The course tracks the process of producing a feature film and focuses on the legal issues that arise during the phases of development, pre-production and production.
Directors, producers, script writers, musicians and actors involved in the film and television industry need to know the law to protect their intellectual property.
Areas where disputes can arise include when negotiating a deal with a writer to develop a script, and when negotiating actor, director and producer deals, depiction releases and location agreements.
The rights of musicians are also a potential point of conflict because of the legal issues involved in hiring a composer to create an original score, or the licensing use of existing or pre-recorded music.
The best way to prevent costly legal disputes is to know the law and an expert in the field is Capetonian Deborah Lazarus, an entertainment law consultant who provides consulting services and strategic advice to corporations and individuals in the film and television industry. Her clients include actors, agents, composers, directors, models, musicians, producers, production companies, record labels and writers.
Lazarus, who gained her knowledge of entertainment law and the business of film and television while working at an entertainment law firm in Los Angeles, is going to be sharing her expertise at a three-day course to be held in Cape Town in April and in Johannesburg in June.
Lazarus, who was admitted as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa in 1996, covers contracts used in the development, pre-production and production stages of producing a film or television series.
Regarding copyright and intellectual property, Lazarus provides an introduction to intellectual property as it applies to the film and television industry and explores concepts of authorship, ownership, assignment of rights and licensing.
She also deals with issues that arise in connection with content development for film and television with a focus on acquisition rights and negotiating a deal with a writer to develop a script.
On the production side, Lazarus focuses on various legal issues that arise during pre-production and production stages including negotiating actor, director and producer deals, depiction releases and location agreements.
The rights of musicians are covered as part of the post production section of the course, which considers legal issues involved in hiring a composer to create an original score, or the licensing use of existing or pre-recorded music.
Lazarus also covers financing and co-production as well as marketing and distribution.
The course, which is part of the Professional Development Project at the University of Cape Town, takes place in Cape Town from April 2 to 4 and in Johannesburg from June 18 to 20. Direct enquiries to Irèna Wasserfall on
irena.wassserfall@uct.ac.za or phone (021) 650 5621.
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