Get free answers to your Entertainment / Sports legal questions from lawyers in your area.
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... View 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... View 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... View 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... View 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... View 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... View 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,... View 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... View 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... View 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... View More
The idea is to impersonate various fictional characters from various forms of entertainment, such as Mario (Nintendo video game) or Gollum (Lord of the Rings), reading various public domain works of fiction in as close to the character's syntax as possible ("And the princess pricked her... View More
answered on Jun 1, 2017
This might qualify as a parody. Have a lawyer review the facts and business carefully to help you try to avoid IP violations. More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step is an Initial Consultation with an Attorney. You can read more about me, my... View More
I'm a musician. I play live solo acoustic guitar some evenings in my apartment for friends and friends of friends etc. All my sets are cover songs from various artists. I receive many requests that differ on each evening of course. Each guest usually contributes between $10 - $20. Some... View More
answered on May 16, 2017
You may be violating your lease, zoning, and/or licensing laws relating to music venues. You may need contracts with the additional musicians. More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step is an Initial Consultation with an Attorney. You can read... View More
answered on May 5, 2017
They may need a SAG membership and an entertainment work permit from the CA DIR. More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step is an Initial Consultation with an Attorney. You can read more about me, my credentials, awards, honors, testimonials,... View More
I am planning on creating and eventually monetizing a video game blog. I would like to include images of the video games I write about, however I'm not sure if that would be copyright infringement. I would appreciate is someone could tell me if this is allowed. Thank you.
answered on Mar 30, 2017
This may qualify as an exception if you're writing comments and critiques about the games, and if you're providing attribution to the copyright holder. More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step is an Initial Consultation with an... View More
The novel's copyright was not renewed, and the author passed away in 2002. Would the dialogue be able to be adapted word for word in the screenplay and still be able to be protected by the Writers Guild of America and copyright laws?
answered on Mar 22, 2017
You may still be in violation of the copyright which can last well past the author's death. See: http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm
More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step is an Initial Consultation with an... View More
I already own a business/LLC in California, in the Entertainment field. I want to start a Record Label. I'm wondering if I need to start (or open) a new business/LLC for my new Record Label, or can I have it operate as a part of/under the business/LLC that I already have? The business/LLC I am... View More
answered on Mar 17, 2017
A merger/ acquisition may satisfy your needs. More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step is an Initial Consultation with an Attorney. You can read more about me, my credentials, awards, honors, testimonials, and media appearances/ publications... View More
My two colleagues and I hired a codirector/editor to document our story. He fulfilled his obligation but I don't like the final product. I want to take in a different direction but he won't give me the raw footage to work with. We used Kickstarter to raise money to pay him but he set it... View More
answered on Mar 15, 2017
Unfortunately it does not sound like you have a very good claim. The person who films or records anything is by default the copyright owner absent a written work for hire agreement. That is precisely why the co director/editor refused to sign a contract, so that he owns the result. You may have... View More
I wrote a comedy script years ago and registered it through the Writers Guild of America. It took some time to raise funds to shoot the pilot and by the time we did, another production put their concept with the same title online before we could. Did I lose out on using the title? I have a finished... View More
answered on Mar 5, 2017
You can use the title, provided that there are no prohibitions under unfair competition and trademark law, and both you and the owner of the other title are not members of the Motion Picture Association of America.
It seems the first sentence states they can use my material w/out compensation & that I waive any rights to it. Is this true? This is what it says.
"I am submitting material to you herewith. I hereby irrevocably waive, release and relinquish any and all claims which I or any... View More
answered on Feb 17, 2017
That sounds like a terrible contract for a writer to sign as it gives away all rights to a script for any price set by the buyer. Why would you sign that? More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step is an Initial Consultation with an Attorney.... View More
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