Film Law

Nicole is committed to providing personalized service to each client in the entertainment, creative and entrepreneurial fields.  Your brand, business, artistry, intellectual property or mediation claim is an extension of you and is unique.  You need a law firm that will provide the solutions and strategies that will protect your legal interests and advance your goals. Nicole provides legal service focused on you and the specific needs of your business, brand, artistry, intellectual property or mediation claim.  Nicole provides aggressive, yet respectful, reliable and responsible legal services.  Nicole meets her clients’ expectations with concise, commercial and strategic expertise, and offers advice proactively, yet cost-effectively.


Film Production: Financing and Investment Issues
by Art Smith and Nicole Weaver

Film financing is one of the most difficult and least understood challenges facing a producer and it is fraught with perils for the unwary. Many independent film producers
find themselves caught in the “Producer’s Paradox” namely: “You can’t sign talent and develop your screenplay without financing, but you can’t obtain financing without talent and a polished script.” Given that most film producers do not want to use their personal assets to fund their films, the most important issue for many producers is how to finance their film project with other people’s money….

  • A business plan IS NOT a Private Placement Memorandum
    1. No General Solicitation
    2. Accredited investor requirements
    3. Disclosure requirements
    4. Filings

Film law encompasses legal agreements, services and negotiations including, but not limited to the following examples:

  • Business and corporate setup
  • Cast and crew agreements
  • Copyrights
  • Counseling and representing producers, writers, actors, directors,
    and crafts-persons
  • Credit disputes
  • Film finance agreement
  • Finder’s fee agreements
  • Life story rights agreements
  • Location agreements
  • Mediation
  • Merchandising
  • Option agreements and other matters relating to underlying rights
  • Privacy, publicity and defamation issues
  • Product placement agreements
  • Production, finance and distribution agreements
  • Rights clearance
  • Securities regulations (state and federal)- of film financing
  • Trademarks
  • Title rights
  • Title searches and interpretation
  • Union and guild matters