The Latest episode of my Entertainment Law podcast, Entertainment Law Update, is now available for your enjoyment. Listen here, or subscribe and download in your favorite podcast listening app.  Show notes are located at www.entertainmentlawupdate.com/141 PUBLIC DOMAIN DAY 2022 EMERGING SPLIT OF AUTHORITY REGARDING ORIGINALITY DETERMINATIONS DISNEY STILL HAS TO LITIGATE OVER ORIGINALITY OF JACK SPARROW THE  “DARK TOWER” CASE – CERT DENIED ERIC CLAPTON GOES AFTER BOOTLEG SALE NEVERMIND BABY COMES BACK WITH AMENDED COMPLAINT SPOTIFY WINS TRADEMARK LITIGATION AGAINST POTIFY U ..read more

VIDEO: http://firemark.com TRANSCRIPT: Got a copycat? What  you can do to stop them. 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. So, you've been making great online content,  It’s getting views, listens, downloads, and then you discover it.  Some copycat out there has been watching closely, and when one of your pieces does well, they make their own content piece on the exact same topic.  They give it the same or a very similar title, and the ..read more

This 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'’ detrimental reliance upon the information appearing in this feature. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The post Is it OK to dress characters the same as characters in a prior film. – Entertainment Law Asked & Answered originally appeared on Entertainment ..read more

  AUDIO: TRANSCRIPT: www.firemark.com Entertainment Law Asked & Answered – Grand Rights and Sound Recordings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9ZVN8HT4uo Jamie wrote in with an interesting question about music licensing in theatre… Hi, I am Gordon Firemark and this is asked and answered, where I take your entertainment law questions so you can get your career and business in entertainment to the next level. Here's Jamie's question: “I am researching the licensing needed for rehearsals, as well as recording live performances, for a children's musical theater group, set up as an LLC, w ..read more

  AUDIO: TRANSCRIPT: www.firemark.com Can you use real place names and businesses in a story that's fiction, but inspired by a news article or report? I'm Entertainment Lawyer Gordon Firemark, and this is Asked and Answered, where I answer your burning questions, so you can take your career and business all the way to the top. I'll have the answer in just a moment. Michael wrote in to say “We are working on a project that is inspired by an article (news story) from the internet. The article is about a body found buried in the woods, but the story we created is completely fictional. Would ..read more

AUDIO: TRANSCRIPT: http://firemark.com Elizabeth wrote in with a question about having a character in her play sing a song… I'm entertainment lawyer Gordon Firemark, and this is Asked and Answered, where I provide answers to common legal questions, so you can take your career and business in entertainment to the next level… Elizabeth writes: “hello! I am writing a play and I have a character that I'd like to sing a song. She would be performing it unaccompanied OR with very, very limited live accompaniment… My question is two fold: first, can I do this without obtaining rights? and two: shoul ..read more

  AUDIO: TRANSCRIPT: Are your websites and online businesses properly protected against  lawsuits by the DMCA Safe Harbor? Hi everyone… Entertainment Lawyer Gordon Firemark here, with a quick tip for anyone who has a presence online. You've probably heard about the DMCA before.   You know, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act?  That's the law that allows (actually, requires) online service providers like YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, and others to take down content immediately after they receive a complaint from someone claiming to be the rightful owner of that conten ..read more

The Latest episode of my Entertainment Law podcast, Entertainment Law Update, is now available for your enjoyment. Listen here, or subscribe and download in your favorite podcast listening app.  Show notes are located at www.entertainmentlawupdate.com/125 AMC TO TAKE OVER SHUTTERED THEATERS  FALL OUT FROM CONSENT DECREES CONTINUES IN APPELLATE RULINGCentury Theater Owner’s Negotiation Tactics Approved. IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT, DIVISION ONE JERSEY BOYS-NEW STANDARD FOR NON-FICTION CORBELLO V VALLI (USCA, 9th Circuit ..read more

The Latest episode of my Entertainment Law podcast, Entertainment Law Update, is now available for your enjoyment. Listen here, or subscribe and download in your favorite podcast listening app.  Show notes are located at www.entertainmentlawupdate.com/124 OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND LEGAL OBITUARY PARAMOUNT CONSENT DECREES ENDED WAITE V UMG RECORDINGS (USDC, E.D. New York) MANGO V. BUZZFEED-LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OVER POTENTIAL FUTURE INFRINGEMENTS ISN’T A RELEVANT ISSUE GOOGLE SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS AGAINST INFRINGEMENT LAWSUIT OVER LYRICS SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF KI ..read more

VIDEO: http://firemark.com TRANSCRIPT: What are the rules for using music (even your own music) in a podcast. 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. So, one of the most common questions that comes up when I talk to podcasters about their legal obligations and rights, has to do with music. Sometimes, they want to use pre-existing music, and don't understand why it's so hard or impossible. And sometimes, they're actually creating their own music, and still hav ..read more