Entertainment Law on the Internet

(1). Initially, we should all understand there really is no specialty area specific to Entertainment Law. The practice of entertainment law is merely an amalgamation of contract, privacy, first amendment, tort and intellectual property law as it applies to the entertainment industry. Any attorney practicing within the entertainment field must surely be familiar with the various Guild Minimum Basic Agreements. Let's see how we can accomplish this with the Internet, and let's start with the writers. Go to the LawWorm.com Index page, click on "Entertainment Law," then click on WGA. Put your pointer over "WGA," on the left of the page, then click on "Health & Pension." Click on the www.wgaplans.org link. Next, Click on Contributions at the top of the page. Click on "General Instructions" at the bottom of the text. Scroll down to item 17 and read Applicable Health and Wealfre Contribution beginning 5-2-03. Hit the back tab on your browser to return to the "Producers-Writers Guild of America Pension Plan" front page, then close the page by clicking the "X" at the upper right of your screen, then hit ALT-TAB or click the LawWorm.com-mcle tab on your task bar to return to the course material.

a. Five percent of writer's compensation.
b. Six percent of writer's compensation.
c. Seven and one half percent of writer's compensation.


REMINDER: Always use your task bar or the Alt-Tab funtion to alternate between the course and the website you are/were working on.

(2). Return to the previous page. Click on the double arrow appearing after "For Writers," on the left of the page. Click on the "Schedule of Minimums," icon. Click on "Shedule of Minimums," link. Scroll down to page 9. Review the material under "Theatrical Budget Thresholds." Hit ALT-TAB to return to the course.

a. $ 1,000,000.00 or more.
b. $ 5,000,000.00 or more.
c. $ 10,000,000.00 or more.

(3). Return to the previous page. Scroll up to page 6 and read the values under "Theatrical Compensation, Fist period, 11-1-043 - 10-31-05. Return to the course material.

a. $ 53,256.00
b. $ 61, 705.00
c. $ 97, 015.00

(4). Return to the previous page. You have some questions on the credits issue of your writer client's creative rights. Click the double arrow to the right of "For Writers," on the left of the page. Click on the "Creative Rights for Writers," icon. Click on "How to Establish and Protect a Writer's Rights." Scroll down and read the material under "The Individual Contract - Above and Beyond the MBA. Return to the course material.

a. True.
b. False.

(5). Your client is an Internet company that wishes to hire a WGA member writer to author material which is intended for original use on the Internet. You must thus enter into a signatory agreement with the WGA before you can hire the WGA writer. Does such a sample agreement exist, and, if so, where can you find it? Start with the LawWorm.com Index page. Click on "Entertainment Law," then click on "Internet Writing Contract." Read the contract.

a. Pursuant to that established in the WGA Minimum Basic Agreement for free television writers subject to certain exceptions listed in the contract.
b. Pursuant to that established in the WGA Minimum Basic Agreement for low budget theatrical writers subject to certain exceptions listed in the contract.
c. Pursuant to that established in the WGA Minimum Basic Agreement for low budget theatrical writers subject to certain exceptions listed in the contract.


NOTE: THE GUILD OFFERS A SPECIAL CONTRACT FOR WRITING ON THE INTERNET AND MUST BE CONTACTED IN THIS REGARD. THE SAMPLE GIVEN HERE, ALBEIT FOR WRITING ON THE INTERNET PRIOR TO 2001, IS GIVEN AS A SAMPLE OF WHAT TO EXPECT AS THE CURRENT CONTRACT WILL BE MUCH THE SAME.

(6). Return to the previous page and again, refer to the "Internet Contract."

a. Twelve months.
b. Eighteen months.
c. Twenty-four months.

(7). Suppose you are negotiating an "above scale" deal for your client's already completed spec. screenplay. It would be nice to know what the production company/studio you are negotiating with has been paying for similar material presently and in the recent past. Where can you find such information on the Internet? Start with the LawWorm.com Index page, click on "Entertainment Law," then click on Done Deal. Next click on Archives on the left side of the page.

a. 1999.
b. 1998.
c. 1997.

(8). Wouldn't it be nice to readily have sample entertainment related agreements available to you on the Internet? Well, they are. Return to the previous page and click the "back" tab on your browser until you have returned to the "Done Deal" main page. Click "Examples" on the left side of the page.

a. Option Agreement.
b. Management Representation Agreement.
c. Rights Option.
d. Single Project Agreement
e. All of the above.

(9). Let's check out what is available on the Net from the Director's Guild. Start with the LawWorm.com Index page, click on "Entertainment Law" then click on DGA. Click on the "DGA" tab on the bottom of the page. Next click on "Basics" on the left side of the new page. Click on "Pension and Health" at the top of the new page. Click on "Here," then click on "Pension Plan" at the top of the new page. Scroll down to "Basic Plan." Read the information.

a. 60
b. 90
c. 120
d. 150
e. 180

(10). Return to the previous page. Once again click on "DGA" at the bottom of the page, then click on "Basics" on the left of the new page. Click on "Rate Cards" at the top of the new page. Scroll down and click on Television Minimums. Find the program rate for two hour prime. Click the "X" at the top right corner of your screen to close the pdf page. Return to course

a. $50,392.00.
b. $89,811.00.
c. $92,056.00.