{"id":7061,"date":"2017-04-26T23:41:33","date_gmt":"2017-04-27T06:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/firemark.com\/?p=7061"},"modified":"2017-05-04T09:37:54","modified_gmt":"2017-05-04T16:37:54","slug":"retain-ownership-tv-show-entertainment-law-asked-answered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/firemark.com\/2017\/04\/26\/retain-ownership-tv-show-entertainment-law-asked-answered\/","title":{"rendered":"Retain Ownership of TV Show – Entertainment Law Asked & Answered"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/iframe> \nAUDIO: <\/p>\nTRANSCRIPT:<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/firemark.com\">http:\/\/firemark.com<\/a><\/p>\nCan you make a TV show, and still retain the rights?<\/p>\nHi, I'm attorney Gordon Firemark, and this is Asked and Answered, where I answer your entertainment law questions, to help you take your career and business to the next level.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/p>\nHannah asked if it\u2019s possible to make a TV show and retain the rights. The short answer is YES.<\/p>\nThe longer answer is \u201cYes, if you\u2019re the PRODUCER\/Production Company\u201d\u2026 but otherwise it really depends on your position in the industry, bargaining power, etc.<\/p>\nHannah didn\u2019t say whether she\u2019s a writer, a producer, or what, so I can\u2019t say for certain\u2026<\/p>\nMost TV Show creators are writers, so they depend on others (Production Companies) to provide the financial and other resources needed to actually get a TV show developed, produced and distributed. Those Production Companies hire the staff, production team, cast, crew, etc., and those production companies typically acquire ownership of the show\u2019s concept, Pilot Script, etc., from the original creator. Then, because the production company hires and pays the writers (including the original creator) for the various episodes, the production company will be deemed the \u201cowner\u201d of the work those folks do.<\/p>\nNow, in Network TV, the original creator of a TV Show idea\/story will often be able to negotiate an Executive Producer credit, and in some instances an E.P. Who is also a \u201cshow runner” can also negotiate to retain a (partial) ownership interest in the show, the format, etc., so that if the show goes into syndication, or format rights are sold in other countries, he or she will have a” piece of the action\u201d<\/p>\nOf course, if you\u2019ve got a show, and you want to produce it yourself, you can raise the financing, develop and produce some episodes, etc., and thus retain ownership. Then, you\u2019d have to find a distributor for the show. This might be a network, syndicator, or an outfit like Amazon or Netflix. But relationships with those entities are hard to forge, so unless you\u2019ve already got a track record in TV, it\u2019ll be hard to get the traction you need. At least until you\u2019ve got some episodes \u201cin the can\u201d to prove you can deliver a quality product on a tight production schedule. And even then, it\u2019s going to be very hard. That\u2019s why these production companies I talked about are such an essential part of the business.<\/p>\nIn my 25+ years in this business, I\u2019ve helped many TV writers, directors, and producers get shows up and running. Every step of the way involves a complex web of deals, financial structures, business entities, and rights clearances.<\/p>\nIf you\u2019re developing a TV show, I\u2019d love to hear from you. Just reach out to me by scheduling an appointment to talk at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.firemark.com\/scheduling\">http:\/\/www.firemark.com\/scheduling<\/a>.<\/p>\nOr, if you\u2019ve got a question you\u2019d like me to answer here on Asked and Answered, head over to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.firemark.com\/questions\">http:\/\/www.firemark.com\/questions<\/a>.<\/p>\nSee you again soon!<\/p>\nThis is intended as general information only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It is not a substitute for a private, independent consultation with an attorney selected to advise you after a full investigation of the facts and law relevant to your matter. We will not be responsible for viewers'\u2019 detrimental reliance upon the information appearing in this feature.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"AUDIO: TRANSCRIPT: http:\/\/firemark.com Can you make a TV show, and still retain the rights? Hi, I’m attorney Gordon Firemark, and this is Asked and Answered, where I answer your entertainment law questions, to help you take your career and business to the next level.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,250],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Retain Ownership of TV Show - Entertainment Law Asked & Answered - Entertainment Law Offices of Gordon P. 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