12 November

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AFM-26: How Film Financing Really Works Today — Pre-Sales vs. True MG Deals

I attended the American Film Market in 2023, 2025, and 2026, and I decided to update this article following my most recent experience because, despite the passage of time, very little has changed in the fundamental economics of independent film financing and distribution. At AFM 2023, I rented a booth representing the Law Offices of Ernest Goodman. Although the event provided valuable networking opportunities, the venue was poorly suited for a market of that size. Meetings frequently took place in crowded hotel hallways, and the elevators could not accommodate the volume of attendees. Waiting twenty or thirty minutes just to reach...

04 November

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Grasping at Straws Is a Bad Strategy

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Civil Procedure, Constitutional law, Copyright Law, Entertainment Law, Immigration Law, Legal Advice, Uncategorized

Why chasing unlikely outcomes, ignoring probabilities, and falling victim to survivorship bias can cost you everything Whether you're dealing with immigration law, filmmaking, business, investing, or even your personal life, one principle remains the same: grasping at straws is a bad strategy....

02 November

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The $2 Million Ego: Why Non-Filmmakers Fail

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Copyright Law, Entertainment Law

About ten years ago, I met a man who had $2 million to spend on making a movie. He had written a screenplay and was looking for a director. At first, it sounded like a promising opportunity. Independent filmmakers are always looking for financing, and $2 million is a substantial budget for an independent feature....

29 October

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Reality Check: Film School Doesn’t Open the Door to Hollywood

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Copyright Law, Entertainment Law

Why a degree from a prestigious film school is not comparable to a law or medical degree — and why aspiring filmmakers should consider building their own businesses instead of waiting to be hired....

29 October

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When Hollywood Fame Fades, but the Attitude Doesn’t

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Copyright Law, Entertainment Law

Why independent filmmakers should think twice before hiring former celebrities — and how contracts and artificial intelligence can protect their productions. Over the years, I have encountered several situations in which independent filmmakers hired former Hollywood stars who had enjoyed considerable fame in the 1980s or 1990s....

27 August

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Copyright Small Claims Court vs. TTAB

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Copyright Law, Entertainment Law, Trademark Law

Intellectual property litigation has an unusual economic problem. A person may have a perfectly legitimate legal claim and still conclude that enforcing that claim makes no financial sense. This is particularly common in copyright disputes involving photographers, videographers, graphic designers, writers, musicians, and small businesses. A photographer, for example, may discover that a company copied a photograph from his website and used it commercially without permission. The photographer may clearly own the copyright, may be able to prove the unauthorized use, and may ordinarily charge several thousand dollars for a comparable commercial license. Nevertheless, if the entire dispute is realistically...

20 June

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Can Similar Trademarks Coexist in the Same Class?

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Entertainment Law, Trademark Law

Today, we will discuss a specific situation in which a similar trademark is already registered by another owner within the same international class. Let us address this issue directly: trademark matters are highly fact-specific....

25 May

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AI Makes Access to Filmmaking Easier

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Copyright Law, Entertainment Law

Artificial intelligence is changing filmmaking in ways that many people still do not fully understand. Most discussions today focus almost entirely on fear: fear of job loss, fear of automation, fear that machines will replace artists, writers, editors, actors, and entire production departments....

10 May

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Cheap Trademark Filing vs. Real Trademark Strategy

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Entertainment Law, Trademark Law

Today, we will talk about consequences of the use of cheap trademark filing services. In today’s online world, many businesses look for the fastest and cheapest way to file a trademark application. At first glance, this seems reasonable. A trademark filing may appear to be simple paperwork: fill out a form, pay a fee, and wait for approval....

29 April

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AI in Hollywood: Law Is Behind Technology

Posted by Ernest Goodman

in Copyright Law, Entertainment Law

Artificial intelligence is already embedded in the film industry. It is not theoretical. It is not “coming soon.” It is here. But its implementation is uneven, cautious, and often deliberately hidden behind traditional workflows. At the same time, other markets—particularly India—are moving faster, experimenting openly, and accepting risks that U.S. studios are unwilling to take....