The performers’ union SAG-AFTRA has finally reached agreement with the AMPTP, the studios’ bargaining group, after a lengthy strike. The union is touting what it says are breakthroughs in many areas. The new provisions are...more
Netflix may be on the outs with the Writers Guild, but has had better luck in its negotiations with SAG-AFTRA. The SAG-AFTRA National Board just approved resoundingly a new contract with the streamer. The contract will now go...more
The Writers Guild has scored a $42 million arbitration award against Netflix for unpaid residuals.
The arbitration involved the Sandra Bullock feature Bird Box. The picture was released for a brief theatrical run before...more
As the content industry moves inexorably toward a streaming model, linear broadcast and cable channels are looking increasingly to live sports to gain competitive advantage. In the past, streamers have turned away from live...more
Lewis Black is the latest comedian to sue the music streaming service Pandora for copyright infringement. Black is following on the heels of the Robin Williams and George Carlin estates, who sued the platform in February,...more
When new entertainment media emerge, a wave of litigation follows. Novel means of exploitation challenge lawyers to interpret contracts and statutes in contexts that were not originally contemplated. For example, when backend...more
The consolidation trend in Hollywood continues with the closing of another big merger. The long-gestating acquisition of talent agency ICM Partners by its rival CAA closed today. The deal was first announced almost a year ago...more
The Animation Guild (TAG) is on a roll. The union very recently announced a settlement with the AMPTP, the studios’ bargaining representative, on a new blanket contract, up for a ratification vote in late June. This closely...more
After coming perilously close to its first strike since 1945, the below-the-line union IATSE ratified an accord with producers in November, 2021. The new Basic and Videotape Agreements covered most, but not all of the locals...more
For many years, the Golden Globes were the kickoff awards event of each awards show season. With its relaxed party atmosphere and awards only in high-profile categories, the Globes were an audience favorite and a fixture on...more
In a unanimous decision, the US Supreme Court has brought to a close an 83-year quest by the family of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany to recover a stolen painting....more
IATSE, the union representing below-the-line production workers from cinematographers and editors to grips and hair stylists, has moved a crucial step closer to its first strike since 1945. In a strike vote with over 90%...more
We are not out of the woods yet.
Just as Hollywood was coping with the early effects of the pandemic, it barely avoided a Writers Guild strike. After a long year of extensive shutdowns, things just seemed to be getting...more
The lawsuit brought by Scarlett Johansson against The Walt Disney Co. has struck Hollywood like a thunderclap. The litigation arises out of Disney’s decision to release Black Widow concurrently in theaters and on Disney+...more
A group of over 100 feature film producers have announced their intention to form a labor union. The group is led by producer Rebecca Green (“It Follows”), who says the time is right for this move. She notes that survey data...more
Copyright in characters is not a new concept but it can take interesting twists. We saw this recently when litigation over the Netflix movie Enola Holmes raised the question just how far the term of copyright in Sherlock...more
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court voted to uphold a decision by the FCC to deregulate ownership of television broadcast stations. The Commission proposed the rule change in 2017 under Trump-appointed FCC chair Ajit...more
In light of the ubiquity of cable and satellite, a controversy over the ownership of terrestrial broadcast stations may seem like a sideshow. The reality is, however, that an increasing number of American households are...more
While most of us look back on the last twelve months as a horrible dream, Hollywood’s labor unions can actually point to a string of successes. Early in the pandemic, all three of the above-the-line guilds closed new three...more
In what must be counted as a victory for solidarity among WGA members and the often controversial tactics of its executive director David Goodman, the leading agency WME reached a deal for a franchise agreement with the...more
We recently reported on a lawsuit that the actor Faizon Love brought in November against Universal Pictures. Love was one of the stars of the 2009 movie Couples Retreat, whose overseas publicity campaign aroused controversy...more
As the COVID-19 pandemic forced widespread postponement and cancellation of film and TV production in 2020, it brought a corresponding explosion of insurance claims by producers. This led inevitably to coverage disputes as...more
Owners of copyright in characters are often well-advised not to press their claims too far in litigation at the risk of losing their rights altogether. This may be what motivated a quick settlement of litigation over Sherlock...more
Happy New Year to all. To kick off 2021, I’ve provided quick takes below on some of the bigger stories we’ll be watching-
WME v. WGA-
Just before Christmas, CAA closed a deal with the Writers Guild regarding phasing...more
1/12/2021
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Copyright Infringement ,
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The 2009 Universal ensemble comedy Couples Retreat sparked controversy when its Black performers were erased from the film’s international marketing. That controversy has come back to life as the film’s co-star Faizon Love...more