Miami Film Production Lawyer for Movie & TV Projects

A film production lawyer acts as legal counsel for your project. That typically means drafting and negotiating cast, crew, location, and co-production agreements, reviewing chain of title, clearing music and third-party content, supporting E&O insurance applications, and negotiating distribution or streaming deals. The goal is a production whose ownership and obligations are clearly documented from start to finish.

Most productions need producer or co-production agreements, cast and crew agreements, director and writer deals, location agreements, appearance and depiction releases, and licenses for music or footage you plan to use. You also need documentation proving you own or control the script and any underlying material. The exact list depends on your format, budget, and union status.

Chain of title is the paper trail showing how rights to your project passed from the original creators to your production company – options, purchase agreements, writer agreements, and assignments. Distributors, streamers, and E&O insurers review it to confirm you can legally exploit the work. Gaps can delay or derail a sale, so we review title documents early.

Many distributors, broadcasters, and streaming platforms require errors and omissions (E&O) insurance before they release a project. It is designed to cover claims such as copyright or trademark infringement, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Insurers typically want a clean chain of title and documented clearance procedures, which we help you prepare during production.

Generally, only with permission. For a song, you usually need a synchronization license from the publisher and a master-use license from the owner of the recording. Archival footage, artwork, and photos need their own licenses. Fair use may apply in limited situations, but it is fact-specific and risky to rely on without legal review.

Copyright protects your script once it’s written down, but registration with the U.S. Copyright Office creates a public record and is generally required before you can sue for infringement of a U.S. work. WGA registration can document when you created it, but it isn’t a copyright registration. Ideas alone aren’t protected, so use NDAs or submission agreements when pitching.

If you hire guild or union members – for example, actors under SAG-AFTRA, writers under the WGA, or directors under the DGA – your production company typically needs to become a signatory and follow the applicable agreements, including minimum terms, residuals, and reporting. We help you understand these obligations before you commit to a union production.

These agreements license your film or series to a distributor or platform. Key terms include territory, media and platforms, release windows, exclusivity, license fees or minimum guarantees, revenue sharing, marketing commitments, reporting, and audit rights. We review each term so you understand what rights you’re giving up, for how long, and how you get paid.

Post-production is where many legal loose ends surface. Final music licenses and cue sheets, clearance of on-screen logos and artwork, credit obligations from talent and financing agreements, and distributor deliverables all need attention before release. Catching these issues early helps you avoid last-minute edits, delivery delays, or claims after your project is out.

Act quickly and keep records of communications, payments, and missed obligations. Review the contract’s notice, cure, and dispute resolution clauses before responding. Our attorneys can assess your options, negotiate a resolution, or pursue arbitration or litigation when needed to protect your project, your rights, and your financial interests.