module specification

Entertainment Law explores how key areas of the entertainment industries operate, and evaluates the impact of the law upon them. This module provides the key skills necessary to understand the legal concepts, cases and contracts underpinning a career in entertainment law.

Module aims:

1. To provide an understanding of the core concepts of copyright and certain related intellectual property rights
2. To provide an understanding of key contracts and concepts shaping the Entertainment industry
3. To provide students with an opportunity for analysis and application of the law to factual circumstances which occur in the entertainment industries
4. To understand the business obligations and expectations created by various forms of contractual relations within the sector
5. To develop a student’s ability to undertake study and research both individually and as part of a group
6. To develop a student’s ability to use a range of legal sources applicable to Entertainment Law

1. Introduction  LO2 and LO3

2. Copyright protection  LO2 and LO3
• Subsistence
• The requirement of originality
• Moral rights and rights in performances
• EU copyright law and its historic and current effect on UK law.
• Ownership
• Assignment and licensing
• The role of the collecting societies

3. Infringement  LO2 and LO3
• The concept of infringement
• Copying
• Primary and secondary infringement
• Remedies and defences

4. Entertainment contracts and negotiations  LO1 and LO3
• Obligations of parties
• Termination of contracts
• Litigation

5. Recording Agreements  LO1 and LO3
• Management contracts
• Publishing contracts
• Royalties
• Advances and Accounting
• Sampling, copying and plagiarism

6. Brands, names and exploitation  LO2 and LO3

7. Free speech  LO2 and LO3
• Media Law of defamation,
• Obscenity
• Contempt

8. Celebrity  LO2 and LO3

• Privacy
• Confidence and the balance of competing rights

9. Ownership of Media  LO2 and LO3
• Self-regulation, including the press
• Regulation of internet and social media

Learning and Teaching Strategy

Weekly two-hour lecture and one-hour seminar. 

The lecture will be used for:

• Dissemination of knowledge through an overview of each topic with detailed guidance on appropriate aspects;
• An introduction to relevant academic literature;
• Guidance on learning strategies;
• Use of WebLearn and IT resources;
• Whole group questions and discussion.

The seminar will be used for the development of skills necessary to attain the module learning outcomes through:

• Written and oral questions/answers designed to reinforce fundamental rules, principles and cases;
• A range of step-by-step analytical exercises;
• Problem solving;
• IT tasks, such as research of cases and statutes;
• Legal writing.

Blended Learning

All learning materials, previous examination questions and sample Q/A’s will be on WebLearn for use in directed private study.

Student engagement will be encouraged in both lectures and seminars through weekly use of WebLearn for access to all of the above materials.

There will be required use of the professional legal databases, especially Westlaw and Lexis Library, for legal research.

Opportunities for reflective learning/pdp

Each weekly seminar will contain space for students to reflect on what they have learnt in relation to the overall syllabus. There will be frequent feedback opportunities structured into the timetable and a range of sample answers posted onto WebLearn.

Students’ Study Responsibilities

The need for attendance, punctuality, preparation and engagement will be emphasised with particular reference to written and IT research, problem-solving, team-work, discussion, debate and critical awareness of the subject.

On successful completion of this module, the students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate key skills of contractual analysis in the context of entertainment law.

2. Critically analyse the key legal themes, ethics and business implications of entertainment law.

3. Demonstrate the capacity of problem solving by the application of legal knowledge to case studies in the entertainment sector.

There are 2 components to the assessment strategy.

Coursework (1,000 words): Case-study analysis designed to test the analytical and independent research skills of students by giving them a factual scenario requiring a logical analysis of legal issues, and the interpretation of materials to provide a critique of an entertainment law case.

Examination (1 hour): This is designed to test overall knowledge of the entertainment law syllabus, entertainment contract concepts, and the ability to advise on legal problems.

The link to the Talis reading list will be provided when the module is due to start running