Monthly Archives: October 2011
How much copying is copying?
A New York federal judge has dismissed a copyright lawsuit that claimed 20th Century Fox, the Walt Disney Co. and others involved in the making of the Percy Jackson series of novels and film lifted material from a series of young-adult books. The lawsuit was filed in May 2010 by Robyn and Tony DiTocco, authors of [...]
Why you need a Corporation, LLC, or other Business Entity
When starting a business in Florida, Tennessee, New York, or really any other place imaginable, the first and perhaps most important investment you will make will be in forming a business entity. There are a variety of business entities from which one can choose, such as a C- Corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), S-Corporation, [...]
Writer Employment Agreement & Work-For-Hire
Every writer needs an employment agreement with the filmmaker or production company for which they will be writing. The main parts of this agreement are what will the writer be required to write or edit, the allowed time period for completion of the project, associated compensation, and the overall ownership of the writing. To start [...]
Music Copyrights
Music copyrights can be confusing. To try and simplify, lets start with the basics. There are two copyrights in every musical work: the PA copyright and the SR copyright. The PA copyright is the copyright in the underlying musical composition. Notes, chords, lyrics, arrangement, etc. The SR copyright is the copyright in the specific sound [...]
Web Entertainment Theft Bill
Earlier this year, the legislature of the State of Tennessee passed HB 1783, otherwise known as the “Web Entertainment Theft Bill.” This new law makes it a crime, for a person to log into another person’s entertainment service account, such Netflix, Rhapsody, or Major League Baseball’s annual pass, and view or listen to the subsequent [...]
Being a Professional Musician 101
Getting gigs is the lifeblood for any band or other entertainment act. Not only is it the artist’s best revenue stream, but performing in front of thousands of people is an unmatched thrill. However, playing gigs is not just showing up 20 minutes before the artist’s set. There are a lot of professional people involved, [...]