Entertainment & Media Business 101: Getting to the Contract
DATE: 7/14/2018
TIME: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Lovett School (Room CC202) 4075 Paces Ferry Road Northwest Atlanta, GA 30327
Majority of media professionals love the arts, but forget about the importance of knowing the legal side of the business. So, why should they care about entertainment law? Many creative projects have been slowed down, halted, or even cancelled because of poor contracts, and freelancers are at the greatest risk of feeling the sting from legal exploitation. Numerous self-employed artists have gone unpaid, lost the rights to their work, or even been sued for large amounts. America is the litigation capital of the world, with over 5 million civil lawsuits filed just in 2017! So, how do you prevent being a victim of legal downfall? The key to reducing liability is to outline the terms in any business agreement. Who owns the rights to the project, what/when will you get paid, and what do you do if the agreement is broken? All important questions you should answer before you sign on to any project. Even if you can’t afford a lawyer, it’s essential to know the basics of contracts. In this 4-hour class, Emmy Award Winning Animator and Business owner, Allyssa A. Lewis, will guide students through reading, understanding, and even creating a basic legal agreement. Reserve your seat today, and walkout with a self-made contract.
What You Will Learn
● Basic components of a solid contract
● How to develop a contract for artist-client agreements
● Customization techniques for any artist project
● Contract legalese (vocabulary and phrases)
How Class Works
● Bring your laptop with note-taking software installed on it (Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.)
● Class begins on the dot, so arrive earlier to get settled.
● At the beginning of class, you will be given a workbook to follow along with during the presentations and to keep for later reference.
● You have the option to join a private online community for this class to show progress updates, have questions answered, and stay connected with fellow classmates.
What You Will Create
You will create a custom contract for a real or hypothetical digital art project with a client.
30 Minutes Before Class- Mingle and light refreshments. Name tags will be given to attendees for them to write their name and industry.
First Hour and 30 Minutes of Class- Presentation on the fundamentals of contract writing.
Next 30 Minutes of Class- Activity with examples of strong contract writing and common mistakes. Last 2 Hours of Class Each attendee will begin drafting custom contracts for their business and have them critiqued with peers.
**Disclaimer** All materials have been prepared for general information purposes only to permit you to learn more about constructing and reviewing contracts. The information presented is not legal advice and is not to be acted on as such.