UCLA SEMINAR ON SELF-DEFENSE FOR FILMMAKERS

March 15, 2002

UCLA SEMINAR ON SELF-DEFENSE FOR FILMMAKERS

I will be repeating my UCLA extension class on Self-Defense for filmmakers on April 27 and 28, 2002.

Writers and filmmakers need to understand their legal rights and how to defend themselves from those who may seek to exploit them. This seminar explains how writers and filmmakers can prevent problems by properly securing underlying rights, and by encouraging other parties to live up to agreements by adding performance incentives, default penalties and arbitration clauses. In the event of a dispute, participants learn what remedies are available to enforce their rights.
Related topics include creative approvals, typical compensation and terms of studio contracts, merchandising deals, and negotiatúing tactics and strategies. The seminar includes more than 100 pages of useful contracts, checklists, forms and materials. MCLE credit available.

The class is held on Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and on Sunday from 9 AM to 12 PM in room 2250 in the Public Policy Building at the UCLA campus in Westwood.
To register for the class call UCLA at (310) 825-9064 or visit their website: www.uclaextension.org/entertainmentstudies

BERMUDA FILM FESTIVAL

This year’s Bermuda Film Festival will take place from April 12-18. As a member of the board of advisors to the festival I look forward to returning to beautiful Bermuda and enjoying the festival. I will speaking on Monday, April 15 on the topic AFilmmakers Take Note, Placing Music in your Film.

I am pleased to have arranged as the opening night film “To End All Wars” (www.toendallwars.com), produced by my clients Director David Cunningham and Producer Jack Hafer. “To End All Wars” was shown recently at the Telluride, Toronto and Mill Valley Film Festivals to great acclaim. The film will be the closing night film at the Methodfest film festival in Pasadena on April 18, 2002. This powerful WW II picture stars Kiefer Sutherland and Robert Caryle. We regret that the subject of the film, POW survivor Ernest Gordon, recently passed away.

Check out the Bermuda film festival at: http://www.bermudafilmfest.com/

FESTIVAL LIST

Now visitors to my website can directly add or revise a festival listing. We have a listing of film and video festivals with contact information. Our new self-upload tool allows you to directly submit information about your film festival by filling out a form online. Please go to to the festival form at: http://www.marklitwak.com/festival.asp. There is no charge for listing your festival.

Articles Published

March 13, 2002

Congratulations to our client, director Richard Gale, who was interviewed on a major Australian movie site. http://www.webwombat.com/entertainment/movies/pressure_int.htm

Articles Published
Two articles of mine were published this month. “The Independent” published an article titled “Self Defense for Screenwriters” in their March 2002 issue. This article discusses how writers can avoid infringing the rights of those they mention or portray.
“Script” magazine has just published my article “Protecting Your Stories” which explains how writers can protect their story ideas from theft.

New Address
We have now moved to our new offices at 433 N. Camden Drive, Ste. 1010, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. The move went smoothly except that Pac Bell dropped the ball and our phones and fax were down for a day. We apologize if you tried to reach us and were unable to do so.