SDNY Judge Dismisses “Hustlers” Invasion of Privacy and Defamation Claims
In an opinion rife with references to adult entertainment and drugs, a judge in the Southern District of New York recently dismissed an invasion of privacy and defamation case over a plaintiff’s apparent depiction in the 2019 film “Hustlers.” See Barbash v. STX Financing, LLC, Case No. 1:20-cv-00123-DLC (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 10, 2020). For the uninitiated,
August Wilson to be Honored in Hollywood
CDAS is pleased that Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winning playwright August Wilson will be honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fred Bimbler is counsel to the Estate of August Wilson.
Proposed Guidelines for Resumption of Motion Picture, Television and Streaming Productions
Earlier this week, the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee Task Force released proposed policies and guidelines for the recommencement of productions, known as the White Paper. As of June 1, the White Paper was submitted to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and California Governor Gavin Newsom for review. The Task Force, comprised of the Alliance of
Character Exclusivity in Rights Deals
In this increasingly competitive media landscape, companies are seeking to create entertainment brands that can endure, serve as the basis for dozens of hours of content on the new generation of owned-and-operated premium platforms, and extend across various forms of media. However, transmedia deals are seldom straightforward, and may create issues that one is less
Blumhouse’s Sci-Fi Feature “Upgrade” to Become a TV Series
Briana Hill represented Blumhouse in the deal to adapt sci-fi thriller feature “Upgrade” as a TV series. Leigh Whannell, who wrote and directed the movie, is set to direct the series.
“A Secret Love,” from CDAS client Blumhouse, Rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Blumhouse’s bittersweet documentary “A Secret Love” premiered today on Netflix to rave reviews. Simon Pulman represented Blumhouse in its deal with the filmmakers, Briana Hill was involved in the film’s financing, and Calvin Mohammadi and Simon represented Blumhouse in its deal with Netflix. Watch the trailer here.
CDAS IP Group and Partner Nancy Wolff Recognized in Chambers USA 2020
The highly regarded “Guide to the Top Lawyers and Law Firms” described CDAS as a “highly skilled boutique offering excellent capabilities handling trademark and copyright infringement cases, as well as substantial portfolio management matters. [CDAS] exhibits expertise acting for market-leading entertainment, media and digital platform clients.” In addition to recognizing the firm for Intellectual Property:
“Wendy” Now Available on Most Digital and MPVD Providers
This beautiful reimagining of J. M. Barrie’s beloved characters, produced by Andrea Cannistraci’s client Paul Mezey and for which Andrea provided production legal services, is widely available as of today. Watch the trailer here.
Congratulations to filmmaker Kristine Stolakis whose documentary “Pray Away” received an excellent Tribeca Film Festival review. Simon Pulman and Calvin Mohammadi represented Blumhouse in its deal to finance the project.
Pray Away exposes the damage caused by the religious right’s so-called reparative therapy programs that claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity as told in personal stories of defectors from these programs. Read the review here.
Andrea Cannistraci Negotiated with HabeshaviewTV for “Enchained” to be the First Feature Film on the New Streaming Platform
Enchained, which airs beginning April 18,2020, premiered in Ethiopia in 2019 to critical and popular acclaim. Advisor to the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA), Andrea represented the film and filmmaker Moges Tafesse in this deal. See the trailer here.