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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Advanced

Former School/College

Former School of Law and Justice

Unit aim

This unit introduces students to entertainment law, with an emphasis on music, film-related and media legal topics.  This unit will equip students with a basic understanding of legal and commercial issues surrounding the practice of entertainment law. 

Unit content

Topic 1 Introduction to entertainment law

a) defining 'entertainment law'

b) identifying the key participants in the entertainment industry

c) overview of areas of law and practice in the entertainment industry

d) introduction to protection of entertainment assets

Topic 2 Music and the law

a) rights in music, sound recordings and performances

b) administration of copyright, how the industry works, emerging business models

c) music industry contracts - including publishing contracts, recording contracts, commissioning contracts, artist management agreements, agreements with online intermediaries

d) digital rights management and enforcement issues

Topic 3 Film and television and the law

a) legal protection of film and television assets

b) rights acquisition

c) production, financing and distribution agreements

d) emerging business models

e) talent agreements

f) broadcasting - overview of legal and regulatory issues

Topic 4 Merchandising and ancillary rights

a) merchandising and ancillary exploitation of film and television products

b) character merchandising and celebrity rights - publicity and privacy rights

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 recognise the commercial environment and identify the issues in which entertainment lawyers operate;
2 apply their understanding of how intellectual property rights are used in the entertainment industry;
3 recognise the principles of contract law implicit in entertainment law;
4 be able to identify the most relevant legislation applicable to the entertainment industry;
5 explain the most common types of agreements used in the entertainment industry and apply their understanding of the key provisions of those agreements;
6 identify problems and complications that frequently arise in entertainment law practice;
7 explain the commercial and contractual relationships between various operators in the entertainment industries.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. recognise the commercial environment and identify the issues in which entertainment lawyers operate;
    • GA4:
  2. apply their understanding of how intellectual property rights are used in the entertainment industry;
    • GA4:
  3. recognise the principles of contract law implicit in entertainment law;
    • GA4:
  4. be able to identify the most relevant legislation applicable to the entertainment industry;
    • GA4:
  5. explain the most common types of agreements used in the entertainment industry and apply their understanding of the key provisions of those agreements;
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  6. identify problems and complications that frequently arise in entertainment law practice;
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
  7. explain the commercial and contractual relationships between various operators in the entertainment industries.
    • GA4:
    • GA6: