WE were shooting a scene with an actor in a bar who was playing an extra, he agreed to be in the video and as we ran out of release forms we agreed to send him a copy via email. Days later he had a change of heart about signing and contacted his lawyer that he wants me to talk to directly in... Read more »
answered on Apr 8, 2019
I practiced intellectual property law for several years. The general rule is that if a person in the background of a movie scene is unrecognizable, they probably cannot sue for anything. However, the company's promise to send him a contract complicates matters somewhat, and could come up in... Read more »
I suffer from blood-injury-and-injection phobia and anxiety.
Sunday afternoon I was at a Regal theater to watch a drama film. To my surprise, graphic content full of blood and lifelike surgeries started playing. With nausea overwhelming me I proceeded towards the exit. I sensed the coming... Read more »
answered on Apr 4, 2019
much more info needed.
I have never heard of a condition like yours and suspect it is incumbent on YOU to check on films you go to see to be sure there are no scenes that could hurt you.
anyone can sue at any time for anything but I certainly would not accept the case on a... Read more »
The person is down $3500 and doesnt have the money to pay, this person is scared that if he cant pay, that the bookie would come after him. Is this legal? What should This Person do if he cant pay at all? And how can he stay safe after letting the bookie know?
answered on Feb 4, 2019
Was this a legal bet or part of illegal gambling activities? If you're facing assault or worse, you can report this to the police. If you're guilty of illegal gambling as well, you might face related criminal charges yourself. More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis... Read more »
The music is from two 1961 episodes of The Twilight Zone that were scored by composer Jerry Goldsmith. How would I go about getting the rights to use that music in a short film I am working on? Would this even be possible? Any idea of what it would cost? Thanks!
answered on Jan 2, 2019
To use copyrighted material, one would need to find out who owns the copyright and contact them for a license. But you'd also need to determine whether your use qualifies as "fair use". More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step... Read more »
answered on Dec 6, 2018
I would register your screenplay with the US Copyright office BEFORE submitting it anywhere. The age old "poor man's copyright" (i.e. mailing the creative work to yourself and keeping in a sealed envelope) doesn't really protect you like a valid copyright registration does, nor... Read more »
answered on Sep 25, 2018
"Litigation" refers to the filing of lawsuits (i.e. courtroom lawyers), whereas "Transactional" refers to general business and legal affairs of a person or entity (i.e. negotiation,drafting and review of contracts; and other deal making).
Often times an entertainment... Read more »
answered on Aug 9, 2018
How does the agreement between the filmmakers and nonprofit treat the issue of ownership of the film? How do you know the nonprofit owns it? Are there any documentation evidencing copyright ownership of the film?
answered on May 12, 2018
Yes, a professional liability insurance policy also known as errors and omissions. Can you do business without it? Sure, but then you take the risk.
I believe the game uses deceptive practices to confuse and trick players into purchasing things that seem like a good buy but in reality it almost always a terrible buy. They usually show a box containing like 10 items and they tell you that you have a random chamce at one of the items. But... Read more »
answered on Apr 3, 2018
The beauty (and more often, the detriment) of our American legal system is that anyone can sue somebody for anything -- the more pertinent question to ask here is: Do I have a *legitimate* lawsuit against this mobile developer for their allegedly unfair/deceptive business practices? To that, the... Read more »
My question would be am I allowed to take my own in-game screenshots and use these images on my websites to avoid copyright infringements or violations? I have scoured the internet to find a reasonable and safe way to use images from big game titles. If this is not allowed are there any way... Read more »
answered on Mar 27, 2018
You will need permission from the gaming companies to use images of their game that you are using in a promotional context. Taking screenshots from your own game and then using them for commercial purposes is not advisable.
It was my daughters quinceanera my family was through some bad times my husband had got hurt at worked and he had to be hospitality and was in need to be in a wheelchair for a few months for recovery! So our budget had gotten really small for my daughters quince! Came across a DJ for the party at a... Read more »
answered on Mar 12, 2018
Incomplete information, i.e. you ended before you asked the question or indicated what went wrong.
When I am synthesizing an office memo in representation of a hypothetical client, is it a plausible approach to cite cases in which the holding was favorable only to a certain extent for the plaintiff? For example, in Noble v. Los Angeles Dodgers, even though the court held that Noble was... Read more »
answered on Feb 23, 2018
Do you have permits?
if you commit any unauthorized touching of another that is a battery...........so shooting someone could be a battery, without any injuries.......hopefully.
I'll be using photos and audio clips from the internet. I don't want to go through the hassle of trying to get permission if I don't have to but I don't want to get sued. The app will be free and make money from ad revenue. I'm worried that using someones likeness makes... Read more »
answered on Nov 16, 2017
If you choose the correct celebrity you can expect to be sued. California gives celebrities a "right of privacy." The law generally does not allow violation of rights just because the violator not want the "hassle" of obeying the rules.
In July, I saw on the app OfferUp that a girl was selling a camera for only $100. So I bought it. Two weeks ago, she messages me that she needed it for the weekend cause her parents still think she had it. I said okay, as long as there was a collateral or knowing I’ll get it back.
We met... Read more »
answered on Nov 6, 2017
It appears you have learned a hard lesson. Take the jewelry that she gave you as collateral to a jewelry store and see what kind of price you can get for each piece. Then go to your local target store and buy yourself a good inexpensive camera. Either that or get yourself a decent iPhone, which... Read more »
Looking for some advice from a copyright lawyer that I can potentially stake my life on.
I know for covers in general, licenses discussed are usually mechanical, sync, and I've seen mentions of Master Use licenses.
For posting a cover purely on Youtube, without monetization,... Read more »
answered on Aug 7, 2017
"Looking for some advice from a copyright lawyer that I can potentially stake my life on." Did you want this for free? Did you want an answer that was short enough to fit in this box? Did you want the attorney to answer this without getting further information? It is possible that your... Read more »
The Foundation for the person in question (Kathryn Kuhlman) recently shut down, and she has no immediate offspring such as children.
answered on Jul 27, 2017
Questions to be considered include whether your organization would be confused with the Foundation and how to avoid confusion. It also has to be determined if use of the name would violate rights of others, even for the name of a deceased person with no immediate offspring. This can get tricky.
The company never came up with deal memo's or contracts prior to production. Though we should be on payroll, they insisted we send invoices. It has been over 70 days with no payment and the company states they are within the law, since we did not have a signed contract.
answered on Jul 24, 2017
The company's position seems to be unsupported. It is impossible to know without listing all the facts. What was the work? Should you have been an employee? Other factors besides labor include contract law and civil procedure. Based on your question it seems unlikely that quoting a statute to... Read more »
answered on Jul 24, 2017
If you have signed with an agent it means that there is a contract. Contracts includes terms and conditions. Usually the terms specify the legal obligations of both you and the agent. There also may be obligations that apply under the law even if they are not spelled out in the contract. It appears... Read more »
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