Legal Help for Online Videos, Podcasting and New Media?

So you are getting started in video podcasting, new media and the whole online video thing. You've picked up a cheap used Panasonic AG-HVX200 1/3" 3CCD 16:9 HD/DVCPRO/DV Cinema P2 camera, you have your Sennheiser G2 Wireless Lav, a Handheld Mic, a Audio-technica Shotgun Mic w/ Boom Kit, a NRG Varilux Pro On-board Light w/ Dimmer, anArri Lighting package includes the Arri 150 Fresnel Light, Arri 300 Fresnel Light and an Arri 650 Fresnel Light all well packaged in your Arri Light Kits with a couple of CHIMERA Lightbanks along with a few Kino Flo’s VistaBeam® 600s and 300s. You've written a great script full of emotion, spectacle and story. You've cast actors, found incredible locations and have a production crew booked and ready to shoot. Your post production team is standing by with the latest version of Apple's Final Cut Studio. You are loaded for bear but did you talk to a lawyer?

"A lawyer? Why would I want to talk to a lawyer? I'm a creative person."

Exactly.

Two places you might want to start are Colette Vogele's Rules for the Revolution and This WEEK in LAW with Denise Howell. These two lawyers know more about New Media, Audio Podcasting, Video Podcasting, Blogging, Vlogging and all the legal mumbo jumbo you'll need to consider in creating and distributing your new media masterpiece.

So get cracking and listen to their podcasts, then give them a call and do a little new media legal check up to make sure you've done everything you need to do so that you don't get hurt down the road.

Do you have talent releases for your actors? Do you have deal memos for your camera man and your editor? Have you trademarked the name of your new online series? Should I go on?

The $300 bucks you spend today could save you $30,000 or more in six months.