Learn the Legal Lingo...Save Yourself.

For anyone starting his or her own production company, you need to learn the legal lingo. You also need to be aware of what is going on in the entertainment world, legally, to keep yourself safe and protected.

Before you go any further, check out the podcasts of Lawyer2Lawyer.

If you ever use any music in your films, you need to get permission. I cannot stress this point enough. Going a step further, you need to be aware of what is going on in the music industry. Because of the 1976 Copyright Act, there is a new legal battle over song rights. Knowing this will help you be able to figure out what songs are too messy to be able to use right now. Knowing your copyright acts will allow you to keep your copyrights in tact and legal! For more information on this, check out Lawyer2Lawyer’s podcast “The New Legal Battle Over Song Rights.”

Another big concern for your company, legally, is social media. This can be your biggest asset or your biggest downfall. Have you ever heard the phrase “you can’t take it back?” That applies, more than anything, to things put on the Internet. Set up In Lawyer2Lawyer’s podcast “Legal Issues Surrounding Social Media,” some great ideas were presented. Set up Google alerts to see when your name, or your company’s name is posted anywhere. If anything negative is posted, you can contact that person to get it down. Save the e-mail message in case this defamation needs any more legal matter. Do not put anything up on personal social networking sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, photos or messages that would dilute the value of your brand. The privacy settings are never as private as you wish and your valued customers, and audiences will find them. Be constantly aware and updated on your online presence. Make the social networking sites work for you, not against you.

Another big thing talked about by Lawyer2Lawyer in their podcast “The Legal Issue of Blogs, Fair Use and Attribution,” is Fair Use. Get to know Fair Use here. Write blogs, they are great at updating your audience on what is coming up with your production company. It will keep your company and your upcoming movies fresh in the minds of the readers. However, make sure that what you are writing, whatever it may be, gives credit to whoever’s work you use. If you post a funny picture on your Twitter page, let everyone know where you got that picture. If you add music to the background of your website, get permission! If you quote an article written about your company, you need to give credit.

It may seem tedious. But you need to protect yourself. You do not what to be caught up in legal issues surrounding copyrights. Better safe than sorry. Use the resources given to you, such as Lawyer2Lawyer’s podcasts. Now go Google yourself!

Legal Controversies in the Entertainment Industry

One of the biggest controversies to hit television this year was Charlie Sheen.  Charlie Sheen was an actor on the CBS sitcom, Two and a Half Men.  He created a lot of problems with his drug abuse and the show was put on hiatus to send him to rehab.  Shortly there after he made some nasty comments about the creator and the studio (Warner Bros.), prompting Sheen to be fired.  Legal battles ensued after Charlie Sheen being let go.  Recently the legal woes came to an end, but it definitely let the rest of the industry know that they are entitled to pay someone for the work they did.  For more information on the outcome, check out the Los Angles Times article, Charlie Sheen's Legal Dispute Over 'Two and a Half Men' Ends.

Another controversy that struck the entertainment industry this year was Lady Gaga and her “benefit” bracelets.  Basically consumers are saying that they bought these bracelets thinking they were going towards a charity and in reality, Lady Gaga was making quite a profit off of them.  Consumer Protection laws are put in place to help prevent this sort of thing from happening.  These bracelets were to help those in Japan after the earthquake.  And while some of the profits probably made it there, why was she profiting off these bracelets?  This particular lawsuit really gets my fire going.  She makes so much money in her own sales that she has the ability to lend her name to a relief fund over a tragedy.  It bothers me that anyone would want to profit off of that, especially without the public who adores here knowing!  Read more about the lawsuit at Reuters, and how there are people out there looking out for the consumer protection.  The article, reported by Jill Serjeant, Lady Gaga Sued Over Japan Earthquake Charity Bracelets, also shares about how the Michigan legal network, 1800LAWFIRM, is the one that pointed out this allegation.

But of all the controversy happening this past year, my favorite would have to be the reality-stars, the Kardashian’s debit card scandal.  Kim, Khloe, and Kortney, who are unbelievably famous for basically nothing, signed on to have their brand (face/name) but lent to this company to make these debit cards.  But when they heard that the cards had outrageous fees, they pulled out of the deal, and lawsuits followed shortly after.  This could have been avoided if they were to know exactly what they were signing up for beforehand. I believe they should pay the money and move on.  Watch the video, Credit Card Company Sues for Kardashian Kash, and decide for yourself.  I found the Kardashian video posted at newsy.com.

In reality, we’re going to be going through controversy for as long as this industry continues.  But knowing the rules, the laws, and the fine print will help in the long run.

Resource: SBA.GOV

Starting your business, especially in the film industry, can be nerve-racking.  The U.S. Small Business Administration is a great website to start with.  It will help you tackle what you need, where to get it, and answer questions you might not have realized you had.

This website, SBA.GOV, has some really great tips and information.  There is a great place to start, Starting a Small Business.  Sometimes it is hard to remember that even if it is a movie production company, it is still a business.  You still need to file taxes, hire staff and gain a profit.  Hopefully one day your small business will turn into a huge corporation.

One of the best tips for beginners is writing a business plan.  Get your ideas down on paper.  SBA.GOV suggests finding a niche and using market research, tables and graphs as well as surveys to help find what is needed in your market.  Using your creativity and well thought out business ideas will help strengthen your business in the long run.  There are also templates available if you need that extra help getting started.

Another big thing that I have utilized on this great website is the checklist they provide to help you secure a loan.  Getting the money to start your business is key.  Many businesses will fail if there is not enough money to help them grow.  Check out their business loan application checklist page for more details.

Even after spending a great deal of time researching and detailing everything you need for a new business, it can never hurt to have a mentor to go to for advice.  You can check out local resources as well to help you.  But the best advice anyone can ever give you is to research, research, and don’t forget to do your research!  Be prepared, and good luck!

Example of the Necessity in Public Image

Recently there was a tragedy at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.  Right after singer Sara Bareilles went on stage, and right before Sugarland took the stage, it collapsed from strong winds.  If you haven’t had a chance to hear about the awful incident, take a minute to read through Indiana News Center’s article regarding the tragedy that took seven lives and injured so many more.

While this is an event worth dissecting in and of itself, I want to focus on what happened afterwards.  Being that this was a State Fair there were many acts scheduled to appear at this same Grandstand location this past summer.  The week following the catastrophe, Janet Jackson, Lady Antebellum, and Maroon 5 with Train were all scheduled to perform on different nights.

When discussing the total image of an artist when thinking about management, there is more to look at then whether or not they are physically appealing and can sing significantly well.  Like it or not, how they are perceived by the public with their decisions is a great part of their success.

I will not condemn Janet Jackson and Lady Antebellum for cancelling their shows and offering refunds because that was best for them and their decisions did not negatively affect them.  However, Maroon 5 and Train chose to not only keep their concert in Indianapolis, they moved it to a new venue and donated the proceeds.

The Indiana State Fair website had this to say about it,

“Train and Maroon 5 are donating 100 percent of their performance fee while both the Indiana State Fair and Pacers Sports and Entertainment, who manage Conseco Fieldhouse, are also donating their entire proceeds from the concert to the Indiana State Fair Remembrance Fund. Furthermore, in order to make this concert possible volunteers from the Conseco Fieldhouse full and part time staff, members of IATSE Local 30 Stagehands, ESG Security, Levy Restaurants and others are all volunteering their efforts to work at this important community remembrance event. The Women of Faith are also to be commended for re-arranging their set up schedule for their upcoming event at Conseco Fieldhouse so that the remembrance concert can take place.”

Following that decision, the bands were whole-heartedly supported for that decision.  Their current albums were selling out around the county.  This is just an example of why it is important to choose artists to manage that support the public as well as the public supporting them.  If you get a chance, check out both Maroon 5 and Train to support them for helping with this Indiana heartache.

Negotiation Advice: Interview with Cassidy Moody.

When thinking about your own future in the industry, it always helps to get the perspective from those already working and dealing within the industry. One thing quickly overlooked when asking for advice from those working in the industry, is asking about negotiation.

I had a chance to sit down and talk with Morning News Producer, Cassidy Moody, from KSDK, the NBC news affiliate from St. Louis. When asking about negotiations, I noticed that emotions are running high in St. Louis.

The kind of negotiations that he does mostly involve the stories that are going to be aired; about their lengths and subject matter. The negotiations happen often with the executive producer and require quite a bit of give and take.

Mr. Moody stated during this interview, more then you’d imagine, that emotions run negotiations. Get yours under control, or you will always be fighting an uphill battle with professionalism. He goes on to explain that anger makes it hard to get your point across and can distract from the point.

The best way he deals with his emotions are knowing a lot of background information before even speaking to the executive producer. Game theory works really well for him too, because he knows the people that he is going to be negotiating with on a regular basis. Cassidy Moody says, “Sometimes negotiations are a game, you got to play the game.”

Okay, so it’s a game, and we are all spending a lot of time learning how to play this game to the best of our ability. I asked Cassidy for some advice on how to be a better negotiator, and he said, “Learn to separate who the people are from the negotiation itself and be informed so you can present your argument well.”

Cassidy Moody had a lot of great advice. You always learn something more when talking to those actually working within the industry. Take time to hear what people have to say, and understand that with negotiations, you’re looking for the best outcome for both parties, not just yourself. Good luck with your future negotiations!

Twitter's Invaluable Resources

Its been said before, and I’m going to say it again. You cannot live without the knowledge of those that came before you. One of the greatest tools we have these days is Twitter. If you’re not already a member, sign up at www.twitter.com for a free account. There are several film producers that have twitter accounts. Start your journey there.

A film producer I greatly admire is Kevin Smith. Following him can result in a lot of personal quips you might not care about, but he puts things out there like sneak peeks at what he’s working on, or where you can catch him next for a meet and greet. For instance, on July 18^th he told the twitterverse that he would be attending Comic Con. Knowing where people are that you want to emulate, in a very appropriate manner, will result in a better opportunity to get a quick interview in with that producer.

Fimmaker David Lynch posts great articles worth checking out as well as places to go for discussion on important topics within the industry. One of the most influential things that could happen to you is when Lynch does a Q and A. He will answer questions from his followers with the ending of #lynchqa where you could ask valuable questions. Twitter allows you to be connected to those you aspire to be like in the industry, as well as those whose knowledge is inevitably greater than yours since you are just starting out.

Commercial director, Dan Trachtenburg, has some of the best content I have run across. Just over a year ago he posted this, @dannytrs “Great advice for aspiring directors-RT @MakingOf:Dir Anne Fletcher discusses her path in the industry http://bit.ly/65Q9vP” Coming across articles like this one can lead you to other influential people to follow on twitter.

Having information at your fingertips in the form of past experience and knowledge is invaluable to someone just starting their own venture as a film producer or entrepreneur. And if you get a minute, connect with me at @jessicaroachFSU!

Screenwriting Tips

There is a lot of creativity coming out of new moviemakers. This is great, needed even, but we all have to keep in mind some simple truths about movies. While you need to be true to yourself, there are a lot of articles out there with tips to help you and guide you in your screenwriting process.

The Sunday Times wrote an article entitled “Ten tips for writing your own movie.” Their number one listed tip was “watch and learn.” This has to be the most important. Know what came before you. Pete Daly, the author, wrote, “It is essential to view as many films as possible, good and bad.” This is important if you want to be creative and original. Allow the great works, and oftentimes the not so great works, to inspire your own creativity. One of the last tips Daly wrote was to be original.

“These are general guidelines. But you must be true to yourself and your vision. Don’t simply copy others. Good movies stand out because they dare to be different, whether it be the tongue in cheek tone of The Big Lebowski or the reimagining of the Brit gangster flick in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”

Go back through his article and really take note of his rules, “watch and learn, don’t show off, structure, the story must have a point, if its not 90 minutes then there must be a good reason, choose your protagonist, make an impression, avoid being linear, be original and you’ve either got it or you haven’t.”

Once you’ve got the basic outline of that article down, head on over to screenwritingforhollywood.com. They have published an article entitled “12 screenwriting tips for beginners.” This is a must read.

One of their best tips is number three,

“Read screenplays for movies you’ve seen. You can get through most screenplays in less than two hours. The more you read them, the more ingrained that formula will be and the better you’ll understand the relationship between the screenplay and the final production.”

You cannot have enough knowledge of what came before you.

Pay close attention to the great advice given in numbers 8-10,

“Master the art of writing. Study grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, and voice. Learn how to write a comprehensive sentence and a compelling paragraph. By cultivating better writing, you’ll strengthen your screenplay and acquire the skills you need to sell it (writing proposals, treatments, and queries).

Get it written. Yes, you should study the craft and spend time sketching ideas, but ultimately, you have to sit down and write your screenplay.

Edit, proof, revise. Repeat. Repeat again. And again. One more time… It doesn’t matter if you’ve written the great American novel, an article for the tabloids, or a term paper. You should always polish your work carefully.”

Knowing how to write is half the battle. But most important of all is to just write. Get it on paper, no matter how long it takes. You can become the next great American Screenwriter, but not if you don’t start somewhere! Pick up a book on screenwriting, and rent as many movies as you can! Get acclimated with your industry. Most importantly, have fun!!