Printed on August 27, 2007
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Lawyers at Every Turn
Ojay All
Intern, Business and Legal Affairs
When I was home recently to visit family, I had a chance to meet up with one of my friends for coffee. As I neared the bottom of my second cup, my friend asked, "So, what type of work do lawyers do at National Geographic Channel?" That was an excellent question. While everyone knows that lawyers can defend them in court, prepare a will, or finalize a divorce, fewer (including myself before entering law school) are familiar with their work in obscure areas such as television, media, and entertainment.
This summer, through my internship in the Business and Legal Affairs Department at National Geographic Channel in Washington, D.C., I've had the opportunity to learn first-hand the integral role lawyers play in operating an international cable channel. From negotiating and drafting contractual agreements for new programs, to protecting NatGeo's intellectual property from copyright infringement, the attorneys I work with interact with departments across the channel and are involved in most major business decisions.
Intern, Business and Legal Affairs
When I was home recently to visit family, I had a chance to meet up with one of my friends for coffee. As I neared the bottom of my second cup, my friend asked, "So, what type of work do lawyers do at National Geographic Channel?" That was an excellent question. While everyone knows that lawyers can defend them in court, prepare a will, or finalize a divorce, fewer (including myself before entering law school) are familiar with their work in obscure areas such as television, media, and entertainment.
This summer, through my internship in the Business and Legal Affairs Department at National Geographic Channel in Washington, D.C., I've had the opportunity to learn first-hand the integral role lawyers play in operating an international cable channel. From negotiating and drafting contractual agreements for new programs, to protecting NatGeo's intellectual property from copyright infringement, the attorneys I work with interact with departments across the channel and are involved in most major business decisions.
A great example of this involvement is seen in the legal work required
to develop, produce, and air a program on NatGeo. For illustration,
imagine a documentary filmmaker with a terrific idea for a one hour
program. After successfully "pitching" the idea to the channel, the
Development Team decides to greenlight the project. After calling with
the good news, the Development Representative tells the filmmaker that
an attorney from Business and Legal Affairs will contact her soon to
negotiate the terms of the deal and begin drafting the contract.
Included will be sections related to the production schedule, budget,
and delivery date, as well as strict technical specifications intended
to ensure the film is a first-rate documentary. After several weeks of
negotiation, the filmmaker and the attorney agree to the terms and
fully execute the contract.
Now, fast-forward nine months into the future. The filmmaker has successfully shot, edited, and delivered the film to NatGeo and they love it. The program is a month from airing and the NatGeo Executive Producer has chosen a person or actor to narrate the program. Business and Legal Affairs is notified and an attorney drafts and sends an independent contractor agreement to the person or actor's agent and gets it signed. The narration is recorded and added to the program. In the meantime, the Communications and Marketing Departments, which have been working feverishly on promoting the show, decide to add cutting-edge CGI animation to the on-air promos. The work will be done by an outside design company and Business and Legal Affairs drafts a contract for the work and sends it to the company for signature.
Finally, all work is done and the program airs - it is a huge critical and ratings success. Sequel anyone? Better call Business and Legal Affairs.
Now for another cup of coffee.
Now, fast-forward nine months into the future. The filmmaker has successfully shot, edited, and delivered the film to NatGeo and they love it. The program is a month from airing and the NatGeo Executive Producer has chosen a person or actor to narrate the program. Business and Legal Affairs is notified and an attorney drafts and sends an independent contractor agreement to the person or actor's agent and gets it signed. The narration is recorded and added to the program. In the meantime, the Communications and Marketing Departments, which have been working feverishly on promoting the show, decide to add cutting-edge CGI animation to the on-air promos. The work will be done by an outside design company and Business and Legal Affairs drafts a contract for the work and sends it to the company for signature.
Finally, all work is done and the program airs - it is a huge critical and ratings success. Sequel anyone? Better call Business and Legal Affairs.
Now for another cup of coffee.
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1 Comment
I can understand the perception of lawyers at every turn currently I was banned from local Dallas/Fort Worth’s Channel 4 Blog’s for asking if anyone else was having problems with Charter Internet? http://www.myfoxdfw.com/. Thought it was odd I had to make my account over again. But to find later from a friend that does post there like I do on the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars that http://www.myfoxdfw.com/ had been removing users that made negative comments about any of there advertisers.
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