Behind the scenes

Legal support for film and TV productions covers all aspects from the acquisition of the story rights through to sales and licensing agreements. It comprises production funding by film subsidies and private investors, the legal form as an own production, production to order or co-production, as well as the numerous production-related contracts – from the script to editing, taking into consideration not only issues with copyright relevance, but in particular also such relating to labour law and social security law.

We assist you during domestic and international film productions and their exploitation, with legal competence and long-standing experience – behind the scenes in the structuring of production and the design of contracts, as well as before the courts when it comes to the enforcement and defence of your rights.

From our practical work:

  • Representation and consultancy services for a private investor relating to a state-subsidised Australian movie production; examination and negotiation of the inter-party agreement, of the safeguarding of funding (completion bond) and the distribution and licence agreements for Europe.
  • Films from A to Z: Consultancy services for the producer in charge during the production of a three-part movie. Compilation of all contracts from A to Z, for the acquisition of the story, co-production, cast, subsidies, domestic and international sales, including radio play and stage.
  • Representation of a film producer in litigation regarding the intended screen adaptation of a novel written at the beginning of the 20th century by a US author; lawsuit aimed at the determination that copyright protection for the novel in Germany has expired.

Your contacts:

Dr. Matthias Lausen, lausen@lausen.com
Dr. Richard Hahn, hahn@lausen.com
Dr. Thomas Glückstein, glueckstein@lausen.com
Dr. Tim Kraft, kraft@lausen.com