A hot topic of conversation in our current COVID-19 world is how film, television and new media productions will resume production safely and effectively. The entire entertainment legal landscape has changed as a result of the world’s pandemic. Producers, filmmakers, directors and crew need to think about protection before you can ever step on set to say “action.” It’s important to take a deeper look at the legal agreements that tie parties together on a project as we contemplate the future. Contract provisions that parties wrote off as “boring” or “boiler plate” will significantly change moving forward. It’s important you understand how this affects your project.

You don’t want to get stuck with a production or financial nightmare if you’re not protected legally to move forward on your film, TV or new media project. There are five basic provisions in a legal contract that many dismissed as “boring boiler plate” that now will have significance moving forward. It’s important that you know the basic purpose of these provisions, why they are drafted and what purpose they serve for all parties. With each provision, you will need to know the impact and implications as it relates to COVID-19 and how these provisions will continue to change to comply with government and guilds, insurance coverage and mitigation of risk for both parties. You need to make sure to contemplate unlikely scenarios so that contracts are comprehensive to whatever may occur.

Elsa Ramo is one of the top entertainment attorneys in the industry today and the managing partner of Ramo Law. Recently named to Variety’s 2019 “Dealmakers List,” Elsa Ramo has represented over 100 films and 50 television scripted and unscripted series in 2019 alone, including Emmy award-winning shows and films which debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.Her clients include Imagine Entertainment, FOX, Balboa Productions (Sylvester Stallone’s production company), Scout Productions (creators and EPs of QUEER EYE), Boardwalk Pictures (EPs for CHEF’S TABLE) and Skydance. Elsa has her finger on the pulse of the legal side of the entertainment law and works non-stop to protect her clients in all deals.

Elsa will go through the nuts and bolts of contractual provisions in the entertainment industry and a walk through of how these should and will change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Elsa will start by offering a basic understanding of five contractual provisions that are now much more important in the wake of the pandemic: Force majeure, suspension/termination provisions, assumption of risk and related indemnification provisions, medical releases and disclosures, and scheduling and payment provisions. She’ll discuss why they are drafted and what purpose they serve among the parties. Then, with each provision, she will discuss the impact and implications as it relates to Covid-19 and how these provisions are and will continue to change to comply with government compliance, guild compliance insurance coverage and mitigation of risk for both parties as they contract during a pandemic. Elsa will distill what we can learn from changing these ‘boring provisions’ that we can apply to better prepare ourselves for future unlikely scenarios and ensure contracts are comprehensive to whatever may occur. Finally, Elsa will teach you how to flag and ensure that the modifications placed on these contracts comply with government legislation, union compliance, and other worst-case scenarios.You will be fully prepared to understand how “boring boiler plate” provisions can affect your project and how to best protect yourself.

Praise for Elsa’s Stage 32 Webinar:

"This was one of the best webinars I have taken so far. Thank you again. I look forward to the next one!"

-Romina S.

"Awesome presentation - great speaker, made complicated issues much clearer, lots of great info! Great info for anyone in the industry in all positions. Thanks!!"

-Ron H.

"This webinar was absolutely brilliant! Elsa is clearly a pro, but her manner was so calm and approachable. She didn't talk down to us and explained all these intricacies so that I believe everyone was able to understand them. Bravo! More Elsa Please!"

-Becca G.

"Elsa is always amazing and legal is always a fantastic topic, now more than ever!"

-Lisa G.

• Basic Understanding of Contractual Provisions
  • Force Majeure
  • Suspension/Termination Provisions
  • Assumption of Risk and Related Indemnification Provisions
  • Medical Releases/Disclosures and Compliance with Production and/or Office Protocols to Keep all Parties Safe
  • Scheduling and Payment Provisions
• New Language Needed in Boilerplate Provisions for Development and Production
  • Summary of New Provisions
• How to Modify and Contemplate Other Scenarios Within These ‘Boring Provisions’
• How to Flag and Ensure that Modifications Comply With:
  • Various Government Legislation
  • Union Compliance
  • Other ‘Worst-Case Scenarios’
• Q&A with Elsa

All levels of directors (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn contractual provisions in the entertainment industry and a walk through of how these should and will change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All levels of writers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn contractual provisions in the entertainment industry and a walk through of how these should and will change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Producers looking to learn contractual provisions in the entertainment industry and a walk through of how these should and will change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Actors looking to learn contractual provisions in the entertainment industry and a walk through of how these should and will change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.