Author Archives: Gordon Firemark

Asked & Answered: Dialogue from an existing Play used in new screenplay

Entertainment Lawyer Gordon Firemark answers a question about having film characters quoting lines from a famous play.

Asked & Answered: More about life-rights

Ros asks about agreements for a biopic based on conversations and letters from the subject.

What’s next for anti-online-piracy?

I’m quoted in this piece on SOPA/PIPA on the Berkeley Law Blogs this week. The piece is quite good, and my quote appears near the end. SOPA Dope: Where Does Online Piracy Reform Go From Here? Tweet

Entertainment Law Update 028 – Politics, helicopters & Batmobiles

In this episode, we discuss political campaign uses of music, tv news clips, etc., We talk with a prominent Canadian entertainment lawyer about differences in copyright law, moral rights, fair use, and more. Plus, a look at several recent cases in the entertainment and media law fields.

Asked & Answered: I have a person’s life rights. Do I need to option the news article about him, too?

Pablo asks: I have a friend who is a war vet that has an amazing personal story. I interviewed him via email two years ago as I saw the potential in it for making a feature film. Recently, an international news network showcased the highlights of his story on TV. So my question is as…

Asked & Answered: The Wizard of Oz and the public domain.

An anonymous viewer asks whether the producers of “Oz: The Great and Powerful”, scheduled for release in 2012 needed to make an arrangement with the copyright holders for “The Wizard of Oz”, or whether a loosely based “homage” can be done without copyright clearance   My Answer: Tweet

Broadway’s Spiderman: weaving a tangled web

When Spiderman:Turn Off The Dark’s original writer/director ,Julie Taymor, sued the show’s producers late in 2011, nobody was particularly surprised. Ms. Taymor’s lawsuit alleged numerous counts, including the obvious breaches of contract, and the not-so-obvious copyright infringement claims. That suit seeks millions in unpaid fees and royalties allegedly due Taymor, and an order enjoining the…

Distribution Windows: a broken system?

My good friend Peter Kaufman has a new piece on his blog Deal Fatigue about the broken distribution windows system, and how/whether it needs repair. read his piece here If you’re a filmmaker, its time to consider that the old model of staggered releases across various media is on the way out. Tweet

What you absolutely must know before you approach investors for your film / play / musical.

I am often consulted by film and stage producers who tell me they’re ready to start work on raising the financing for their films/ plays/ musicals, or what-have-you, but often as not,  as we get to work, it becomes clear that they’re not as ready as they think. Before going out to investors, it’s important to…

Happy New Year 2012

As we start 2012, I want to take a few moments to share the optimism and positive outlook I’m experiencing. May this year be one of success, prosperity, new beginnings and continued growth in all aspects of our lives. I’m a believer in setting ambitious, but achievable goals or my own success, and in helping…