Entertainment Industry

[Optimist Prime]

Who else is interested?

[oldalphasiglana]

I AM!!!!!!!! I just graduated in DEC with a PR degree. My dream is to be a publicist.

I plan on going to law school to be an entertainment lawyer. In turn, I will do a lot of agent work after law school.

[Glitter650]

I want to be an entertainment lawyer too, but I want to specialize in music I think... contracts and intellectual property...

Glitter650, I tried to send you a PM and your box is full!

I want to specialize in the music part as well!

[TCV]

I have always wanted to work in the entertainment business! Maybe a career as a Casting agent in the movie industry would be very interesting but I have a degree in Finance

~TCV
--How does one begin the process? I guess you have to KNOW people in the industry?

[GeoffZ]

I want to write/produce for film and TV one day.

[Glitter650]

Originally posted by TCV


~TCV
--How does one begin the process? I guess you have to KNOW people in the industry?

It really depends on what you want to do and what area of entertainment...... but I'd say the first step is moving to New York or LA.... but yeah to be a procucer you can start out as a production assistant ... if you want to be a director it's probably easier to start out at a smaller cable station or something or an assistant and get some credits worked up... really the trick is to get in ANYWHERE then let it be known what you really want... you will get there... I have met lots of people (especially in TV/radio) who started out as one thing and jsut kept moving into different things until they ended up where they are now...

[moe.ron]

Always wanted to be a concert promoter. Did some in college, but nothing heavy.

[bruinaphi]

If you want to work in casting you first need to work as an unpaid intern for a casting director. Then, once you have experience you can apply for jobs as a casting assistant. Once your reputation is known in the casting world you start to get offers to work as a casting director.

I do a TINY bit of entertainment work in my law practice, but am not drawn to it as others are. It is a very competitive field. Good luck to those who want to participate.

Having grown up in the heart of the Entertainment Industry I have no desire to be involved in what goes on. Be aware that it is not a nice place.

[xp2k]

Originally posted by Glitter650
I want to be an entertainment lawyer too, but I want to specialize in music I think... contracts and intellectual property...

Well...I'm not sure how if this rule pertains to the entertainment industry, but I know that a lot of Law Schools require you to have a BS or technical degree before you are allowed to pursue an area of intellectual property...which I think a lot of schools group with Copyright and Patent law...please correct me if I am wrong.

Yeah, I have had some informational interviews with some television people in Chicago (which of course, is nothing like LA or NY) and they've all said similar things in terms of advice on how to get into a job in the media:

It takes a lot of hard work and luck to make it...but you arent going to get your foot in the door unless you know someone

A girl that I worked a temp assignment with is interviewing at the Oprah show later this month for a production position becuase she knows someone who works in the studio there.

She met the "contact" after she interned for the Howard Stern show. She got the Howard Stern internship after she interned for Jerry Springer...

So I also guess that interning is almost a necessity now too! Its definitly a way to meet people and network...and networking is a skill that greeks should have down cold!

[Glitter650]

Well all law schools require you to have bachelors degree... but I'm doing my apps now and haven't run into anything saying that you must specifically have a BS or BA in order to study a particular area of law....

[bruinaphi]

It is not the law schools that have requirements for Patent Law, it is the Patent Bar. If you want to practice Patent Law you have to take and pass the Patent Bar. In order to take and pass the Patent Bar you have to either have a BS degree or you have to have taken certain science classes. Here is a link to the US Patent and Trademark Office.

A lot of firms require you to be a member of the Patent Bar to work in their IP departments.

Regarding having a Bachelor's Degree: In California you don't have to have a Bachelor's in order to take the bar. California Business & Professions Code Section 6060 provides that

Before beginning the study of law, have done either of the following:

(1) Completed at least two years of college work, which college work shall be not less than one-half of the collegiate work acceptable for a bachelor's degree granted upon the basis of a four-year period of study by a college or university approved by the examining committee.

(2) Have attained in apparent intellectual ability the equivalent of at least two years of the college work by taking any examinations in such subject matters and achieving the scores thereon as are prescribed by the examining committee.

But then again, you don't even have to go to law school. B&P Section 6060 goes on to provide that you can sit for the bar if you have done one of the following:

(1) Graduated from a law school accredited by the examining committee or approved by the American Bar Association requiring substantially the full time of its students for three years.

(2) Graduated from a law school accredited by the examining committee or approved by the American Bar Association requiring a part only of its students' time for four years.

(3) Studied law diligently and in good faith for at least four years in any of the following manners:

(i) In a law school that is authorized or approved to confer professional degrees and requires classroom attendance of its students for a minimum of 270 hours a year. A person who has received his or her legal education in a foreign state or country wherein the common law of England does not constitute the basis of jurisprudence shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the examining committee that his or her education, experience, and qualifications qualify him or her to take the examination.

(ii) In a law office in this state and under the personal supervision of a member of the State Bar of California who is, and for at least five years last past continuously has been, engaged in the active practice of law. It is the duty of the supervising attorney to render any periodic reports to the examining committee as the committee may require.

(iii) In the chambers and under the personal supervision of a judge of a court of record of this state. It is the duty of the supervising judge to render any periodic reports to the examining committee as the committee may require.

(iv) By instruction in law from a correspondence law school authorized or approved to confer professional degrees by this state, which requires 864 hours of preparation and study per year for four years.

(v) By any combination of the methods referred to in paragraph (3) of this subdivision.

Edited b/c I can't seem to write anymore.

[xp2k]

Originally posted by bruinaphi
It is not the law schools that have requirements for Patent Law, it is the Patent Bar. If you want to practice Patent Law you have to take and pass the Patent Bar. In order to take and pass the Patent Bar you have to either have a BS degree or you have to have taken certain science classes. Here is a link to the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Thanks for that info bruinaphi! That explanation makes sense.

So is entertainment law, in the sense of intellectual propery, totally different form Patent Laws?

[bruinaphi]

For the most part yes. It really depends upon what you want to do. It really goes firm by firm and depends on whether they do patent work and who they are willing to hire.

If you are able to take the Patent Bar it is a good idea b/c it makes you super marketable out of law school.