Most professional musicians, artists, or other entertainers contract their services through a so-called “Loan-Out Company.” Nevertheless, I have discovered a lot of confusion amongst these same professionals about why they established a Loan-Out Company in the first place, or whether establishing a Loan-Out Company is...
In the music industry, at least in the US, most producer agreements, session musician agreements, and other similar work-for-hire situations will contain language generally stating that you “hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive all Moral Rights or droit moral.” Moral Rights are not tied directly to...
The rules around sampling music have been mystifying musicians since the enactment of the Copyright Act of 1976. While copyright laws regarding how to clear a sample often seem straightforward when discussed in the abstract, the ability to tell wrong from right when you’re experiencing...
I'm sure you’ve heard of the expression “Two heads are better than one. Three better than two,” and so on. This is most likely the case when it comes to creative works. For example in music, most of your favorite jams have several writers, a...
DISCLAIMER: This article is not intended as legal advice, as an attorney specializing in the field should be consulted. Let’s face it, we’re living in a digital age, whether we want to accept it or not. There are plenty of pros and just as many cons,...
Artists do not like discussing contracts, period, and one of the harder ones to address is the band member contract because it can feel like it acknowledges a certain level of distrust or at least a certain amount of realization that the band is going...
Recently, hashtags have become important tools for driving online interaction between entertainers and consumers on social media. The law is still being developed in this area, but the increased use of hashtags has nevertheless gotten the attention of brands and companies, who have rushed to...
These days, the barriers to entry for starting a record label are practically nothing. Many labels have been formed by someone saying “Ok, I have a record label.” Ultimately, signing up for Soundcloud and creating a Facebook page technically makes you a record label. It’s obvious...
For an up-and-coming artist, the first person they bring onto the team is usually a friend who believes in the music, and will do his or her best to help the artist however he or she can. That may come in the form of booking...
The film industry has expanded well beyond traditional studios, as modern technology provides anyone with a phone, the ability to shoot and post videos online for online public consumption. At the same time, new financing methods have opened the door for more filmmakers to bring...
