Upcoming Entertainment Law Seminar

Chicago’s leading Entertainment Law firm, Leavens, Strand, Glover & Adler, is pleased to announce its inaugural Entertainment Law Seminar: What In-House Lawyers Must Know About Exploiting Creative Content

5 #Legal Questions to Ask BEFORE Starting Your #Crowdfunding Project

Five Legal Questions To Ask BEFORE Crowd-funding You Next Film (or Creative) Project Intro I recently had the opportunity to share the stage at a Chicago VentureShot Community panel presentation on crowdfunding an independent film project. My client successfully raised enough funds to produce his film through the Crowdfunding site KickStarter.com. Due to the unpredictable […]

Chicago Tribune Sponsors Panel Discussion About Creative Professionals

What does it mean to be a creative professional in Chicago? That is the topic for discussions during the Chicago Tribune’s Trib Nation event Chicago Forward: The Future of the Arts in Chicago being held tonight, March 13, 2013 at 6:00 PM. In the Chase Auditorium at 10 South Dearborn. The event proposes to discuss […]

YouTube Content ID – A Must for Every Indie Filmmaker or Musician

Are you getting the most out of your online marketing efforts? Last year, Google announced a change to its search rankings algorithm, lowering results for known pirate sites. Critics asked why the company would not do the same for Youtube, since that site is widely viewed as a repository for pirated films and music. Read […]

NOVAC Provides Local Filmmakers Financing and Guidance on Making Deals

April 11, 2012 Via Chris Henson, New Orleans Indie Movie Examiner “The film industry in New Orleans, and in Louisiana in general, is booming. But it is not only the major studio productions coming to the Crescent City. Independent filmmaking has also exploded in the area. Non-profit organizations like the New Orleans Video Access Center […]

Checklist of Provisions for an LLC Operating Agreement For Film Production

It is increasingly common for film producers to use LLCs as a way to raise funds for production and limit liability of the producers and investors. Below is a checklist of provisions that should be discussed with production counsel prior to forming your LLC. 1. Introductory Clauses and Definitions (Both are optional but common; these […]

Independent Theater Owners Watch Palm D’or v. Cinemark Case Closely

Independent theater owners across the country feel increasingly squeezed by the top four major theater chains. In a recent California case, Flagship Theatres of Palm Desert, LLC v. Century Theatres, Inc., the plaintiff (Flagship) brought an antitrust action against the owners of a competing theater concerning the distribution and exhibition of motion pictures.

Dark Knight may occupy Wall Street

Although major motion pictures are known for carefully planning out scenes months in advance, Christopher Nolan‘s “The Dark Knight Rises,” which is scheduled to be shot in New York, may get a dose of gritty authenticity by using the protests as a backdrop or a stand-in for something that already exists in the film. See […]

Social Media for the Indie Film Producer

Don’t have time to get to every film Festival? Don’t worry. You can now turn to the Internet and social media to create your own personal film festival. Fast Company today announced the launch of Prescreen, a “social movie discovery platform” that’s designed to “give filmmakers and distributors an alternative to traditional advertising and distribution […]

Strength In Numbers: Indie Producers Band Together In New Venture

The move is good for indie filmmakers, to protect them against well-heeled financiers and distributors, which should have mobilized such an effort years ago.