Necessity of Legal Representation

J

John Jaquish

Hello,

I'm new to these forums.

I have a script written for a feature film that I'd like to produce and direct myself. I've made a few shorts (and plan on making a few more before making a feature), but this will be my first feature.

I was wondering, for those who have made feature films before, how necessary you see getting an entertainment lawyer for the production process (i.e. starting with getting funding). I was speaking with the producers of a feature film that I worked on last year and they thought that a lawyer wasn't worth the trouble. Then again, they seemed to be getting funding from primarily friends and family.

What do you people think? Thanks.
 
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A very broad question so I can only answer in very broad terms. Starting with the dreaded:

It depends.

If you're offering investments to strangers - you need a lawyer.
If you're getting a few thousand dollars from friends and family as
a show of support - you don't need a lawyer.

Many features are made without ever contacting a lawyer. You're
may be one of those. Or not.
 
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Makes sense. I guess the question is then, to invest the money in an entertainment lawyer in the hopes of getting funding from sources outside friends and family, or save the money you'd spend on legal representation and get what you can from friends and family?
 
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ANYTIME large amounts of money are involved in business dealings you MUST have a bullet proof written contract, regardless of who you are dealing with (friends, family, etc). Only an entertainment lawyer can know the traps to look out for, and the traps are plentiful!

Producing is a huge headache. I would suggest just being a hired gun. But if you insist on being a producer I would start by reading "the Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers" and maybe "Filmmakers & Financing".
 
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So, for one who has not previously produced a feature, would it be a good idea to partner with another producer or hire an associate producer? Where would be a good place to find a person like that if I don't know anyone personally?
 
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