It sounds glamorous, but entertainment law is not for the faint of heart. In this episode of Letters of Intent, Pankaj and Sahil sit down with Nadia Davari, a veteran entertainment attorney and film producer.

They pull back the curtain on the industry, discussing why the "golden age" of independent film financing is fading, the stark difference between negotiating with a studio vs. an indie producer, and the massive legal risks of using AI in the creative process. If you are a creator thinking about using ChatGPT to write your script or your contracts, you need to listen to this warning first.

Takeaways

• AI & Copyright: You cannot copyright work created by non-humans. If you use AI to write your screenplay, you may own nothing. It is considered public domain or "dirty data."
• The ChatGPT Trap: Clients often try to save money by using AI to draft legal documents (like operating agreements). Nadia explains why this results in "gibberish" that costs more to fix than to draft from scratch.
• Industry Reality Check: Entertainment law isn't all red carpets. It often involves low starting pay, volatile projects, and deals that fall through at the last minute.
• Negotiation Strategy: When negotiating with a studio, you can be aggressive. When negotiating with an independent producer, you must understand there is a hard cap on money. Know who you are fighting.
• The Death of Pre-Sales: The old model of funding films through international pre-sales and DVD revenue is dying, making it harder for independent filmmakers to predict revenue.
• AI in Law: While tools like Lexis AI and Spellbook are useful for professionals, "cowboy" use of ChatGPT by laypeople creates legal nightmares.

Soundbites

• "Entertainment law is definitely not for the weak of heart. It's really a whole other business."
• "He said, 'I'm using AI.' I said, 'Do you realize that none of that is private information anymore? Do you know that you can't copyright it?'"
• "I put this into Chat GPT and these are the answers... some of the answers from AI was such gibberish."
• "Please don't give us the nightmare of your Chat GPT work. It's easier for us to redraft an entire agreement."
• "You have to have an eye out to the end of the process... Where are you going to go? Who's going to watch this?"

Keywords

Entertainment Law, AI Copyright, ChatGPT, Film Financing, Independent Film, Intellectual Property, Hollywood, Negotiation Strategy, Screenwriting, Legal Tech, Carbon Law Group

Guest: Nadia Davari (Law Offices of Nadia Davari)

• Website: nadiadavari.com / davarilaw.net
• Instagram: @nadiadavari

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