Registered trademarks protect names, words, and designs that identify sources of goods and services. A production company trademark can support a valuable entertainment industry brand. A trademark owned by someone else can appear in an independent film script and need to be cleared before use onscreen to avoid potential liability.

Major studios like Univeral, Columbia, Paramount, Disney, and Warner Brothers and “mini-majors” like Dreamworks, Lionsgate, and A24 alike know exactly how important trademarks can be. They’re sometimes priceless brand assets. The new production company starting out with a dream and a script should understand that too. Effective trademark protection and management is as essential a part of setting up every new venture as choosing the right type of business organization.

DeepFocus Entertainment Law is well prepared to advise creators on protecting trademarks and intellectual property rights. The firm uses advanced technology to quickly search federal and state trademark records. It applies solid experience to evaluate trademark search results and assess availability of a desired trademark for registration, enabling clients to make smart decisions. Successfully registering and defending marks in the US Patent and Trademark Office. Monitoring clients’ valuable brands and opposing new applications for marks likely to harm them.

Guiding filmmakers who want to depict logos and other third-party trademarks onscreen is also a large part of our trademark law practice. We evaluate trademark usage in narrative and documentary productions to obtain errors and omissions insurance, avoid claims of trade libel and trademark dilution. The firm also advises on whether use of a trademark qualifies as permissible “fair use” and finds ways to strengthen trademark fair use defenses against infringement claims while preserving the filmmaker’s creative intent.

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