Need money to make movies?  Get a grant! Fall Deadlines Filmmakers Should Know About.

Word to the Wise: How NOT to Negotiate a Distribution Deal.

Remember, as they explain at the link: don’t go it alone.  These deals are written in a language all their own…

Facts vs. Expression: James Franco Sued for Violating Film Rights to Charles Bukowski Novel.

Can James Franco do a movie about Bukowski’s childhood, even if he doesn’t own the rights to Bukowski’s autobiographical coming of age novel Ham On Rye?  More importantly, do the plaintiff’s claims against Franco have a chance of succeeding at all?  “[I]t’s possible to do a biography without infringement, as facts can’t be copyrighted. But the arrangement of facts in a creative manner can be protected, and so [plaintiff] Humphris is coming to court with an interesting claim that he is essentially entitled to Bukowski’s expression of childhood and any imaginative flourishes therein.” Continue reading →

Beware the Right of Publicity: Can Katherine Heigl Win Lawsuit Over Unauthorized Tweet Of Her Face? Probably.

We briefly discussed the reasons why during Continue reading →

Attorneys attending my lecture today may view and download the lecture’s outline here and the presentation slides here (in PDF form).

Thanks for joining us!