UCLA Law Hosts 37th Annual UCLA Entertainment Symposium ucla School of laW hosted the 37th UCLA Entertainment Symposium, “Deals on the Edge,” in March. The annual event, which focuses on emerging legal challenges in the entertainment industry, featured leading legal and entertainment industry executives who shared their perspectives on the status of the industry and the impact of evolving technologies on deal making and distribution. A highlight of this year’s symposium was a dialogue with cartoonist, screenwriter and executive producer Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, Futurama and the long-running cartoon strip Life in Hell; and director and animator David Silverman, whose credits include numerous episodes of The Simpsons as well as The Simpsons Movie. David Silverman and Matt Groening at the 37th Annual UCLA Entertainment Symposium The two-day symposium included a broad range of panels exploring the changing landscape of the entertainment industry. Panelists offered insights on how to plan for the success of original content in the vast digital landscape, how to negotiate current TV deals and how to protect rights overseas. Panelists also discussed animation, global film financing and production opportunities, including an examination of the benefits and hazards of filmmaking in newly developing markets. The panelists and moderators included key executives from studios and production companies such as Pixar, Illumination Entertainment and Warner Bros., leaders from digital companies including Yahoo! and representatives from top talent agencies like Creative Artists Agency. Independent producers, agents and media developers also presented their perspectives from the frontlines. The UCLA Entertainment Symposium has become a flagship event for the entertainment and legal industries, bringing together industry executives, agents, managers, producers, entertainment attorneys and students.
UCLA Law Alumni Recognized as Entertainment Law Leaders
Entertainment Law Speaker Series dUring the 2012-13 academic year, the Entertainment, Media, and Intellectual Property Law Program hosted a series of talks for students with industry professionals, who spoke on the present and future of the entertainment business, their areas of expertise and how they got to their present positions. This year’s speakers included: Matthew Belloni, news director, The Hollywood Reporter; Michelle Jubelirer, executive vice-president, Capitol Music Group; Leslie Klinger, co-founder, Kopple and Klinger; Harvey Levin, founder, TMZ; Robert Rotstein, partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP; Christopher Spicer, counsel, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; and Patrick Sweeney, counsel, Reed Smith LLP.
An impressive 16 UCLA School of Law alumni have been recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as leaders in the entertainment industry. Congratulations to: John Branca ’75 Skip Brittenham ’70 Melanie Cook ’78 Sam Fischer ’82 John Frankenheimer ’73 Michael Gendler ’80 Carlos Goodman ’88 Howard King ’77 Dale Kinsella ’74 Skip Miller ’72 Schuyler Moore ’81 Marcy Morris ’81 Robert Offer ’92 Jason Sloane ’88 Gary Stiffelman ’79 Ken Ziffren ’65
Harvey Levin
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