Contact: Daniel G. McIntosh
Morrison & Foerster offers entertainment industry clients a full-service practice with decades of experience in all facets
of the entertainment industry, including both traditional entertainment (including motion pictures, television and music)
and digital media (including animation, visual effects, online music, video and online games, and cutting-edge digital enterprises,
including cinema, distribution and content). The firm also has extensive experience and expertise representing entertainment
lenders, industry executives, and providers of services and core equipment to the industry, such as talent agencies and managers,
camera and crane companies, business aircraft operators, payroll companies, visual effects companies and others. The firm’s
combined experience in Hollywood, Silicon Valley, New York, Washington, D.C., Japan, China and other international entertainment
venues provides entertainment industry clients with a breadth and depth of full-service capabilities unmatched by any other
firm. For example, currently the firm is serving as international legal counsel to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the
29th Olympiad, assisting with a wide range of global matters including marketing, media coverage and the protection of intellectual
property.
In traditional entertainment fields, the firm has represented clients such as motion picture studios, television producers,
lenders, networks, cable companies, record labels, talent agencies and managers, and producers, writers, directors, and actors
in all aspects of conventional entertainment law, including contract negotiations, financing transactions, production and
distribution agreements, entertainment guild and union contracts and disputes and intellectual property licensing. The firm’s
clients include American Idol Productions, The Baywatch Production Company, Disney Channel/ABC Cable, FremantleMedia North
America, Inc., E! Entertainment, EMI Music Publishing, Once Upon A Time Films, Paramount Pictures, Sony Music, Star Channel
(Japan) and Tohokushinsha Film Corp. The firm also has extensive experience representing talent representatives, such as
William Morris Agency, and providers of core services and equipments, such as Technicolor, Panavision, EFILM, and payroll
companies (such as Media Services) and companies producing commercials, infomercials and live events.
By virtue of its long-standing presence in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Morrison & Foerster has extensive and unique
experience working with entertainment companies utilizing the latest technology to entertain and inform.
Morrison & Foerster represents many clients in important and emerging entertainment sectors including digital content (including
animation and visual effects), video and online games and online music. The firm’s clients have included Adobe Systems, iVillage,
LivePlanet, Lucasfilm, Yahoo!, Tilia and Macromedia. Morrison & Foerster has helped both technology and traditional entertainment
clients with the legal issues raised by the use of the Internet, computer software and other new media platforms in consumer
and entertainment products and services, including issues regarding the development, distribution, and licensing of content.
The firm has advised hundreds of technology and entertainment companies on establishing web sites, including the development
and licensing of content, the creation of e-commerce capabilities, privacy issues, and advertising and marketing issues (including
sweepstakes and other contests).
In addition to clients in the traditional entertainment and entertainment technology sectors, Morrison & Foerster also provides
representation to other parties in the entertainment field, including professional athletes, sports teams and the gaming industry.
Internationally, the firm’s entertainment practice includes representation of both U.S. and non-U.S. companies in entertainment-related
matters in major markets in Europe and Asia. For example, the firm has extensive experience representing a wide range of Japan
and China-based entertainment companies and talent, as well as the Asian operations of U.S.-based studios, film production
companies, music companies and diversified entertainment companies.
Representative Matters
Representation of FremantleMedia North America, Inc on guild and production matters in connection with the hit television
shows "American Idol" and "The Swan," including negotiations with the various guilds and unions and review of participant
releases.
Representation of Lucasfilm Ltd. in its long term lease of approximately 23 acres at the Presidio in San Francisco, and with
respect to development and construction of its new Lucas Digital Arts center on such property.
Representation of Sega Corporation in connection with video game publishing agreements.
Representation of William Morris Agency for numerous corporate, real estate, labor and employment, intellectual property protection
(including trademarks worldwide) and joint venture matters (including music tours such as Lollapalooza).
Representation of First Light Entertainment aka Whitelight Entertainment, a feature film development and production company,
in connection with development, financing production and distribution matters.
