By Ezra Doner On June 21 of this year, a French court awarded Spike Lee and associated plaintiffs a judgment against French media giant TF1 in the amount of €32 million which, at current conversion rates, is approximately US $43 … Read More
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Spike Lee Wins €32 M Judgment vs French Media Giant TF1; Hidden Risks of Financing Auteur Filmmakers
Celador vs Disney: Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
August 2011 In an integrated production, distribution and broadcast company like ABC/Disney, which division makes the profits? By Ezra Doner [1]. Contestants who appear on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire play to win a million dollars. Now, following a … Read More
What is Superman Really Worth?
Court holds contract price should reflect absence of reversion clause. Can someone who leaps tall buildings in a single bound lose value if sidelined? By Ezra Doner* It’s not often that courts are called upon to place a value on … Read More
Weinstein Co. vs Smokewood – Beware What You Argue
Weinstein Co. v. Smokewood – Beware What You Argue, It May Come Back To Haunt You by Ezra Doner* The film Push was the big prizewinner at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. The Weinstein Company (TWC), after aggressive pursuit, thought … Read More
Ladd vs Warner Bros. – Can They Really Do That?
Producer Alan Ladd, Jr. is responsible (with others, of course) for such popular and even iconic motion pictures as Blade Runner, Body Heat, The Brady Brunch Movie, Braveheart, Chariots of Fire, Night Shift, Once Upon a Time in America, Outland, … Read More
Sopranos Litigation Makes The Case For Following Best Practices
The final episode of the hit television series The Sopranos aired in June, 2007. The final episode of a five year court battle over the creation and profits of the series, however, didn’t play out until just before this past … Read More
New Fantasy Baseball Ruling May Impact Database Practices Generally
August 2006 Does organized fantasy baseball require a license of Major League Baseball player names and records? In a case involving CDM Fantasy Sports, a federal district court in St. Louis has answered “no”. The Court’s decision potentially may change … Read More