Entertainment Law

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that entertainment law is a diverse field of law that integrates contracts and intellectual property law, which includes every book, movie script, theatrical performance, sound recording and television show. The author points out that the language and arrangements in entertainment law contracts between a royalty earning party, such as a recording artist and a royalty paying party, such as the production company, between a producer and a production company and between a record label distributor and an artist, producer and/or production company are varied and complex. The paper concludes that the protection for artists provided by entertainment law is a valuable asset when used correctly; therefore, artists should be encouraged to seek legal help when negotiating contracts and entertainment lawyers should be careful to examine fully the complex details and implications of these contracts.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Royalties
Mechanical Royalties
Performance Royalties
Synchronization Fees
Print Music Income
Understanding Royalties
Negotiating a Contract
Copyright
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In May 2004, State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer negotiated a deal with the leading U.S. recording companies that returned nearly $50 million in unclaimed royalties to thousands of performers. The agreement was made after a two-year investigation by Spitzer's office, which found that many artists and writers were not being paid royalties because record companies did not maintain contact with the performers and had stopped making required payments. This problem affected both star entertainers with numerous hit recordings and ambiguous musicians who may have had only one recording."

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