California Entertainment Lawyer Sebastian Gibson, Named A Top Lawyer 13 Years in a Row.
With over 45 years of experience both in London and in California as an entertainment attorney, California entertainment lawyer Sebastian Gibson is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to British Film and TV producers and how streaming services and platforms are affecting the UK film and industry and has written on this subject. There is currently nowhere that the changes brought about by streaming is having a bigger effect on a country’s film industry than Britain and the UK’s talent and producers, known for their excellence, have never been in more demand.
We can protect your film and television concepts and submissions with copyright and trademark protection, registrations with the Writers Guild of America and the Motion Picture Association of America, with contracts and agreements, and with submissions by an experienced California entertainment attorney. Importantly, we also know what to look for in analyzing submission releases so a producer or writer does not waive important rights.
With the experience of California entertainment lawyer Sebastian Gibson in the entertainment industry both as a writer and musician, we’re very familiar with all of the various ways in which film and TV projects are conceived and developed and we can assist a producer in the early creative stage as well. With experience in advertising as well, we can assist a producer later in writing the perfect pitch and preparing submission materials including show bibles and film lookbooks of the professional quality that’s expected today in the entertainment industry.
The submission process today is becoming more and more competitive with literally tens of thousands of producers competing to get their concept for a television series, limited episode TV series or reality show made and their film project financed. As a result, submission materials must be of the highest professional quality.
We’re also closely following the developments of the WGA lawsuit against four major talent agencies, their new Code of Conduct, the firing by WGA members of their talent agencies and the counter lawsuits by talent agencies against the WGA. We can advise producers with respect to packaging fees charged by talent agencies and how the lawsuit and firing of talent agencies by WGA members currently affects the talent agency packaging system currently still in place by most talent agencies.
In the creative stage of development, we can draft collaboration agreements, work for hire agreements, copyright assignments and other contractual agreements to ensure that a producer is the sole owner of all the underlying rights to their project and to ensure that when an E&O insurance legal opinion is requested by an insurer, they will be able to confirm the proper legal contracts have been signed with every participant in the creation and development of the project.
California entertainment attorney Sebastian Gibson can assist a film or television producer to obtain development money and to structure a development money deal, film investments and we can review and negotiate a producer’s pre-sales and negative pick-up domestic and foreign distribution agreements.
We’ve reviewed and negotiated book and script options, life story agreements, shopping agreements and with our expertise in copyrights, trademarks and licensing, we can assist a producer in securing the rights to any of the underlying rights to their project.
With securing investor money so crucial to a producer, we can advise producers when it’s necessary to have an experienced securities lawyer prepare a private placement memorandum known as an offering to passive investors, the requirements for qualifying for an exemption from registration, and when an offering is not required when obtaining investments from accredited investors. We’re also familiar with California securities laws, venture capital investment and debt financing,
With decades of experience in corporate law and formations, we’ll explain the advantages and disadvantages of sole proprietorships, C and S corporations, limited and general partnerships and LLCs. We can also handcraft an LLC operating agreement to fit the structure and plans of a producer’s team for their umbrella LLC and create individual LLCs for each project which becomes ready for development.
We’ll help a producer develop a plan for submitting their film to the right film festivals for the producer’s film and for being prepared with an experienced festival team including sales agents, a website for the film, a Facebook page, trailers, a movie poster, and other materials in order to hit the ground running with a cohesive advertising and publicity campaign formulated in advance.
California entertainment lawyer Sebastian Gibson can also assist a producer to develop the most appropriate marketing plan for distribution for all of the various platforms and markets and advise them when it’s best to fragment distribution and retain certain areas of distribution for themselves. If a negative pick-up, pre-sales deal or minimum guarantee is not available or in a producer’s interest, we’ll advise a producer accordingly.
Having written on the changes streaming is having in the entertainment industry and changing strategies by streaming platforms, California entertainment attorney is particularly knowledgeable in the area of streaming VOD platforms and services, and we can advise a producer the best way to approach streaming services if a producer is interested in marketing a project to them. We’ll also advise a producer on the advantages and disadvantages of retaining an aggregator.
We can draft all of a producer’s production contracts and we are extremely knowledgeable in drafting, negotiating and reviewing actor contracts, and how to structure profit participation contracts to protect an actor’s back end points.
With our knowledge of the music industry, we’re also knowledgeable in the complex field of film music licensing, and drafting composer agreements, and music supervisor contracts.
When you need a California entertainment attorney for any stage of a film or television project production, for any corporate matters or pre-production, production and post-production agreements, the right choice is California Entertainment Lawyer Sebastian Gibson.
California Entertainment Event Attorney
With the growth of music festivals in the Palm Springs, Indio and Coachella area, the Coachella Valley has become one of the fastest growing entertainment and musically creative areas in California. Despite this, entertainment lawyers in the Coachella Valley and even those in Orange County with the talent and experience of California Entertainment Lawyer Sebastian Gibson are far and few between. When you need of a lawyer who understands the industry, Sebastian Gibson is a recognized leader in this specialized area.
California Entertainment Lawyer Sebastian Gibson can provide you with entertainment event contracts and agreements and advise you on issues and arrangements involving sponsorship agreements, merchandise and licensing contracts, vendor agreements and other contracts for services at entertainment events, concerts, live performances, festivals, world tours, charity events, athletic events, sporting tournaments and competitions, and sponsor parties for music festivals and athletic events.
When you need a California Entertainment Attorney for artist agreements, live performance contracts, licenses, permits, releases or agreements with cities and agencies, tour managers, artist managers, artist business managers, promoters, conductors, stage managers, sound engineers, lighting operators and crews, security, rehearsal space, recording studios, film and television producers, influencers, photographers, or modeling agencies, the right choice is California Entertainment Lawyer Sebastian Gibson.
Whatever your needs for the entertainment event, live performance, festival, athletic competition, sponsor party, world tour arrangements for performances, or for a television or film production, California Entertainment Attorney Sebastian Gibson is the right choice to assist you in your endeavor.
Sebastian Gibson began as a musician and songwriter performing internationally and on national TV, and later became a published author and attorney representing models, artists and sports figures around the world. His entertainment experience gives him an inside understanding of the industry, and after obtaining law degrees in both the U.S. and Great Britain and many years of practice both in the U.S. and in England, his combined experience give him a distinct advantage over other attorneys.
Palm Springs and Newport Beach Entertainment Attorney is the right choice today, the counsel you keep tomorrow for your entertainment matters in California and internationally. When you need a California Entertainment Attorney for your film, TV, music, publishing, art, fashion or modeling projects, for jewelry and fashion designs that need trademarks, or for your screenwriting, songwriting, acting, writing, or modeling, Sebastian Gibson is the right choice for you and for all your entertainment endeavors today and for the future.
California Entertainment Lawyer Sebastian Gibson’s practice areas in the field of entertainment law today include motion pictures, television, music, publishing, modeling, model management, talent agencies, video on demand movie projects, copyrights, trademarks, entertainment events, music and film festivals, live performances, concerts, world tours, comedy festivals, fashion events, athletic events, sponsor parties, sponsorship agreements, endorsement agreements, film music licensing, merchandise agreements, performing artist contracts, songwriter agreements, book options for films and television, stage productions, art, fashion, modeling, publicity and privacy rights, misuse of images, athlete and celebrity representation and international entertainment matters.
As one of the most knowledgeable lawyers in the field of modeling law, Sebastian Gibson reviews a great many modeling contracts offered to aspiring models throughout the U.S. and around the world. With over 40 years of experience, he is extremely well versed with the terms in such contracts and can advise not only models but also their parents in the case of minors, what can be dangerous to the career of a model and what provisions need to be changed or eliminated to protect their interests.
Sebastian Gibson also advises models seeking to terminate a modeling agency agreement and will protect a model’s rights when a model management entity or mother agency threatens to sue a model and when a photographer or advertiser utilizes images of a model without a properly signed release.
In the entertainment field, if you are an actor, screenwriter, director, producer, musician, songwriter or other person involved in the entertainment industry, you’re commonly faced with difficult to understand and complex one-sided entertainment agreements drafted solely to protect others in your project. Palm Springs and Orange County Entertainment Lawyer Sebastian Gibson can explain, negotiate and redraft the agreements provided or needed by you, utilizing more easily understood language, which still anticipates all the contingencies which may arise and uses of your creative work so your interests in the project are protected.
Among the areas within the entertainment industry with which we specialize are the following:
As a celebrity or as anyone who has acquired fame or been in the spotlight for even a brief period of time, when your photos, likeness, name, film, videos, drawings, paintings or voice are used without your authority or a properly signed release in an advertising campaign on television, in print, on billboards, the internet or in other media, your publicity rights and privacy rights have been violated and you may be entitled to damages.
While this type of action more commonly involves the rights of a celebrity such as an actor, sports figure or model, this type of case can arise even when a celebrity is not involved and their image or other aspect of their persona has been exploited to further the commercial success and profits of another.
A person’s right to privacy may also be invaded by unreasonable intrusions upon their seclusion, by publicly placing them in a false light, or by making public certain facts of their private life they would have preferred to keep private.
Should this happen to you, you need to contact Celebrity Lawyer Sebastian Gibson as soon as possible. Our office represents celebrities and sports figures in advertising, modeling and endorsement deals. With our additional expertise in copyright and trademark infringement cases and intellectual property (IP), we have the knowledge to pursue the damages you’re entitled to for the exploitation of you and your creative works, and the violation of your publicity and privacy rights.
In addition to resolving disputes between artists and art galleries, we protect the interests of fashion and jewelry designers from trademark infringement by taking every step possible to protect the works of our clients against those who would produce knockoffs or otherwise infringe the trademarks of our clients and seek to profit from our clients’ creations.
After you have put in all the effort to write a script, compose a piece of music, or create a unique fashion design or art work, you want to retain and maintain the profits and legal rights to which you’re entitled when your work is produced, published, performed and distributed. If your works are being copied, reproduced or utilized without your permission, we can file suit, seek temporary restraining orders, permanent injunctions, and ex parte seizure orders, work with law enforcement and utilize resources around the world to fight multi-jurisdiction distribution of counterfeit goods which infringe your copyrights or trademarks.
As a former songwriter, musician, performer and a published author with decades of experience in business, entertainment and international law having practiced both in California and in London, Palm Springs Copyright and Trademark Attorney Sebastian Gibson is uniquely qualified to protect your rights in all of these areas.
California Entertainment Attorney Sebastian Gibson’s practice areas in the field of entertainment law include motion pictures, television, music, publishing, modeling, model management, talent agencies, video on demand movie projects, copyrights, trademarks, entertainment events, music and film festivals, live performances, concerts, world tours, comedy festivals, charity events, fashion events, athletic events, sponsor parties, sponsorship agreements, endorsement agreements, film music licensing, merchandise agreements, performing artist contracts, songwriter agreements, book options for films and television, stage productions, art, fashion, modeling, publicity and privacy rights, misuse of images, athlete and celebrity representation and international entertainment matters.
Palm Springs and Newport Beach Business, Entertainment and Personal Injury Attorney Sebastian Gibson has a prestigious history of helping individuals with their entertainment business contracts and entertainment disputes, and with entertainment contracts, disputes and other entertainment matters, with accidents, insurance claims, trademarks, misuse of images in advertising, publicity and privacy rights, and with celebrity and sports representation throughout California from Palm Springs to Orange County, throughout California and internationally.
If you’ve had an accident on a film set, or in an auto, motorcycle, big rig truck, pedestrian or bicycle accident in the course of your work in the entertainment industry and need a Palm Springs entertainment attorney with personal injury experience for your injuries or need an experienced Palm Springs business and entertainment attorney for your business or entertainment matters anywhere in California or internationally, call attorney California Entertainment Lawyer Sebastian Gibson. Sebastian Gibson has now been named a 2024 Top Lawyer for the 14th year in a row by Palm Springs Life Magazine. California Entertainment Attorney Sebastian Gibson has also been recognized as a “Superb” Lawyer by Avvo, their highest rating, which rates attorneys all across the U.S.
With law degrees in both California and in Great Britain, and decades of experience in California and internationally in film, theatre and music recording in the entertainment industry, with celebrity representation of models, entertainers and sports figures, with trademark protection, intellectual property, misuse of images in advertising, publicity and privacy rights, publishing, modeling and international law, Palm Springs and Newport Beach entertainment attorney Sebastian Gibson has been the attorney of choice for decades by individuals with the need of an experienced business and entertainment lawyer with the experience to handle matters in a swift and cost effective manner and personal injury matters when they arise.
With offices in Palm Desert and Newport Beach, personal injury and accident cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. Business and entertainment matters are handled at an hourly rate or a flat rate which we will endeavor to make affordable to your situation.
California Entertainment Attorney Sebastian Gibson is ready to represent you and help you obtain the resolution you deserve. Serving all of California, from Palm Desert and Newport Beach we’re here to represent individuals not only throughout Orange County and the Coachella Valley, but clients from around the world who seek Sebastian’s counsel on a variety of issues including entertainment law, and entertainment business law.
Whether you’re a musician, songwriter, author, model, actor, producer, director or any other type of artist or person in film, music recording, television, theatre or the creative arts or are a fashion designer of clothing or jewelry, the California Entertainment law firm of Sebastian Gibson is the right choice and is ready to assist you with your endeavors in the entertainment industry.
E-mail us at SGibsonEsq@aol.com for our office in Newport Beach or call our main office in Palm Desert at (760) 776-1810.
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