Parody | Lemoine Law Firm

Crowdfunding – Preparation, Do’s and Don’ts

Author: Gano LemoineOn: Aug 18Categories: Brand development, Branding, Business Development, Copyright, Corporate Formalities, Corporate Governance, Entrepreneurs, LLC - Incorporation, Music Business, Music Licensing, Music Publishing, Novel Writing, Parody, Producing, Screenwriting, Television Production, Trademark, Trademarks, Uncategorized

Crowdfunding through sites like Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, Crowdfunder, and the like, is an increasingly popular method of funding a project, product or company. Those approaching a crowdfunding effort should prepare from a legal perspective long before...

Filmmaker & Creatives Business Practices – 4 Must Do’s

Author: Gano LemoineOn: Jun 04Categories: Business Development, Copyright, Corporate Formalities, Entrepreneurs, Fair Use, Film Producing, Filmmakers, Life Rights, LLC - Incorporation, Music, Music Business, Music Licensing, Music Publishing, Novel Writing, Parody, Producing, Public Domain, Publicity Rights, Screenwriting, Television Production, Trademark, Uncategorized

Aspiring filmmakers and creatives often let the contract and business details be an afterthought, thinking â€œthatâ€™s not fun. Or creative. And I donâ€™t have the budget for that un-fun, un-creative stuff.Â Iâ€™m working with my...

Ed Sullivan clip and the Fair Use Analysis

Author: Gano LemoineOn: May 04Categories: Copyright, Fair Use, Film Producing, Filmmakers, Life Rights, Music, Music Business, Music Licensing, Music Publishing, Novel Writing, Parody, Producing, Public Domain, Publicity Rights, Screenwriting, Television Production, Trademark, Uncategorized

A recent (March 2013) opinion by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (covering the West Coast and many of Western states) provides an excellent analysis of U.S. copyright law and the fair use defense. In SOFA Entertainment, Inc., v. Dodger Productions,...

You can’t afford NOT to hire an entertainment lawyer.

Author: Gano LemoineOn: Feb 26Categories: Business Development, Copyright, Corporate Formalities, Entrepreneurs, Fair Use, Film Producing, Filmmakers, Life Rights, LLC - Incorporation, Music, Music Business, Music Licensing, Music Publishing, Novel Writing, Parody, Privacy Rights, Producing, Public Domain, Publicity Rights, Screenwriting, Television Production, Trademark, Uncategorized

I often receive calls from creatives with business and legal questions about their project. Many thinly funded project leaders balk when they find out that an attorney (including yours truly) charges from $375 per hour and upÂ – to negotiate...

Screenplay Adaptation, w/ Pilar Alessandra, and ME!

Author: Gano LemoineOn: Dec 04Categories: Copyright, Fair Use, Film Producing, Filmmakers, Life Rights, Novel Writing, Parody, Privacy Rights, Producing, Public Domain, Publicity Rights, Screenwriting, Television Production, Trademark

Sign up for Pilar Alessandr’aScreenplay Adaptation Workshop on December 12th, and get a special bonus… ME! December 12th, 7PM to 10:30PM, in Sherman Oaks, CA. Screenwriting teacher Pilar Alessandra will instruct on the screen adaptation of...

Are you treating it like a business?

Author: Gano LemoineOn: Nov 16Categories: Business Development, Copyright, Corporate Formalities, Corporate Governance, Entrepreneurs, Fair Use, Film Producing, Filmmakers, Life Rights, LLC - Incorporation, Music, Music Business, Music Licensing, Music Publishing, Novel Writing, Parody, Privacy Rights, Producing, Public Domain, Publicity Rights, Screenwriting, Television Production, Trademark, Uncategorized

My legal practice is a mix of business clients and entertainment clients, so I come across many people that are growing their endeavor from an early stage. That early stage is frequently a natural progression from a unique combination of passion, interest...

“Percy Jackson” film not substantially similar…

Author: Gano LemoineOn: Sep 16Categories: Copyright, Fair Use, Film Producing, Filmmakers, Parody, Public Domain, Screenwriting, Television Production

Yet another example of how a similar idea – perhaps a VERY similar idea, is insufficient basis for a successful copyright infringement or idea theft lawsuit. It is the very specific execution of the idea that is protectable, NOT the idea itself...

Parody, Fair Use, Or Copyright Infringement?

Author: Gano LemoineOn: Oct 26Categories: Copyright, Fair Use, Film Producing, Filmmakers, Parody, Producing, Public Domain, Publicity Rights, Screenwriting, Television Production, Trademark, Uncategorized

A recent question asked whether a project was a permissible “parody” of a preexisting work, or whether the project was too close to the original and was therefore an impermissible rip off – a/k/a copyright infringement. The answer can...