The EU’s Initiatives to Redress the Effect of COVID-19 on the Entertainment Industry

By Alina Condurat

February 22, 2021

Almost a year ago now, the pandemic outbreak disrupted the worldwide entertainment industry – and in particular, film and television production. Similar to the US, European audio-visual productions were halted, movie theaters were closed, events, premieres and entire marketing and distribution campaigns were postponed or cancelled. Cinemas across the European Union saw a 69.0 % drop in box office numbers in 2020, accounting for a total decrease of €4 billion in revenues compared to 20191.…

Entertainment Law Blog

The Save Our Stages Act – Time for Eligible Businesses to Get Ready for Their Audition (Part 2 of 2)

By William Ziegelbauer, Peter Carson & Bijal Vira

January 16, 2021

This client alert is the second of a two part series concerning the Save Our Stages Act (the “SOS Act”), which became law on December 27, 2020 as Section 324 of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Business, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (the “Economic Aid Act”, comprising Title III of Division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021). The SOS Act establishes a new grant program (the “SOS Program”, also known as the “grant program…

Entertainment Law Blog

The Save Our Stages Act – Time for Eligible Businesses to Get Ready for Their Audition (Part 1 of 2)

By William Ziegelbauer, Peter Carson & Bijal Vira

January 12, 2021

https-www-financeandbankruptcylawblog-com-wp-content-uploads-sites-45-2021-01-sos-chart-png

Among the various bills that were amalgamated in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the omnibus appropriations and stimulus funding bill that was signed into law on December 27, 2020) was a modified version of the Save Our Stages Act (the “SOS Act”), a bill first introduced into the Senate by Sen. John Cornyn (TX) on July 22, 2020. The SOS Act can be found in Section 324 of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Business,…

Entertainment Law Blog

Event Safety Alliance Releases Reopening Guidelines for Live Events

By Sidney Fohrman & Samuel Cohen

July 14, 2020

Even as restrictions on large gatherings are lifted on the local level, the experience of live entertainment will change drastically in a post-quarantine world. The collective live event industries adherence to safety guidelines and prudent practices based on up-to-date information will be unquestionably critical to our return to enjoying live sports, music, and entertainment. The music and touring industries are at the forefront of the resurgence of the live event industry. Venue owners and staff…

Entertainment Law Blog

The Esports and Gaming Industries Offer Vital Tools to Musicians in the Wake of COVID-19

By Samuel Cohen

May 26, 2020

Musicians and gamers are no strangers to each other; the two industries have been capitalizing on the crossover of their respective fan bases for nearly a decade. Although these collaborative efforts are not news, the utility of virtual and remote fan engagement has been re-contextualized in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic. As the average musician derives the overwhelming majority of their revenue from live performances, technologies that can simulate these experiences have taken…

Entertainment Law Blog

How the COVID-19 Lockdown will Disrupt the Upfront TV Ad Market

By Brian Anderson, Daniel Schnapp & Brittany Walter

April 15, 2020

https-corporatesecuritieslawblog-lexblogplatformthree-com-wp-content-uploads-sites-78-2020-03-virus_cropped-scaled-e1584721368499-jpg

Around 311 million people in the United States—roughly nine out of ten Americans—are under instructions to “Stay Home!” These captive audiences have resulted in a 17% increase in TV viewership across all demographics. Indeed, adults aged 18-34—a demographic that has been increasingly difficult for advertisers to reach on ad-supported television—spent 83 million more hours watching TV during the first week of the lockdown as compared to the last week in February. This HAS to be…

Entertainment Law Blog

Coronavirus: Are Spectator Bans the Worst Case Scenario for Brand Sponsors?

By Brian Anderson, Brittany Walter & Genevieve Perez

March 14, 2020

On Wednesday, amid growing concern over the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19” or “coronavirus”), the Italian government announced that all sporting events in Italy will resume. The catch? They will all take place behind closed doors—no spectators will be allowed to attend for at least the next month. Italy, as the epicenter of Europe’s coronavirus outbreak, previously undertook drastic measures to slow the virus’ spread—closing all schools in the country, cancelling sporting events, and…