Film & Television

/Overview

Film and television sit at the center of a rights and deal-driven marketplace that has never been more competitive, more global, or more structurally complex. Nixon Peabody’s Entertainment team represents actors, directors, writers, producers, creators, athletes, and cultural leaders across the full content lifecycle—from development and financing through production, distribution, and the ancillary rights that determine long-term value.

Our attorneys bring firsthand experience from inside the industry’s most demanding environments, giving us a working understanding of how significant projects are assembled, how deals are structured, and where value is created and lost. We have experience representing clients on both sides of the table, which means we approach every transaction with a complete picture of the market.

Beyond the traditional entertainment transaction, our practice extends into the business of building lasting influence. We advise actors, athletes, musicians, creators, and cultural figures not just on the deals in front of them, but on the brand strategies, equity structures, and corporate foundations that allow creative careers to become enduring commercial enterprises. At Nixon Peabody, that work benefits from the full infrastructure of a top-rated, full-service firm—corporate, venture, IP, tax, employment, and litigation—all under one roof.

/Select representative experience

• A-list talent representation: Our attorneys have advised some of the most recognized names in film and television—actors, directors, writers, and producers operating at the highest level of the industry—on series regular deals, overall deals, first-look agreements, and production company formation with major studios and streaming platforms.
• Talent-backed brand ventures: Represented prominent actors and cultural figures in the launch of consumer brands that achieved significant commercial scale, advising on entity formation, equity structuring, licensing architecture, and the strategic partnerships that allowed creative influence to translate into lasting business value.
• Athlete-to-entertainment crossover: Guided professional athletes through the formation and operation of production companies, including entity formation, content acquisition, co-financing structures, and the strategic partnerships that establish a meaningful presence in the entertainment space.
• Executive producer: Secured a seven-figure settlement on behalf of an executive producer in a high-profile entertainment industry dispute, protecting both financial interest and creative credit.
• Creator-led productions: We represent creators in both original series development and catalog licensing deals with major streaming platforms. For example, we served as counsel to Yousahaei Studios on its record breaking Amazon Prime docuseries The Making of Beast Games, which showcased a production effort filmed over 45 days across multiple countries and sets, earning a Guinness World Record for largest behind-the-scenes crew.
• Investors: Advised multiple investors and executive producers through several confidential documentary and rights-acquisition projects.
• New media networks: We advise talent and rights holders driving the future of television and media on network structure, media sales deals, and talent engagements. For example, we represented YouTube-focused golf network Source Golf in connection with its founding talent partnership with Bryson DeChambeau.