Summary
Learn from a top entertainment attorney whose clients include Marvel, Sony, Starz & DC Comics!
You'll gain practical experience and expert legal insights to ensure your work is legal protected!
From writing scripts to generating visuals, Gen-AI is transforming how stories are created and shared. For filmmakers and content creators, this is an incredible opportunity to innovate like never before. But with great innovation comes new questions around ownership, protection, and rights. This Stage 32 exclusive class will give you the knowledge and tools to harness AI while safeguarding your vision and your work.
Using AI in filmmaking can raise big questions: Can I register my work if it contains AI-generated elements? Who owns the final product? What if I accidentally infringe on someone else’s IP? In this interactive 2-part class, you'll learn what the law says about human authorship, how to protect your ideas, and where the legal gray areas lie. You’ll walk away with practical steps to make your work legally secure—without compromising your creativity!
Your Stage 32 educator Thomas Crowell is a partner at LaneCrowell, LLP and an expert in entertainment and intellectual property law. His clients have inked deals with Sony, Starz, TLC, Elsevier Publishing, Marvel, DC Comics, Discovery Communications, and more. He has counseled producers, creators, and publishers across film, TV, and comics. With his background as a former television producer and director of development, Thomas brings both legal insight and creative industry experience to the virtual classroom.
You'll walk away from this class with real-world examples, expert instruction, and hands-on assignments—like analyzing Gen-AI's role in a shot list and breaking down Terms of Service from popular AI tools—so you can apply what you’ve learned directly to your work. From understanding copyright registration and intellectual property rights to navigating the “human authorship” rule and potential infringement concerns, this class covers the legal essentials every modern creator needs. Whether you're just beginning to explore AI or already integrating it into your creative projects, you'll leave equipped with the tools and confidence to innovate legally and responsibly!
This interactive Stage 32 class is held on Zoom and goes substantially more in depth than a Stage 32 webinar. Best of all? As soon as you sign up you will be linked on email with Thomas and given a questionnaire to fill out and send back to him. You will have access to him for the duration of your class by email to ask him any questions you have about your craft or career - it’s like having a mentor on demand! And, if you can't make a live session, don't worry! All class recordings will be available 48 hours after each session and you will be able to view them in your Library on your Stage 32 profile. Finally, you can expand your network with like-minded creatives - you'll have a dedicated lounge for interactive support and discussions with your fellow classmates!
PLUS! You will receive the following handouts to help you:
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Short Guide to Copyright Law
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Copyright Guide to Registering Gen-AI Works
THIS COURSE IS EDUCATIONAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE.
Praise for Thomas:
"Thomas is great. I love a producer turned attorney because of the insight they can provide into various situations and life rights are so much more common in documentary than in narrative storytelling; so I appreciate his view on what this group of rights is and how to approach a life rights deal." -- David S.
"Flowing with knowledge and apparent honesty, an excellent workout for the nuance of the topic , information I'm certain to deal with." -- Chris Z.
What You'll Learn
Session 1: Foundations Of Gen-AI And Intellectual Property:
• An overview of Gen-AI technology
• An overview of copyright law and its protections
• Copyright registration and its benefits
• Protecting audiovisual works and their constituent parts under copyright law
Assignment: Create a scene shot list for a movie concept and analyze potential points where Gen-AI might be integrated.
Session 2: Legal Considerations For AI-Integrated Filmmaking:
• The “human authorship” rule in copyright law—its history and application to Gen-AI
• Considerations regarding intellectual property infringement in the context of AI
• Registering copyright for human-authored works that incorporate Gen-AI components
• Understanding the Terms of Service for Gen-AI generators
• An examination of exclusivity issues as they relate to Gen-AI
Assignment: Review and analyze the Terms of Service for a popular Gen-AI generator.
Who Should Attend
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Filmmakers, producers, and screenwriters who are using or planning to use Gen-AI in their creative process at all levels
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Creatives who want to protect their intellectual property and understand the legal implications of AI in storytelling
Executive
Thomas A. Crowell, Esq. is an entertainment and intellectual property attorney and partner with the New York law firm of LaneCrowell, LLP. A former television producer and director of development for STN, Thomas counsels clients on a wide range of entertainment law and intellectual property rights issues. He has worked with clients who have had deals with Sony, Starz, TLC, Elsevier Publishing, Discovery Communications, Focal Press, Smithsonian Network, WE: The Women's Entertainment Network, The Science Technology Network, and IDW Publishing. His clients' work is seen in the pages of Marvel and DC Comics and on movie, TV, computer, and mobile screens worldwide.
A frequent columnist for film industry publications, Mr. Crowell is also the author of a best-selling legal guide for independent producers, THE POCKET LAWYER FOR FILMMAKERS, adopted as a core textbook in many film and law schools across the US. His latest book, THE POCKET LAWYER FOR COMIC BOOK CREATORS, is the first dedicated legal guide for the comic book industry. He currently serves as a series editor for Focal Press and its new line of legal guides for artists.
Schedule
Wednesday, June 11th, 3pm-5pm PT
Wednesday, June 18th, 3pm-5pm PT
Testimonials
Praise for Thomas:
"Thomas is great. I love a producer turned attorney because of the insight they can provide into various situations and life rights are so much more common in documentary than in narrative storytelling; so I appreciate his view on what this group of rights is and how to approach a life rights deal." -- David S.
"Flowing with knowledge and apparent honesty, an excellent workout for the nuance of the topic , information I'm certain to deal with." -- Chris Z.