Advanced Entertainment Law

This month’s Advanced Entertainment Law class was a bit intimidating. The subject of anything involving contracts and law oftentimes brings on the feeling of apprehension. After diving into the first week's subject of intellectual property and liabilities, I became more confident in my ability to tackle the subject matter.   I was excited to review the legal terms and contracts. Spending time dissecting legal cases, and the application of law was empowering and insightful. The more you review and apply the law, the easier it becomes.  It was refreshing to apply the understanding of trademark and copyright protection directly to my business. This is something that should be the foundation of good business practices in production and entertainment. 

The review of management contracts gave us the opportunity to become familiar with the legal terms associated with these types of agreements. It also helped with identifying potential trouble points in these agreements. Knowing what to avoid, and more importantly, what to ask for helps ensure both parties get what they bargained for. The discussion board brought so many perspectives of different things that were important to individuals. The key to solid legal advice is to do your own research, and more importantly seek counsel from an experienced attorney.

The most valuable takeaway of this class was the research on the court's decisions on suits under the law. To see how the law was applied really furthers one's understanding of that law. The USPTO website and Copyright .gov are underutilized resources in our business. A simple search can be the difference from being protected or on the wrong side of a lawsuit.The more you educate yourself and ask the right questions, the better you can protect yourself from potential losses. Effectively researching decisions and opinions has totally changed my approach and perspective on a number of things. I definitely feel armed to take the necessary steps to put the proper legal framework in place for my business.