The 2023 Institute on Entertainment Law and Business took place at USC on Saturday, Oct. 14, exploring the latest industry trends and fundamental changes to business structures in the wake of rapidly developing technology and unrest in the form of major labor strikes.
Co-hosted by USC Gould School of Law and the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the one-day continuing legal education event titled “Hollywood Remodel: Blueprints for an Evolving Industry,” featured a keynote presentation from Amb. Charles H. Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association.
In a first for the Institute, attendees had the option to tune in virtually or access sessions on-demand after the event.
Jeffrey Cole, CEO of the Center for the Digital Future and a research professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, kicked off the day with an overview of recent developments within the entertainment industry, including labor negotiations, the “black swan” phenomenon of Barbenheimer, streaming consolidation, AI and more.
“Linear television is in trouble, cable television is in trouble, theatricals are in transition. That’s why [labor negotiations and AI], which are existential, are really about new players winning and new business models.”
During the keynote speech, moderated by Bruce M. Ramer of Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman, Inc., Rivkin, linked his experience as former U.S. ambassador to France and Monaco with his work as CEO of the Motion Picture Association to demonstrate the power of Hollywood as a diplomatic tool.
“We are allowed in this country because of our First Amendment rights to criticize the President of the United States, to criticize America itself, to tell stories that are unvarnished. Few nations have that unfettered ability,” said Ambassador Rivkin. “And as a result, when you see any movie or television show beamed around the world from Hollywood, you’re seeing freedom projected.”
Morning panels included “Generative AI: Some Practical Considerations,” a discussion of both the potential and hazards of artificial intelligence; “Legal Perspectives on Compensation in the Streaming Industry,” an overview of trends in compensation structures; and “Entertainment Litigation Developments,” which provided a market overview of streaming as the dominant method of music consumption.
Camille Vasquez of Brown Rudnick LLP, who represented Johnny Depp in the defamation case against Amber Heard in April 2022, spoke to the public nature of the case and how it impacted.
“I think that it’s not a bad thing to make our judicial system more accessible,” said Vasquez. “If that serves as a learning tool for more people to see justice at work, I think that’s a wonderful thing.”
Afternoon breakout panels focused on the latest developments in copyright, trademark and rights of publicity; music acquisition in entertainment productions; music streaming, the ethics of AI, and an update on labor issues in 2023. Panelists analyzed recent developments in their respective fields and provided in-depth discussion of each topic.
USC Gould School of Law offers continuing legal education opportunities for professionals who want to learn and network with leading experts in their industries. A fixture of the Los Angeles legal community since 1948, USC Gould Continuing Legal Education hosts six annual conferences for professionals at every level to learn from, and network with, the biggest players in entertainment, estate planning, business, tax and intellectual property. To learn more, visit or subscribe at gould.usc.edu/cle – and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
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