted by a licensed attorney, but fair use can save your documentary thousands of dollars.
- Start your SAG-AFTRA or other union paperwork weeks before principal photography. The paperwork process is complex, can take weeks, and failure to properly meet compliance requirements frequently stalls production, which can cost you thousands.
Our firm has years of experience handling documentary and theatrical films, scripted and unscripted television, and new media projects, which can help you avoid costly pitfalls.
“As a Los Angeles Entertainment Lawyer, Andrew has been vital to the success of my film. Production went smoothly and he was able to quickly resolve the legal issues that inevitably pop up during production.”
– Director
“There are a lot of entertainment lawyers in Los Angeles, but none helped me as much as Andrew. I found him to be very approachable and could tell he valued my time. These are rare qualities to possess and absolutely essential when looking not just for legal guidance, but business advice as well.”
– Producer
Schedule a FREE consultation today so we can discuss how our flat-fee options can save you time and money.