Collaboration Agreements: How to Avoid the “Joint Work” Rules, and Why It’s Almost Always Better to Have a Written Agreement You’re in a studio together with two other people and a piano. One of you, by way of singing, presents a chorus – melody and lyrics – to the other two. Another one of you,
On Monday, March 4, 2019, the United States Supreme Court issued two important – and unanimous – rulings regarding United States copyright law. One of the two cases, captioned Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corp. v. Wall-Street.com, LLC (Case No. 17-571), resolved a long- standing circuit split in the U.S. regarding what constitutes copyright “registration” for
On October 11, 2018, the Music Modernization Act was signed into law. The CLASSICS Act, which ultimately became part of the Music Modernization Act, is an acronym for “Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service, and Important Contributions to Society.” The CLASSICS Act was consolidated into the Music Modernization Act on April 10, 2018, which
When you’re signing agreements in entertainment, it’s important to read the fine print. There’s a pesky tendency for contracts to include a representation that all of the rights you’re granting are, in fact, yours to grant. It’s easy to gloss over, but it should really make you stop, think and take a step back. You’re
As many filmmakers know, it takes a lot more than a strong screenplay, powerful cast and innovative artistic vision to take a great story from paper to the big screen. So, what is the magical movie-making ingredient? MONEY, pure and simple.
Getting a threatening letter and being accused of copyright infringement can be intimidating. For better or for worse, even innocent infringement can result in liability.
If you’re a singer or songwriter, chances are you’ve been influenced by other artists’ work. In the past few years, a number of musicians have filed lawsuits against other performers for copyright infringement, claiming that their songs have been copied. But so many artists are inspired by the rhythms, lyrics, and compositions of other songs.
The news has been alight with disastrous tales of Fyre Festival, the unforgettable musical experience that never was. Unsurprisingly, the festival has been hit with multiple lawsuits and more are likely in the pipeline. To add fuel to the fire, the festival’s pitch deck was leaked and the internet has wasted no time in picking
You’ve spent a lot of time writing and rewriting your work. You’ve also sent it out to others for feedback and to gauge their interest. Often there is no telling what people will do with your work once they receive it. What are some ways you can protect your script?
The independent game developer doesn’t need to be told how valuable it is to protect their work. However, many choose to take short cuts, use online contract generators or proceed on handshakes. Developers work hard to create complex worlds and innovative ideas in gaming, and now more than ever it’s important to be knowledgeable about
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