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Welcome
to ArtisticLawyer.com and CineCounsel.com, home of the Law
Offices of Michael D. Finley, a firm that focuses on
entertainment law and related business issues.
FILM
& TELEVISION:
Producers:
If your film is completed, our offices can help you secure domestic,
foreign, and ancillary distribution. If you are in pre-production, we
can help you seek out and secure talent attachments, financing, or co-production.
Screenwriters Depending on the direction you plan to take, our
offices can help with your screenplay. Whether it's a submission to
a studio or production company in an effort to secure an option agreement
or submission to talent seeking letters of attachment for financing
purposes, we can help.
Screen Talent: Boilerplate, multi-page contracts are confusing,
but we can explain them and even help you negotiate more favorable language.
*INVESTMENT/LICENSING/DISTRIBUTION OPPORTUNITIES:
(To see our Slate of Projects, click
here)
Investors: Contact
us
or review our Slate
of Projects
to learn about exciting opportunities for investing in Film and Television
projects. If you are considering investing in a different Film or Television
project, we can help you review documents, negotiate deals, and prepare
investment contracts.*
Distributors: Our office can provide you with opportunities to
distribute our clients‚ film, television, or musical works, or
assist you in reviewing materials, negotiating deals, and preparing
distribution contracts.*
Licensing: If you wish to obtain licensing rights to music, films,
television shows, or other artistic material, we can either provide
you opportunities regarding our clients projects or help you obtain
licensing rights from others.*
* If you are investing in, distributing, or licensing material that
belongs to one of our clients, we cannot act as your attorney at the
same time, we can only provide you the opportunity to enter into a contract
with our client. NOTE: Investing in film, television, music, or other
entertainment projects is speculative and involves substantial elements
of risk.
MUSIC:
Producers: You face a lot of legal issues, from drafting contracts
to securing distribution for your artists. Our office can assist you
with all of your legal needs.
Songwriters: Are looking for a publishing deal or a recording
contract? We can help.
Singers/Bands: You are bombarded with contracts for management,
recording, publishing, licensing, and performing. Our office can help
you understand what you're signing and even negotiate a better deal.
PERFORMING MINOR CHILDREN:
Counsel: Parents of performing minors can be very confused by the
laws and contracts relating to this field, and need an attorney who
can explain things to them in plain English.
Contracts: We offer assistance in negotiating, explaining, and
drafting contracts relating to talented minors.
Special Court Proceedings: California has special court proceedings
for performing minors, including proceedings regarding Coogan Trust
Accounts that are required by California Law. A parent cannot act as
his or her own attorney while representing their child in these proceedings,
unless the parent is a licensed California attorney.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:
Copyrights: Need help understanding what should be copyrighted and
when? Consult us. (To visit the U.S. Copyright Office web site, click
here)
Trademarks: Does your production company, band, film, or other
project have a trademark worth protecting? (To visit the U.S. Trademark
Office web site, click
here
Writer's Guild: If you need help submitting a screenplay, synopsis,
or treatment for registration with the WGA, contact our firm. (To visit
the Writer's Guild of America web site, click
here)
Infringement: Has someone stolen your idea or infringed on your
intellectual property, copyright, or trademark rights? You may have
a valid lawsuit.
ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS:
Contracts: We can help prepare, interpret, or negotiate any type
of contract
Business formation: Production companies, film productions, and
even bands are businesses or business ventures, and may need incorporation,
partnership or limited partnership agreements, fictitious business name
filings, or other legal work.
Litigation: We can help prevent litigation through proper documentation,
contract preparation, and negotiations. However, if litigation is inevitable,
the firm is capable of litigating the areas most prone to lawsuits in
the entertainment industry.
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