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By: Law Offices of Mark Litwak & Associates

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Christian Charles, a writer and director, and well-known comedian Jerry Seinfeld, had collaborated on various projects. During one of their conversations, Charles suggested to Seinfeld that they create a television show based on the concept of two friends talking and driving. In 2011, Seinfeld allegedly mentioned to Charles that he was considering a talk show about “comedians driving in a car to a coffee place and just ‘chatting,'” as his next project. They then purportedly…
California has given the green light to resume production under new health protocols meant to minimize transmission of the Coronavirus. The protocols were agreed to by a task force of studios and union officials who drafted a 22-page White Paper setting forth guidelines. However, shooting is subject to approval by county public health officials at the locations for each shoot.  The changes in production include elimination of buffet-style meals, greater sanitation and disinfection of equipment, and…
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I am returning to present my Risky Business Seminar for New York Lawyers for the Arts but this year because of Covid 19 crisis it will be in the form of a webinar. Although for the past 15 years I have been presenting this as an all day seminar, we have broken it up into two parts done over two days as a webinar on Zoom. For all of you who have wanted to attend…
Mark was recently interviewed on the National Public Radio’s program Marketplace about the exhibition of films on Amazon Prime that were selected to be screened at the SXSW festival, before it was cancelled due to COVID-19. While Amazon is to be commended for offering this showcase, participating in such a virtual film festival is a mixed blessing for filmmakers.  For some filmmakers, especially those with short films, it might give them exposure they otherwise would never…
The movie and television industries have been devastated by the COVID-19 virus. Almost all production has been halted, theaters have shuttered and cast and crew have been furloughed or terminated. Delivery of films to networks and streaming outlets have been delayed and, in some instances, productions may never resume.   If a producer was in the middle of a shoot when forced to shut down, it may be impossible to restart, because the cast and crew…
Like a story in a low budget horror movie, the corona-virus outbreak is having a dramatic impact on the movie industry. Theaters in New York and Los Angeles have been shuttered, premieres have been cancelled and major industry events like SXSW and Cannes are being cancelled or postponed. Production has largely been halted, although some development and post-production work is being done remotely. On-location filming has been halted within Los Angeles County by order of…
​The Hollywood Reporter has published a story that major studios risk losing their franchise rights to major 80’s films like Terminator, Friday the 13th and Who Framed Roger Rabbit because authors have the right to terminate grants to their work and regain ownership under copyright law. Under U.S. copyright law, authors (or, if the authors are not alive, their surviving spouses, children, or executors), can “terminate” copyright assignments they have previously made in certain circumstances and…