Movie Law Law and Legal Definition
The personal service agreement is a primary legal instrument in the movie industry. This agreement is negotiated between an artist and a company that manufactures, promotes, and distributes the artist's goods or services. The agreement often binds the artist to produce for one company for a certain period of time. Personal service agreements are often governed by statutes, and are often the subject of litigation because they restrict the rights of artists to perform or create for any entity except the company with whom they have contracted.
Another primary contract in the entertainment industry is the contract for rights. This contract often involves a transfer of copyright ownership or a license to use certain creative property (e.g., a film or photo). A license is a contract through which the artist or copyright holder grants certain rights to another party. For instance, a novelist might grant a license to a film studio to create a screenplay based on a novel. A license specifies the fee or royalty to be paid to the artist, the exact scope of use of the copyrighted material, and the time period for which the company may use the material, as well as any other conditions the parties agree to attach to the license
U.S. copyright law contains provisions specifically directed at the entertainment industry. Related areas of law include first amendment law, telecommunications law, sports law, and all areas of intellectual property law.
