We have more than 50 media and entertainment lawyers worldwide advising clients on all aspects of project and asset financing, as well as production and distribution of films and television programs.
We represent both financiers and borrowers for film and television projects, ranging from micro-budget indie films to long-form TV productions costing more than $100 million; we perform a broad scope of legal work on behalf of film and television studios, production companies, distributors, sales agencies, broadcasters, TV networks, cable networks, platforms, talent, and other content creators.
The film and television industry is not for the faint of heart. Even the cheapest film carries a hefty price tag, and “getting to yes” isn’t necessarily easier when the budgets are smaller. Every new film or TV project is like a start-up, with many of the same challenges inherent in beginning a new enterprise from scratch – not to mention the proverbial tensions between the “money men” and the “creatives” that must be addressed (eventually) if an idea is to ever become a reality. But no project can move forward without the financing.
We advise all types of financiers, including many banks, capital groups, and public funding bodies that are among the most active investors in film and TV production. These include Coutts & Co, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC, Barclays, Natixis Coficiné, Pinewood, the British Film Institute, BBC Films, The Bureau Film Company, and Three Point Capital.
We are especially well known for our work advising senior lenders on complex “gap” finance arrangements – lending against UK and U.S. tax credits for film and television production – as well as our ability to navigate the most challenging international production and distribution financing structures (including those for single picture, slate, and library financings). We also handle a huge volume of tax-based financings for many players in the industry, including lenders, arrangers, producers, broadcasters, guarantors, and film distributors.
On the production and distribution side of deals, our clients include Academy Award®-winning filmmakers and the creators of some of the most successful television series ever produced. A select team of our film and television lawyers advise on all aspects of production and distribution. Their work ranges from preparing and negotiating development, rights, talent, crew, and location agreements to advising on the structuring of production/acquisition finance (including advice on tax-based incentives) and negotiating completion guarantees, interparty agreements, sales agency agreements, and distribution and licensing agreements across all platforms.
Our distribution experience extends beyond theatrical exhibition and broadcasting into new media platforms. Also, the exploitation of format, merchandising, and publishing rights is familiar territory for us. We are particularly experienced in helping clients deal with music and other copyright collection societies.
