Entertainment Rights, Licensing & Clearances

Entertainment projects can involve layers of intellectual property and third-party rights.

Music, scripts, photographs, artwork, performances, recordings, brands, archive material, characters and other creative works may all require permission before they can be used.

EL Creative Counsel provides practical legal advice on entertainment rights, licensing and clearances across music, film, television, theatre, advertising and digital content.

We can assist with:

Copyright clearances
Music rights
Synchronisation licences
Master use licences
Music publishing rights
Performance rights
Image rights
Talent releases
Location releases
Archive material
Third-party content
Copyright licensing
Trade mark clearances
Character rights
Entertainment licensing
Rights acquisition

Copyright & entertainment rights

Copyright is fundamental to much of the entertainment industry.

A production, recording, performance or creative campaign may incorporate multiple copyright works, each potentially owned by different people or businesses.

Understanding who owns those rights and what permissions are required can be critical before a project is released or commercially exploited.

Music rights

Using music in film, television, advertising, online content or live entertainment can involve different layers of rights.

For example, the rights in a musical composition may be separate from the rights in a particular sound recording.

We help clients identify the relevant rights and obtain or document the appropriate permissions.

Synchronisation & master use

Synchronisation licences and master use licences are commonly relevant when music is incorporated into audiovisual content.

The underlying composition and the specific recording can involve separate rights holders and separate licensing arrangements.

We advise clients on the rights required for their particular use and help structure the relevant licences.

Image, talent & location rights

Entertainment and commercial productions can also involve people's image and likeness, locations, photographs, artwork and other third-party material.

Obtaining appropriate releases and permissions can help protect the production and provide greater certainty around future use.

Rights clearance before release

Rights clearance is often most effective when considered early.

Leaving clearances until the end of a production can create unnecessary pressure if a rights holder cannot be located, a licence is too narrow or additional permissions are required.

We help clients identify potential rights issues early and develop a practical clearance strategy.

Know what rights you need, secure them properly and give your creative project room to move.

Book a call today to see how we can help.