47th Annual UCLA Entertainment Symposium

Wed. May 31 – Webinar, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. PDT

Wed. June 7 – Webinar, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. PDT

Fri. June 9 – In-person at Schoenberg Hall, 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. PDT
(no live stream) 

Recordings of all three sessions will be available on-demand after their initial broadcast until September 1, 2023.

Keynote Speaker, Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer, Netflix – interviewed by Ken Ziffren, Partner & Co-Founder, Ziffren Brittenham LLP

---

The Annual Entertainment Symposium is a flagship event for the entertainment industry, bringing leading lawyers, executives, agents, managers and producers, together with students for candid discussions on subjects at the forefront of the industry. Conversations during this three-day conference have ranged from lively debate over the changing landscape of the entertainment business, to shared insights on planning for the success of original content in a vast digital landscape, and perspectives on filmmaking in newly developing markets. Panelists regularly include top entertainment lawyers and key executives from studios and production companies, along with leaders from digital and independent companies.

Most prior Symposia Syllabi are available from the Ziffren Institute for Media, Entertainment, Technology and Sports Law. To order, complete the syllabus order form and return by mail with check or money order. For any other questions or further inquiries please email ziffreninstitute@law.ucla.edu.

Wed May 31 | Wed June 7 | Fri June 9

Keynote Speaker: Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer, Netflix

All three sessions will be available for on-demand viewing until Sept 1.

For a decade or more, one of the dominant narratives in the entertainment industry has been the disruption of the legacy players and their businesses by the arrival of deep-pocketed, norm-breaking tech companies. But in the last few years, even these giants have weathered stock price plunges, endured labor conflict as the sequel to a global pandemic and faced the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. This year's Entertainment Symposium will explore how these disruptions have led to an ongoing transformation in traditional business models, production methods, and labor markets, while also highlighting key areas of law. Over the course of the program, an array of distinguished executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys and academics will examine how the entertainment industry's major players have adapted (or failed to adapt) to this challenging and rapidly changing business environment and consider what upstarts will thrive – and what legacy players will survive – in the industry's next phase.

---

UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. By attending all three (3) sessions, you may earn Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit in the amount of up to 6.25 total credits (4.25 hours of general credit, 1 hour of elimination of bias credit, and 1 hour of legal ethics credit).

---

 

Wed May 31, 2023

Day 1 Syllabus Preview

5:00 to 5:05 p.m. (PDT)
Dean's Remarks

Presenter:
Dean Russell Korobkin, Interim Dean and Richard C. Maxwell Distinguished Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law

---

5:05 to 5:50 p.m. (PDT)
After Covid: The Industry Resets

Three and a half years after Covid’s arrival, the industry works to find its footing again.  This year’s opening session sets the stage with the Symposium’s annual status report exploring box office recovery, streaming, and digitally driven advertising. This presentation will explore how streaming maturity and higher interest rates are leading to an end of the “golden age of production,” previously fueled by capital and emphasis on growth over profits. It will consider the evolving role theatricals can play in support of streaming, along with a study of the increased divergence between box office success and best picture honorees. It will also explore the many varied definitions of new…and not so new…FAST services. And it will consider these as factors contributing to today’s extremely difficult labor environment.

Presenter:
Tom Wolzien, Chairman, Wolzien LLC

---

6:00 to 7:00 p.m. (PDT)
Dearly Departed: A Review of the Legal and Industry Implications of the Entertainment Job Market

With the widely publicized entertainment layoffs and changing job market, attorneys and executives are faced navigating issues including severance, high level employment agreements and compliance with labor laws. The navigation of these issues within the entertainment industry – from recruitment to termination – also requires a nuanced understanding of industry norms. This panel of experts will help deconstruct the legal and market realities of the dearly departed while also considering how bias can impact the process of hiring, firing and retaining a diverse pool of employees.

Moderator:
Azi Amirteymoori, Owner/Employment Attorney/Senior HR Consultant, 403 Ops Consulting

Panelists:
Connie L. Chen, Principal, Jackson Lewis P.C.
Joanna Sucherman, Owner, JLS Media
Amanda N. Luftman, Managing Partner, Boren, Osher & Luftman, LLP

---

UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. By attending this session, you may earn Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit in the amount of up to 0.75 hour of general credit and 1 hour of elimination of bias credit.

---

 

Wed June 7, 2023

Day 2 Syllabus Preview

5:00 to 6:00 p.m. (PDT)
Representing Everyone, Everywhere, All at Once:  Entertainment Industry Conflicts and How to Navigate Them
The John H. Mitchell Panel on Ethics and Entertainment

Attorneys that practice in entertainment can be a relatively small and insular group, negotiating with the same people and companies deal after deal. Attorneys may represent multiple parties on the same side of a transaction including the writer, director, showrunner; and/or cast members on a particular film or television project. These types of repeated and intertwined representations often raise ethical issues. This panel will focus on providing guidance to attorneys in the entertainment industry on complying with their obligations pursuant to the California Rules of Professional Conduct, including advice when an attorney is faced with representing two or more clients on a deal, when clients’ interests are ostensibly aligned but become adverse, and the pitfalls of representing various clients in repeated transactions with the same party. It will offer advice on how to avoid stepping over the line and when it may be time to withdraw. Finally, it will look at what happens and explore what to do if faced with a malpractice suit or disciplinary proceedings in this area.

Moderator:
Scott L. Cummings, Professor of Law and Robert Henigson Professor of Legal Ethics, UCLA School of Law

Panelists:
Amy L. Bomse, Partner, Rogers Joseph O’Donnell
Jeffrey M. Davidson, Partner, Covington & Burling
Sally C. James, Partner, Greenberg Glusker

---

6:10 to 7:10 p.m. (PDT)
New Frontiers: How Artificial Intelligence Presents New Opportunities (and Risks) for the Entertainment Industry

Artificial Intelligence and machine learning has had a swift impact on society and more particularly, the entertainment industry. Increasingly powerful and sophisticated generative AI presents new opportunities for creators, talent, and studios but also numerous risks for these stakeholders. From copyright questions to labor rights, from virtual production spaces to posthumous deepfakes, it is a time of excitement and trepidation. This panel will discuss these issues from a variety of perspectives, staying abreast of the most recent technological and legal developments in this fast-moving space.

Moderator:
Nathaniel Bach, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Panelists:
Travis Cloyd, CEO, Worldwide XR, Global Futurist, Thunderbird School of Global Management
Ted Schilowitz, Futurist-in-Residence, Paramount
P.J. Shapiro, Founding Partner, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole LLP

---

UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. By attending this session, you may earn Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit in the amount of up to 1 hour of general credit and 1 hour of legal ethics credit.

---

 

Fri June 9, 2023

Day 3 Syllabus Preview

Held in Schoenberg Hall, UCLA School of Music

PARKING INFORMATION
Where to Park: UCLA Parking Structure 2 – Level 1
How to Purchase Parking: Electronic Permit or Self-Service Pay Station
Directions: Apple Maps | Google Maps | Waze | UCLA Map

For more information, please view our Frequently Asked Questions.

1:00 p.m. (PDT)
Badge Pick Up and Check In - Schoenberg Hall Entrance

---

1:30 p.m. (PDT)
Doors Open

---

2:00 to 2:05 p.m. (PDT)
Welcome and Opening Remarks

---

2:05 to 2:20 p.m. (PDT)
Chairpersons Emeriti Recognition: Matthew C. Thompson & Lawrence Ulman

Presenters:
Elsa Ramo, Co-Chair, UCLA Entertainment Symposium Advisory Committee; Managing Partner & Founder, Ramo Law PC
Craig Wagner, Co-Chair, UCLA Entertainment Symposium Advisory Committee; Executive Vice President, Business Affairs & General Counsel, Paradigm Talent Agency
Christa Zofcin Workman, Co-Chair, UCLA Entertainment Symposium Advisory Committee; Co-President & COO, River Road Entertainment

---

2:20 to 3:10 p.m. (PDT)
The Price of a Name: Navigating the World of Fictionalized True Stories and Celebrity Endorsements

Film and television are so often based on the stories of actual people and real-life events. A few recent examples include the films TILL and AIR and the limited series DOPESICK, PAM & TOMMY and THE DROPOUT. Studios and production companies frequently go out of their way to acquire an individual’s “life rights” or partner with celebrities to tell their stories. What is the price of a celebrity’s name, likeness and life rights?  Are life rights necessary to tell someone’s story?  This panel will explore financial and other issues surrounding the production of fictionalized true stories and content inspired by true events. The panel will also examine the world of celebrity endorsements, the inherent risks in talent lending their names to promote products or services, and how to avoid costly mistakes that can damage a celebrity’s reputation or brand in the market.

Moderator:
Hillary Bibicoff, Of Counsel, Pierce Law Group LLP

Panelists:
Lisa Callif, Partner, Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP
Ann Brigid Clark, Shareholder, Greenburg Traurig
Kevin Vick, Partner, Jassy Vick Carolan LLP

---

3:10 to 3:30 p.m. (PDT)
Networking Break

---

3:30 to 4:20 p.m. (PDT)
Whose IP Is It Anyway? Source Material and Underlying Rights in Film and TV

So many film and television shows today are based on underlying material. Whether a novel, blog, videogame or television format, literary and underlying rights deals are common in nearly every aspect of filmmaking and television production. This panel will examine issues surrounding source material agreements including granting and reserving rights, reversions when things don't go as planned, copyright termination and the management of a deceased author's estate that controls valuable copyright libraries.

Moderator:
Matt Belloni, Founding Partner, Puck

Panelists:
Michael Grizzi, Executive Vice President, Motion Picture Legal, Paramount Pictures
Michael Sherman, Partner, Reed Smith
Michelle Weiner, Head of Books Department, Creative Artists Agency

---

4:20 to 4:30 p.m. (PDT)
On Popcorn and Purpose: When We Do More Than Entertain

Presenter:
Douglas Lichtman, Professor of Law and Faculty Director of Ziffren Institute for Media, Entertainment, Technology & Sports Law, UCLA School of Law

---

4:30 to 4:45 p.m. (PDT)
Networking Break

---

4:45 to 5:45 p.m. (PDT)
Keynote

Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer, Netflix
Ken Ziffren, Partner & Co-Founder, Ziffren Brittenham LLP

---

UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. By attending this session, you may earn Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit in the amount of up to 2.5 hours of general credit.

---

UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. By attending all three (3) sessions, you may earn Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit in the amount of up to 6.25 total credits (4.25 hours of general credit, 1 hour of elimination of bias credit, and 1 hour of legal ethics credit).