Media and Entertainment Law: Contracts and Intellectual Property

Objectives:

• To provide students with an understanding of the key legal concepts and principles in media and entertainment law, focusing on contracts and intellectual property.
• To equip students with the knowledge to navigate the legal frameworks in media, entertainment, and related industries.
• To analyze real-world case studies involving media contracts and intellectual property issues.
• To develop the ability to evaluate and draft basic media and entertainment contracts.

Introduction to Media and Entertainment Law

• Overview of Media and Entertainment Law
  • Definition and scope of media law
  • Key areas of law: copyright, trademarks, contracts, privacy, and defamation
  • The role of contracts in media and entertainment industries
• Importance of Intellectual Property (IP) in media and entertainment
  • Types of IP: Copyright, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets
  • How IP rights affect the creative process
  • Key stakeholders in media IP (producers, artists, content distributors)

Media Contracts – Basics and Key Components

• Understanding Media Contracts
  • Types of contracts in media (e.g., talent agreements, licensing, distribution, production)
  • Key elements of a contract: Offer, acceptance, consideration, mutual consent
• Negotiation and Drafting
  • Common clauses in media contracts (e.g., rights granted, compensation, duration, territorial limits)
  • Sample clauses: confidentiality, indemnity, and dispute resolution
• Enforcement and Breach of Contract
  • What happens when a contract is breached
  • Remedies and defenses in media contract disputes

Intellectual Property and Media

• Copyright Law
  • Overview of copyright and its significance in the media industry
  • What can be copyrighted (e.g., music, films, books, software)
  • Duration and ownership of copyright
• Trademarks and Media
  • Understanding trademarks in media and entertainment
  • Protection of logos, brand names, and product names
  • Licensing and infringement issues
• Fair Use and Permissions
  • What constitutes fair use in the media context
  • Licensing agreements and obtaining rights for content usage

Case Studies and Real-World Applications

• Case Studies in Media Contracts
  • Review of landmark cases in media contracts
  • Analysis of successful and failed media deals
• IP Disputes in Media
  • Famous intellectual property disputes in the entertainment industry
  • How IP is protected and enforced in different countries
• Drafting and Negotiating Real-World Contracts
  • Mock negotiation of a media contract (e.g., film production agreement, licensing agreement)
  • Key takeaways from the course: best practices for contract drafting and IP management

DATE:
1ST BATCH: 28th – 31st Jan, 2025
2ND BATCH: 20th – 23rd May, 2025
3RD BATCH: 1st – 4th Sept, 2025