Dentons Entertainment & Media Law Signal Podcast Series

In this episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal Podcast Series, Bob Tarantino speaks with Media and Entertainment Partner, Jim Russell and antitrust and foreign investment Partner, Adam S. Goodman about regulatory (foreign investment) considerations that need to be taken into account when a film, TV or other entertainment related business is being bought or sold in Canada.

In this episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal podcast, Bob Tarantino speaks with Helen Park about immigration issues affecting foreign national workers in the industry. While there have been ongoing changes and more are expected, Helen provides insight on the current policies in place and offers guidance for people travelling into Canada from different jurisdictions. If you would like to discuss this podcast or an immigration-related issue regarding your production, please contact Bob Tarantino or Helen Park.

In this installment of our Entertainment Law Building Blocks Series, Bob Tarantino and articling student Karin Kazakevich are joined by Media and Entertainment Partner, Jim Russell, to discuss key elements of production financing. In this episode they review the common sources of financing in Canada and tackle subjects such as tax credits, bank loans, completion bonds and production financing plans.

Listen in to hear about the differences between option agreements, shopping agreements and attachment agreements, along with practical takeaways in drafting and negotiating.

With this newest installment of our Entertainment Law Building Blocks Series, Bob Tarantino and articling student Karin Kazakevich are back to discuss foundational elements in the practice of entertainment law. In this episode, they discuss clearances and permissions and dive into questions such as what even is a clearance and how do you get one? How do you make a movie about someone's life? And what does having E&O insurance really mean?

In this new series, Bob Tarantino and articling student Karin Kazakevich discuss foundational elements in the practice of entertainment law. In today's episode, they dive into a deeper conversation about content ownership and questions such as who actually owns the final film? What is “title” and why do we track it? And who really has creative control?

Are you in law school or are a new grad thinking of making the move into entertainment law? Listen in as Bob Tarantino chats with the newest member of Dentons Media and Entertainment team, Stephanie Provato, on how she found her niche in the media and entertainment space and tips for how you can too. Even if your law school doesn't directly offer media and entertainment courses, hear about ways you can proactively position yourself to be ready to confidently enter the industry.

In this episode, Bob Tarantino and David Steinberg continue the discussion about the use of music in film and TV projects, with a focus on licensing pre-existing music. Find out when sync and master use licenses are needed (and when they're not) and what potential limitations and pitfalls can be posed by the terms of such licenses.

In today's episode, Bob Tarantino and David Steinberg review the collision between the two worlds of film/television and music along with the importance of understanding the specific terminology associated with each. They will dive deep into discussion around publishing rights and master recording rights to help producers gain clarity on the phraseology between the two industries.

When producing in Canada, it's common to consider our country's tax credits when financing the deal. When those credits are assigned outright or as collateral to another party in the contract, it's important to protect your interests.   In this episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal podcast, Bob Tarantino speaks with Jim Russell and Ken Kraft to dissect the https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2020/2020onsc5651/2020onsc5651.html (Grosvenor v Arc decision), which offers useful insights for anyone advancing money against tax credits. Our team discusses the key takeaways that underscore the importance of registering assignments of accounts and security interests under the PPSA. And, as a best practice, be sure to pay close attention to standard subordination agreements to ensure your party's priority collateral interests are defined and reserved.   If you would like to discuss this podcast, please contact https://www.dentons.com/en/jim-russell (Jim Russell), https://www.dentons.com/en/kenneth-kraft (Ken Kraft) or https://www.dentons.com/en/bob-tarantino (Bob Tarantino).

When preparing to become a lawyer, it's important to test drive a few practice areas to find your perfect fit. Entertainment law, for example, sounds entertaining, but capturing opportunities comes with hard work at a fast pace. As a follow-up to our hit episode http://www.entertainmentmedialawsignal.com/careers-in-canadian-entertainment-law/ (Careers in Canadian Entertainment Law) (Part 1), Bob Tarantino and Caitlin Choi speak with a few of our Dentons Canada summer students about what it's like to practice entertainment law. In this special episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal podcast, our lawyers-in-training flip the script and ask our hosts their questions – from whether it's best to specialize or be a Jack/Jill of all trades, to what's the most interesting thing about their practice, to whether you need a creative background to succeed in the industry. One thing is for certain – there's no one-size-fits-all approach to becoming a successful lawyer. Bob and Caitlin share their experience and offer guidance for anyone looking to find their niche. If you would like to discuss this podcast and what it takes to practice Entertainment law, please contact https://www.dentons.com/en/bob-tarantino (Bob Tarantino) or https://www.dentons.com/en/caitlin-choi (Caitlin Choi).

Now that film and television production is opening up across Canada, how is talent getting across the border? Pre-pandemic, cast and crew from the US could cross the border into Canada for production with ease (generally), but as the case numbers between our countries continue to vary drastically, enhanced control measures are being enforced that affect work permits and include quarantine plans. In this episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal podcast, Bob Tarantino and Caitlin Choi ask Helen Park about immigration issues around film and television production taking place in Canada. While the details change on a daily basis, Helen shares her insight on what she has seen so far and offers guidance to producers on what steps they should take when planning to get someone across the border. If you would like to discuss this podcast or an immigration-related issue regarding your production, please contact Helen Park, Bob Tarantino or Caitlin Choi.

Canada is a prime destination for studios and alternative media content producers to enjoy our country's mature tax credits and attractive currency. “Hollywood North” is multicultural and multifunctional – there is availability of crews, studio space, local production and talents, whether they be actors, directors, editors or producers. While audiences sit back and enjoy the final product, there's a lot of work that happens behind the scenes – including lots of legal. In this episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal podcast, Bob Tarantino speaks with Ken Dhaliwal and Caitlin Choi about their career paths. The pair look back on their experience of how they became entertainment lawyers, what their practices look like today, and offer some tips for anyone interested in the profession. If you would like to discuss this podcast and what it takes to practice Entertainment law, please contact Ken Dhaliwal, Bob Tarantino or Caitlin Choi.

Morals clauses come in all different shapes and sizes. Did you know that we can trace the history of morals clauses back to 1920s Hollywood when movie studios tried to insulate themselves from scandals surrounding actors and their off-screen behaviour by giving them a contractual “out”? Fast-forward to today, where there are now reverse morals clauses, allowing the celebrity/performer to terminate the arrangement if the company is associated in a scandal. With so many options available, it's best to understand the basics. In this episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal podcast, Bob Tarantino and Caitlin Choi provide you with the Five W's of drafting morals clauses – What, When, Where, Who, “…and then What" – and discuss a case about a morals clause that went all the way to the Ontario Court of Appeal. If you would like further information on what makes a good morals clause, read our related blog post, or contact Bob Tarantino or Caitlin Choi.

During a global pandemic, we are now generally accustomed to delayed deliveries – from our household essentials, to late-night impulse purchases – but what about the content we rely on to entertain us in an extended quarantine? Every producer that has a license agreement with a distributor, broadcaster or an SVOD service has an obligation to complete and deliver their content in accordance with the defined schedule. While productions have shut down in this current environment, producers have had to adjust those dates and improvise where possible to deliver content that will feed an almost-parched pipeline. In this episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal podcast, Bob Tarantino and Caitlin Choi speak with David Steinberg, who has been helping film and television producers deal with the challenges of delivery during the pandemic. David shares helpful provisions for renegotiating agreements, and looks ahead to the future hurdles content producers may face in the second, third, etc. waves of issues that will arise to due COVID-19. If you would like to discuss this podcast, a COVID-related delay to your delivery obligations or renegotiating a license agreement, please contact David Steinberg, Bob Tarantino or Caitlin Choi.