The fast-paced world of film, music, television, and digital media requires more than just producing entertaining content for the world to enjoy. There is also a legal side to the business that most consumers don’t have visibility into. Entertainers need to protect their work to capitalize on their success and not lose business to copycats. From intellectual property rights to licensing deals, an Irvine entertainment law attorney can help protect your career in this space.

At The Myers Law Group, we have spent years uplifting those who produce meaningful work in the entertainment industry. We have a strong appreciation for the aspects of these jobs that others can’t see.

You work hard and deserve to enjoy your career without the fear that others will copy and profit from your original material. If you are looking to add an extra layer of protection to your work in the entertainment industry, hire an attorney who knows this world as soon as you can.

Whether you are an actor, musician, influencer, or work for a production company, you are producing valuable material for society at large. This work must be legally protected if you want to prevent others from stealing your original work and reducing its value. An experienced attorney in this space can help you:

• Draft and negotiate entertainment contracts to protect your financial and creative interests
• Address any concerns you have over intellectual property, including copyrights and trademarks
• Navigate disputes, licensing, and right-of-publicity matters
• Evaluate the different risks around AI-generated content and likeness usage

Recently, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom signed new legislation to protect entertainers’ digital likeness in response to evolving technology around artificial intelligence. These new laws help to deter irresponsible use of AI, giving entertainers more control to hold someone accountable for leveraging their work unfairly.

When you partner with an Irvine Entertainment Law attorney, their support can help you build a career in the entertainment industry that is sustainable for years to come. For entertainers in Orange County, especially those who work around the Spectrum Center, where many productions are based, working with a local attorney can help ensure you have access to:

• Guidance on union and non-union agreements
• Review and negotiation of talent agreements, including appearance releases and music licensing deals
• Protection in producer, manager, or agent relationships to avoid exploitative terms or unfair compensation
• Support with merchandising and brand deals
• Advice on publishing rights and royalties
• Representation during legal disputes for copyright infringement and other issues

All of this legal work helps to support the $192 billion in film and television wages across California, including $84 billion that goes directly to entertainment workers. Because so much money is involved, having legal protections in place is essential to prevent losing money or your right to file a claim against someone for violating your rights.

If you are someone who constantly puts out creative work, you might have seen others using your work in some regard. The thought may have crossed your mind about whether this is allowed or not. When this question is posed, an Entertainment lawyer in Irvine will look to fair use laws for guidance.

Under the fair use doctrine of the United States, there are scenarios where someone could use limited portions of your work, like a quote or clip. This has to be done for a specific purpose, like providing commentary or criticism of what they see. While this is fair, they are not allowed to just repurpose your work and claim it to be their own.

Whether or not the work being repurposed qualifies under fair use laws depends on several factors, including:

• The purpose and character of its use
• The nature of the original work
• The amount and substantiality of what was used
• The effect the repurposing of content had on the original works’ market value

Q: What Percentage Do Entertainment Lawyers Charge?

A: Depending on who you are, each entertainment lawyer will have their own preference on how they charge, depending on your project. Some prefer to bill hourly, while others might offer to work based on a flat fee per project or take a percentage of the final deal. If they do take a percentage, this is typically based on the value they help you secure. For example, how much money do you make from a licensing agreement or recording deal?

Q: What Is the Primary Reason You Need an Entertainment Attorney?

A: One of the main reasons why you need an entertainment attorney is to protect your creative work and the financial benefits that come from it. You want to be able to use your work as long as possible without its value being diminished by others trying to copy you. When you bring in an attorney, they will look for common red flags to ensure you are moving forward without inadvertently giving up control or certain revenue streams without realizing it.

Q: Can I Use Online Legal Templates Instead of Hiring an Entertainment Lawyer?

A: While you might feel the temptation to use an online template to save some money on legal services, this might not be enough to help you protect your work. Entertainment agreements online are often too generalized to meet your unique needs. For example, a template won’t take into account any specific risks tied to your projects. Even a small oversight in a contract’s language could lead to long-term complications that could cost more money in the end.

Q: Should I Hire an Attorney Before or After I Sign a Deal?

A: Ideally, you should hire an attorney before you sign anything. Once you sign a contract, you significantly limit your ability to revise terms unless you can get the other side to agree. Bringing in an attorney early gives them a chance to review the terms of an agreement and give you a better sense of what you are accepting. They can also look for ambiguous language that might be intentional in trying to take advantage of your creative work.

If you work in the entertainment industry and want to ensure all of the work you are putting out is legally protected, contact our firm today. We will take an assessment of all your work during an initial consultation and provide our recommendations on what you should do next to keep your work safe.