2025 Entertainment and Media Law Conference — March 20, 2025
For 22 years, the Media Law Resource Center and Southwestern Law School have hosted an annual forum at which renowned experts discuss the most timely, important, and controversial topics in entertainment and media law.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
12:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. PT
Southwestern Law School
4.75 MCLE Credits offered
Schedule of Events
**More speakers to be added soon
12:30 p.m. — Check-in
Check in at our registration table in the Bullocks Wilshire lobby.
1:00 p.m. — Welcome & Introductions
Opening remarks.
1:15 - 2:15 p.m. — Reality Check
Reality programming has been a cornerstone of televised and streaming entertainment for many years, but it is also becoming a hotbed of legal issues. A recent National Labor Relations Board action is seeking to classify the contestants in one reality program as employees, an approach that could fundamentally alter the landscape of producing reality shows. In addition, there has been a recent spate of lawsuits accusing certain reality producers of promoting or engaging in a variety of wrongful acts, including sexual assault, drunkenness, racism, and false imprisonment. Our expert panel will examine best practices for avoiding the treacherous pitfalls of producing reality content.
- Panel One Speakers
- Panel One CLE Materials
- Klapper v. Graziano, 41 Misc.3d 401 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2013)
- 9 U.S.C. § 401
- 9 U.S.C. § 402
- Plaintiff’s Original Petition, Dang v. Delirium TV, LLC, No. 202250674, (Tex. Dist. Ct. Aug. 16, 2022)
- Marianne Garvey, ‘Love Is Blind’ contestants forced to film drunk, hungry and sleep-deprived, lawsuit claims, CNN (July 16, 2023)
- First Amended Complaint, Hartwell v. Kinetic Content, LLC, No. 22-STCV-21223 (Cal. Super. St. May 7, 2024)
- Demand Letter to NBCUniversal re Litigation Preservation (Aug. 3, 2023)
- Complaint, Poche v. Delirium TV, LLC, No. 24-STCV-00088 (Cal. Super. Ct. Jan. 2, 2024)
- Tatiana Siegel, Drugs, Abuse, Imprisonment: A Secret ‘Love Is Blind’ Legal Battle Spills Out Into Public View, Variety (Jan. 3, 2024)
- Joelle Goldstein & Stephanie Wenger, Love Is Blind Production Company Wins Motion in Lawsuit Filed by Season 5 Participant, People (Mar. 22, 2024)
- Hillel Aron, Judge orders ‘Love Is Blind’ cast member back to arbitration, Courthouse News Service (Mar. 22, 2024)
- Julia Moore, Love Is Blind Contestant Renee Poche's Arbitration Appeal in Lawsuit Against Show Denied by Judge, People (July 4, 2024)
- Summons & Complaint, Manzo v. Bravo Media LLC, No. 150757/2024 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Jan. 26, 2024)
- Complaint, McSweeney v. Cohen, No. 1:24-cv-01503 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 27, 2024)
- Letter from Andy Cohen’s Counsel (Mar. 6, 2024)
- First Amended Complaint, McSweeney v. Cohen, No. 1:24-cv-01503 (S.D.N.Y. June 12, 2024)
- Defendants’ Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Dismiss, McSweeney v. Cohen, No. 1:24-cv-01503 (S.D.N.Y. July 17, 2024)
- Order on Stay of Discovery Pending Decision on Motion to Dismiss, McSweeney v. Cohen, No. 1:24-cv-01503 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 2, 2024)
- Complaint, Stowers v. NBCUniversal Media, LLC, No. 24-STCV-08574 (Cal. Super. Ct. Apr. 5, 2024)
- Docket & Pleadings, Delirium TV, LLC and Kinetic Content, LLC, No. 18-CA-322098 (N.L.R.B.), (consolidated complaint dated Dec. 11, 2024)
2:15 - 2:30 p.m. — Break
15 minute break.
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. — Disinformation and the Entertainment Industry
Hollywood exists at the intersection of fact and fiction, telling stories from the scrupulously documentary to the purely fantastical, where literal truth is just one measure of the value of a work. Has the debate around online disinformation affected how we think about truth in entertainment content? How will attempts to regulate disinformation, deepfakes, and digital tools affect Hollywood?
- Panel Two Speakers
- Panel Two CLE Materials
- Disinformation goes to Hollywood: four lessons from journalism, First Draft (Mar, 18, 2021)
- How right-wing media is like improv theater, The Conversation (Dec. 4, 2024)
- AB-2655 Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024
- AB-2839 Elections: deceptive media in advertisements
- Docket, Kohls v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02527 (E.D. Cal.)
- Verified Complaint, Kohls v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02527 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 17, 2024)
- Memorandum in Support of Plaintiff’s Motion for a Preliminary Injunction, Kohls v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02527 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 18, 2024)
- Order Granting Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction, Kohls v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02527 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 2, 2024)
- Stipulation and Order Consolidating Cases, Kohls v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02527, and The Babylon Bee, LLC v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02787 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 25, 2024)
- Stipulation and Order re Kohls Preliminary Injunction, The Babylon Bee, LLC v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02787 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 25, 2024)
- Complaint, X Corp. v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-03162 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 14, 2024)
- Order to Consolidate, Kohls v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02527 (E.D. Cal. Dec. 27, 2024)
- Order re Stipulation for Amended Stay of Enforcement of AB 2655, Kohls v. Bonta, No. 2:24-cv-02527 (E.D. Cal. Jan. 3, 2025)
3:30 - 3:45 p.m. — Break
15 minute break.
3:45 - 4:45 p.m. — Breakout Discussions
Participants choose from one of the following:
- Series and Backend Deals
We’ll discuss the state of play around compensation deals for streaming series and similar productions. What are the norms and what is still negotiable?
Facilitators 
CLE Materials
- Matthew Dixon, The Evolution of Backend Compensation in Feature Film Deals, LinkedIn (Mar. 13, 2023)
- Ashley Cullins, Death of TV's Overall Deals (As We Knew Them), the Ankler (May 1, 2024)
- Lucas Manfredi, Amazon ‘Explores’ Back-End Pay Model for Talent on Film, TV Series, The Wrap (May 13, 2024)
- Alex Weprin, Netflix Content Chief Bela Bajaria Says “We Are Not Changing Our Compensation Model”, The Hollywood Reporter (Oct. 10, 2024)
- Cynthia Littleton, Netflix Chief Doubles Down on Streamer’s Dealmaking Terms and Limited Theatrical Release Strategy, Variety (Oct. 17, 2024)
- Ivan M. Makai, The Cost-Plus Model: A Review of Netflix's Deal Terms, LinkedIn (Oct. 28, 2024)
- Tony Maglio, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria Says Almost No Filmmaker Actually Wants a Backend Deal, IndieWire (Feb. 14, 2025)
- Artificial Intelligence and Digital Media
With California and other states striking out on their own, while laws abroad impose greater restrictions, how are entertainment productions handling new regulations around the use of generative AI tools?
Facilitators 
CLE Materials
- EU AI ACT – Joint statement from European creators and rightsholders, IFPI (Mar. 14, 2024)
- European Parliament Adopts the AI Act: Implications for Culture, Culture Action Europe (Mar. 16, 2024)
- Scott Roxborough, Global Screenwriters Pass Resolution Calling for AI Regulation, The Hollywood Reporter (April 11, 2024)
- Paul Sweeting, Hollywood’s AI Concerns Present New and Complex Challenges for Legal Eagles to Untangle, Variety (Apr. 17, 2024)
- Lara Korte & Jeremy B. White, Newsom signs laws to protect Hollywood from fake AI actors, Politico (Sept. 17, 2024)
- AB-2602 Contracts against public policy: personal or professional services: digital replicas
- AB-1836 Use of likeness: digital replica
- Chris Arkenberg, et al., Large studios will likely take their time adopting generative AI for content creation. Social media isn’t hesitating., Deloitte Insights (Nov. 19, 2024)
- Rob Salkowitz, At CES 2025 Digital Hollywood Conference, AI Grabs The Spotlight, Forbes (Jan. 7, 2025)
- Sean Burch, 8 AI Predictions for 2025: From an AI-Made Hollywood Blockbuster to ‘Immersive’ TV Viewing, The Wrap (Jan. 10, 2025)
- Scott Roxborough, Is the International Film Industry Starting to Embrace AI?, The Hollywood Reporter (Feb. 12, 2025)
- Pre-Publication Review for Non-Scripted Content
Participants will talk about the special challenges of pre-publication review when there’s no script to review, reshoots (probably) aren’t an option, and the most problematic material is also the most interesting.
Facilitators 
Lindsey Faivus, Director & Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property, Netflix
CLE Materials
- Alexis Karakas, Non-Disclosure Agreements: The Real Impact of Reality Television, U.C. Irvine (Jul. 18, 2022)
- Peter White, Hollywood Contraction: Unscripted TV Business Facing “Crushing” Grim Reality As Fewer Shows Lead To Fewer Jobs, Deadline (Mar. 21, 2024)
- Kate Kilkenny & Winston Cho, Reality TV Filming Plummets in Los Angeles in Major Production Slowdown, The Hollywood Reporter (July 17, 2024)
- Andy Dehnart, The reality TV industry is in chaos and people are in despair. Producers explain why., Reality Blurred (Sept. 29, 2024)
4:45 - 5:00 p.m. — Break
15 minute break.
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. — Donald Trump, Part II
The movie business is no stranger to delayed sequels, and after four years in development the second Trump administration has been promised to be a bigger spectacle than the original. But will it be a comeback story, a tragedy, or a farce? Our knowledgeable panelists will separate the facts from the hype about what to expect from Trump II for the entertainment and journalism industries.
- Panel Three Speakers
Panelists 
Moderator
JP Jassy, Jassy Vick Carolan
- Panel Three CLE Materials
- Brent Lang & Gene Maddaus, From Tariffs to Taxes to Tyranny, Hollywood Braces for the Possibility of a Donald Trump Victory, Variety (Oct. 17, 2024)
- Abid Rahman, Hollywood Reacts to Second Trump Presidency Win: “A Sign of Deep Nihilism”, The Hollywood Reporter (Nov. 6, 2024)
- Scott Roxborough & Patrick Brzeski, International Industry Ponders Impact of Second Trump Presidency, The Hollywood Reporter (Nov. 6, 2024)
- Scott Roxborough, Will Hollywood turn to bland escapism under Trump?, Deutsche Welle (Nov. 6, 2024)
- Alexei Barrionuevo, Under Trump 2.0, Hollywood Sees a Wave of Consolidation and Looming Censorship, The Wrap (Nov. 7, 2024)
- Brent Lang & Gene Maddaus, Hollywood on Edge After Trump’s ‘Devastating’ Victory: ‘There’s a Lot of Fear’, Variety (Nov. 13, 2024)
- Gustaf Kilander, Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight join Trump administration - in made up roles to fix Hollywood, The Independent (Jan. 17, 2025)
- Steven Zeitchik, How Donald Trump Will War With Hollywood While Swiping All Its Tricks, The Hollywood Reporter (Jan. 20, 2025)
- Lights, camera, resistance. Trump looms over anxious film industry, AFP (Feb. 19, 2025)
- Joyce Chu, What a second Trump presidency means for Silicon Valley, San José Spotlight (Nov. 20, 2024)
- Annie Palmer, Silicon Valley's White House influence grows as Trump taps tech execs for key roles, CNBC (Dec. 23, 2024)
- Bobby Allyn, AI companies are preparing for the second Trump administration, NPR (Jan. 7, 2025)
- Matteo Nebbiai, The Techlash Will Not Disappear Under Trump 2.0, Tech Policy Press (Jan. 15, 2025)
- Daniel Araya, The Big Winner in Trump 2.0 Will Be Silicon Valley, Centre for International Governance Innovation (Jan. 17, 2025)
- Bobby Allyn, Meta agrees to pay Trump $25 million to settle lawsuit over Facebook and Instagram suspensions, NPR (Jan. 29, 2025)
- Jennifer Jacobs, X reaches $10 million settlement with Trump over prior suspension of his Twitter account, CBS News (Feb. 12, 2025)
- Alan Z. Rozenshtein, The TikTok Ban Withers Away, Lawfare (Feb. 14, 2025)
- How Trump’s war on the media is expected to ramp up in his second term, The Conversation (Nov. 20, 2024)
- Jake Lahut, The White House Press Corps Gears Up for Another Trump Term, Columbia Journalism Review (Jan. 21, 2025)
- Kate Wright, What will happen to Voice of America in Trump’s second term?, Nieman Lab (Jan. 23, 2025)
- Zoe Kolenovsky & Mia Taubenblat, ‘Crisis in journalism’: Leading journalists discuss second Trump term, changing media landscape at 2025 Zeidman Colloquium, Duke Chronicle (Jan. 26, 2025)
- Tom Jones, And so it begins — Trump’s attacks on the media, Poynter (Feb. 3, 2025)
- Trump administration, allies move to punish outlets during his second term, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker (Feb. 12, 2025)
- David McCraw, The New York Times’ Lead Newsroom Lawyer, on Potential Legal Challenges During Trump’s Second Term, Neiman Reports (Feb. 18, 2025)
- One month of Trump: Press freedom under siege, Reporters Without Borders (Feb. 19, 2025)
- Tom Wheeler, Trump’s CBS lawsuit ties media freedom to FCC’s regulatory power, Brookings Institution (Feb. 19, 2025)
- Sara Fischer, Trump's historic war on traditional media, Axios (Feb. 20, 2025)
- Brent Lang & Gene Maddaus, From Tariffs to Taxes to Tyranny, Hollywood Braces for the Possibility of a Donald Trump Victory, Variety (Oct. 17, 2024)
6:00 - 6:15 p.m. — Break
15 minute break.
6:15 - 7:00 p.m. — Filmmaker Chat
In this special session, we are pleased to welcome members of the production teams from Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice and true crime documentary The Menendez Brothers to discuss the practical and legal challenges they faced in bringing these stories to screen.
- Panel Four Speakers
- Panel Four CLE Materials
- The Apprentice: Official Trailer
- Léonie Chao-Fong, Trump lawyers seek to block US release of biopic The Apprentice, The Guardian (May 24, 2024)
- Tatiana Siegel at al., Controversial Donald Trump Movie ‘The Apprentice’ Made a Splash in Cannes. Is Hollywood Too Scared to Release It?, Variety (May 31, 2024)
- Jake Coyle, Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor and will open before the election, Associated Press (Aug. 30, 2024)
- Dominic Patten, Trump’s ‘The Apprentice’ Legal Threats Prove Fake News As Film’s Telluride Screening Starts; U.S. Release Looms, Deadline (Aug. 31, 2024)
- Jake Coyle, They made a movie about Trump. Then no one would release it, Associated Press (Sept. 4, 2024)
- Patrick Brzeski, The Untold Story Behind the Release of ‘The Apprentice’, The Hollywood Reporter (Oct. 9, 2024)
- Olivia Hampton, 'The Apprentice' director talks about the film Donald Trump doesn't want you to see, NPR (Oct. 10, 2024)
- Adam Boulton, Why The Apprentice, a new film about Donald Trump's early years, is an unwelcome surprise for his campaign, Sky News (Oct. 15, 2024)
- Ryan Gajewski, Sebastian Stan Lands Oscar Nom for Playing Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’, The Hollywood Reporter (Jan. 23, 2025)
- Julieanne Corr, ‘We raced to release The Apprentice before Trump could stop us’, The Times (Feb. 2, 2025)
- The Menendez Brothers: Official Trailer
- Marco Margaritoff, Menendez Brothers Prosecutor Warns TikTok Users She's Armed: 'So Don't Mess With Me', HuffPost (Oct. 8, 2024)
- John DiLillo, The Menendez Brothers Director Alejandro Hartmann Wanted to Tell the Whole Story, Tudum (Oct. 14, 2024)
- Christine Pelisek, Inside the Twists and Turns of the Menendez Case After DA Possibly Paves Way for Brothers to Go Free, People (Oct. 24, 2024)
- The Apprentice: Official Trailer
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. — Reception
Join us for an evening reception to network and connect with fellow attendees and panelists.
Coffee Break Sponsor
Conference Sponsors
