Entertainment Lawyers

Brandon Blake - Entertainment Lawyer   After 7 months of dark screens, this week we see both the UK and France give their theatrical industry the green light to open up. BLAKE & WANG P.A takes a look at this exciting step forward in recovery. Currently, England, Scotland, And Wales have been allowed to resume showings from Monday, May 17th. France followed with a Wednesday 19th reopening. England maintains a 50% capacity restriction, but there’s been a little issue with this figure. Stats suggest 20% occupancy figures will provide a fairly normal day-to-day run, especially with many workers still working from home and able to use flexi-time to choose showings. When cinemas were allowed to reopen for a period last year, the 50% capacity limit did not cause issues. France, meanwhile, has opted for 35% capacity, rising to 65% when in-person dining resumes on 9th June. This positions both markets to shuffle Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway , the precursor to which netted over $54M in 2...

  Like it or loathe it, the release of the much-anticipated 50 Shades of Grey franchise to film was a hot property for cinemas back in the day. It was also notable as one of the first ‘mainstream’ titles to delve heavily into the world of sexual kinks and generated a notable controversy around aspects such as consent and assault which many felt were poorly addressed and glorified. BLAKE & WANG P.A Entertainment Attorney Los Angeles has received word that Netflix will be going ahead with its own 50 Shades- like franchise, amidst similar controversy. Brandon Blake - Managing partner at Blake & Wang P.A The piece in question is Polish erotic drama, 365 days . Steamy content aside, it’s been hit by critics and the general public alike. With a plot that features an imprisoned Polish woman given a year to ‘fall in love with a Sicilian gangster, it’s hard to defend the series from accusations of glorifying sexual assault. Yet it has ma...

  In addition to the news that Cinemark has reached a deal with 5 U.S studios to ensure a healthy supply of theatrical releases, we’ve also seen them reach a once-off deal with Netflix that could prove an industry-changer. BLAKE & WANG P.A one of the top entertainment law firms Los Angeles has the details you need about this new theatrical innovation. We know that Cinemark has acquired a one-week exclusive showing for Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead before Netflix releases it to their streaming service, a theatrical first. While we’ve seen several studios offer side-by-side streaming and exhibition release in the tentative months after the industry reopened, this will be the first time Netflix , which has become synonymous with streaming, will send one of its titles to the silver screen. It’s not expected to be the last, however. Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi has described a ‘very strong relationship with Netflix on (Cinemark’s) film team up through the executive ranks.’ He also sp...

  In a season that’s been more of a bust than a boom, despite some well-deserved wins, what lessons can we learn for the future? The Oscars are not having an easy run of things at the moment, as BLAKE & WANG P.A one of the top entertainment law firms Los Angeles breaks down. Despite so many productions resuming, both indies and blockbusters like A Quiet Place 2 , we’re still seeing a lot of hesitance in distribution arms. It’s no exaggeration to say that many business models have shifted completely. Movies and streaming have blurred, and despite this year’s heavy slate of indie productions, the conditions created by the industry-wide corporate restructuring are not exactly conducive to easy maneuvering from indie filmmakers. How can producers hope to pitch quirky, but worthy, film projects to execs who spend most of their time hunting for the next big streamer hit series (and inevitable spinoffs)? There are accusations that this year’s ceremony only highlights how the film ind...

  This week we’ve seen an intriguing report from the Center for the Study of Women in TV and Film, giving deeper insight into how Hollywood is representing women in film. Stats aside, an interesting fact emerges- it appears to be filmed with at least one female director, writer, or another significant influencer role, which employ and represent women. BLAKE & WANG P.A Entertainment Lawyer Los Angeles takes a deeper look.                                     Brandon Blake - Managing Partner at Entertainment Attorney How big is the discrepancy we’re talking about? Pretty large, sadly. In films with that qualifying female representation, female protagonists make up 60% of protagonists on screen. Where males exclusively fill direction and writing roles, which drops to 17% of protagonists. Sadly, it’s not just about representation, either. The same report highlights that more male characters h...

  With some unexpected wins, especially for streaming giant Netflix, at the SAG Awards, where do we stand going into the BAFTAs and possibly the strangest Oscar Award ceremony to date? BLAKE & WANG P.A one of the best  entertainment lawyers in Los Angeles rounds up the contenders for one last look.                                         Brandon Blake - Managing Partner at Blake & Wang P.A While Chadwick Boseman’s nominations and wins for his outstanding performances in Ma Rainey and Da 5 Bloods were no surprise, Viola Davis’ win in Best Actress was far more of a surprise. To date, we have had 3 different actresses win in this category at the SAG, Critics Choice, and Golden Globe Awards. Yet not one of these winners is even nominated at the BAFTAs. Things are not much clearer for Supporting Actress, either. Yuh-Jung Youn’s win for Minari at the SAGs could boost her to...

  It’s been a bad week for the Oscars, even though the ceremony itself is still a month away. Rumors and confusion seem to be plaguing this cornerstone of the events season, despite the organizers’ best attempts to keep a lid on the matter. BLAKE & WANG P.A. entertainment lawyer Los Angeles investigate further.                                             Brandon Blake - Entertainment Lawyer This year, we see several circumstances we’ve never seen before. Of course, the global health crisis continues to have people worried, especially with possible ‘fourth wave’ outbreaks rearing their heads. While the original decision to postpone the ceremony was doubtless hoping for calmer waters, it seems this may backfire in the end. We also see considerably more attendees outside the U.S, many of who are being confused by a lack of clear direction on ceremony matters and need to u...