Film & Publishing

CMX's Film & Publishing practice represents a wide range of clients in the film and publishing industry from creative talent agreements and contracts to production, distribution, syndication, broadcast, and financing. We help creative talent evaluate, strategize, negotiate creative talent agreements and counsel on industry practices. We provide transactional legal support ranging from studio and network deals to independent creative projects. We work closely with a client’s other professional advisors on all matters.

CMX lawyers negotiate film financing agreements, including development, production, “negative pick-up,” distribution, and acquisition agreements; and negotiate territorial pre-sale, private equity, secured transactions, and other forms of financing. We negotiate options and otherwise secure rights necessary for our clients to move projects forward in all media and advise on structure and documentation for private placements to raise financing for individual film and publishing projects. CMX lawyers help clients navigate the regulatory environment when they seek crowdfunding for their projects or companies.

For CMX's film and publishing clients, we develop and protect copyright, trademark, publicity, and other intellectual property rights, and we review books, screenplays, film, television, and online content for defamation, infringement, and other risks. We negotiate rights agreements, foreign rights agreements and licensing agreements.

CMX lawyers identify and exploit ancillary revenue opportunities for our clients from international distribution agreements, branded entertainment, sponsorships, commercial tie-ins, media appearances, mobile entertainment, Internet films, video games, music videos, merchandising, and licensing. We also use our relationships and knowledge of industry customs to negotiate and structure employment contracts with competitive salary, bonus, and severance provisions.

CMX also actively negotiates various ownership and intellectual property rights issues and disputes whether with principles or with independent organizations, such as the Writers Guild.

Please contact Marvin Miller with any inquiries you may have.