3. What are entertainment
law issues affecting the
state of Georgia?
Alan Clarke: I appreciate having
creative clients needing a variety
of work. I frequently say that my
practice involves juggling: simultaneously dealing with multiple
clients with varying issues and
time-sensitive demands. I especially
enjoy teaching artists, labels, writers, attorneys, law students and others about the business, the players,
terms of art, and contractual norms.
We also often engage in “business
divorces,” which can be acrimonious. It is very satisfying to assist
clients in obtaining freedom from a
bad situation so that they can move
forward in their careers. Receiving
referrals of pro bono artist clients
from the non-profit organization
Georgia Lawyers for the Arts and
participating in events with the Entertainment and Sports Law Section
of the State Bar, which I chaired for
four years, are also rewarding parts
of my practice.
Peter Duitsman: Georgia’s entertainment tax incentives have helped
bring more production to Georgia
and we have dealt with a wide variety of issues with shows we have
produced here. Most recently, we
worked on a hidden camera show in
Georgia–which can present unique
challenges in any jurisdiction from
both a legal and public relations
perspective. In addition, the producers of the show wanted to use
a drone in the production, which
raises its own set of privacy, safety
and regulatory issues.
Sonia Lakhany: With the uptick in
the number of shows and movies
filmed in Atlanta because of cost
and tax breaks, I think zoning and
permit issues will likely increase.
4. Where do you see the future of entertainment law/
the entertainment
industry in Georgia?
Alan Clarke: When I first started in
entertainment law in 1994, Atlanta
was not the entertainment mecca
that it is today. I have watched and
participated in the rise of the music
industry here and the building of
state of the art studios. More recently, our tax incentives have spurred
the building of major studios such
that we are the Hollywood of the
South.
While the studios tend to have their
attorneys in L.A., I anticipate that
the legal work in the film, television and gaming industries will
continue to rise, as the number of
productions and people involved in
them continues to increase. There
is an increasing amount of litigation occurring in Georgia for which
the studios’ California lawyers are
retaining local counsel. Representing writers, crew, cast, production
companies, and those who provide
services for productions has significantly expanded my practice.
Peter Duitsman: I think new technologies will continue to play an
expanding role in creating new issues and opportunities in the entertainment industry, continuing
to change the ways in which media can be produced, distributed,
consumed and monetized, as well
as the ways in which consumers
can interact with and share media. Understanding the technology
that is impacting and changing the
entertainment industry will be of
growing importance for entertainment attorneys counseling clients
trying to navigate these new issues
and opportunities.
Sonia Lakhany: Georgia is becoming more of a hub for filming and
because of that, the tourism and
real estate industries are booming
as well. I see the market for entertainment law in Georgia catching
up to where Los Angeles and New
York have been all these years, especially since so much of the talent
is r elocating here.
20
November 2016