Do You Need An Entertainment Lawyer?
The answer to whether or not you need an entertainment lawyer is: it depends. While beginning filmmakers and screenwriters typically don’t need a lawyer to start out, as your career advances, you may find yourself needing professional legal advice. It’s never too early to start learning the basics about entertainment law and establishing a relationship with an entertainment lawyer.
If you are making a union film or dealing with a budget of over $1 million, you should hire an entertainment lawyer to look over the whole project. Different unions have different contract negotiations, and on a large film set, this can get complicated. Hiring a lawyer will only protect you and save you money in the long run.
If you are working on a low-budget, independent film, then you have the choice to hire a lawyer for individual tasks. Independent producers need to be extra careful when drafting up contracts, such as talent release forms and location agreements. You might decide to re-use old contracts, and they might not fully cover you on a new project. For a movie to be released, you need permission to use everything you see and hear on screen, and it’s crucial to not overlook these steps. Mistakes can lead to a film losing out on distribution deals, including cinema, TV, and streaming services.
In another scenario, a screenwriter may need a lawyer to secure intellectual copyright. If you believe someone has stolen your script or has broken a contract, you can hire a lawyer to try to enforce your copyright claim.
There are many different scenarios that might require an entertainment lawyer. If you’re unsure, chances are it wouldn’t hurt to reach out to an entertainment lawyer and simply ask them for their input.