Film & Television

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Film & Television

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Dentons has a long history of representing some of the leading companies in the film and television industries. We represent Hollywood studios, television networks and cable companies, and some of the best known animation and visual effects companies. We also represent leading production and distribution companies.

Increasingly, film and television production requires integration of financing and production elements from multiple jurisdictions. Whether it is a treaty-based co-production, a complicated tax-driven structure, a matter of maximizing local tax credits or negotiating a complex distribution agreement, Dentons has the unique strength and experience needed to get your production made and commercialized.

Whether you are looking at producing in Vancouver, Budapest or New York, we can provide the advice and support you need. If you are looking at acquiring film and television assets in China, the United States, Canada, the European Union or elsewhere, we can provide advice on the local political, legal and business conditions that you need to consider in completing your transaction.

Experience

Al Jazeera: Advising on a broad number of matters and regulatory issues such as the extension of its multiplex carriage agreement with Arqiva, enabling its international English-language news channel, Al Jazeera English, to begin broadcasting 24-hours daily on Freeview and, in the U.S., a carriage agreement enabling the 24/7 distribution of Al Jazeera English in the New York metropolitan area via Verizon FiOS and Time Warner Cable, as well as various pay per view agreements for Al Jazeera Sports.
ARGUS Capital: Advising one of the leading private equity funds focused on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) on the acquisition of one of the largest cable TV companies in the Czech Republic from a German shareholder, subsequent acquisition of several other regional cable TV operators and consolidation into a new nationwide cable TV holding company.
BPRD Limited (Universal Pictures): Acting for the producer in relation to the production services agreement and related agreements concerning the Hungarian scenes of the motion picture titled Hellboy 2.
Chellomedia: Advising the client who is part of the major international cable/broadband operator Liberty Global, on a significant long-term film licensing agreement providing access to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's (MGM) film library.
Debt Productions Limited (Miramax Films): Acting for the producer in relation to the production services agreement and related agreements concerning the Hungarian scenes of the motion picture titled The Debt.
Groupe Canal+: Advising on a strategic investment in TVN, a leading private media group, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. This involved: (i) €230 million equity investment in TVN Group and strategic partnership with ITI Group, a shareholder controlling TVN, and (ii) €1.5 billion merger of Canal+’s and TVN’s satellite TV digital platforms in Poland.
International distributor: Advising on the format licensing, development, production, financing and distribution of the television series The Real Housewives of Vancouver.
Jammy Productions Limited (Miramax Films): Acting for the producer in relation to the production services agreement and related agreements concerning the Hungarian scenes of the motion picture titled The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
Holliston Productions Limited (Sony Pictures): Acting for the producer in relation to the production services agreement and related agreements concerning the Hungarian scenes of the television programme titled The Company.
Soyuzmultfilm: Advising Soyuzmultfilm, a pioneer in Russian animation, on the acquisition of a stake in Mult Efir. The Mult Efir Group includes Kinomania.TV, which manages the Multilandia children’s television channel, one of Russia’s top five children’s TV channels by audience coverage.
Warrior Productions Limited (Universal Pictures): Acting for the producer in relation to the production services agreement and related agreements concerning the Hungarian scenes of the motion picture 47 Ronin.

Insights

Episode 22: Fair Dealing in Canada, Part one

February 26, 2025

Canada: In this episode of the Entertainment and Media Law Signal podcast series, Bob Tarantino speaks with David Steinberg about Fair dealing in Canada. The first in a two-part series, this episode focuses on the basics, including defining what exactly fair dealing is, how to think about applying it, and generally how it functions in the context in which it works.

Episode 18: Production financing

July 31, 2024

Canada: In this episode of the Entertainment and Media Law Signal podcast series, Jim Russell and David Steinberg dive into the complexities of production financing, and they also discuss the intricacies of securing loans, managing lender expectations and navigating assignment documents to ensure your film, TV or digital media project is fully funded.

Episode 17: Trademarks and copyrights: What’s the big deal?

June 20, 2024

Canada: In this episode of the Entertainment & Media Law Signal Podcast Series, David Steinberg speaks with Meredith Bacal about trademarks and copyrights; two important parts in the IP toolkit in the media and entertainment space.

View all insights for Film & Television

News and Events

Recent Press Releases

Dentons advises Liberty Global on approx US$800 million acquisition of Multimedia Polska

October 19, 2016

Dentons advised Liberty Global, the world's largest international TV and broadband company, on the acquisition of Multimedia Polska, Poland’s number three cable operator with 1.6 million homes passed, mainly through its hybrid fiber-coaxial cable network.

Ken Dhaliwal, Dentons Partner, wins Crystal Mentorship Award

October 28, 2015

Dentons is pleased to announce that Ken Dhaliwal, partner in the Firm’s Entertainment Group, has been honoured with a Women in Film & Television - Toronto’s 2015 Crystal Award. The first man to receive a Crystal award since 2005, he received the Crystal Mentorship Award for his extraordinary contributions in mentoring women with whom he works, both while advising clients in the film and television industries, and working with colleagues at Dentons.

Cross-border Dentons team negotiates financing for independent film “Alex of Venice”

March 20, 2014

A Dentons team from the Los Angeles and Vancouver offices worked together to negotiate the financing for an independent film directed by TV and movie actor Chris Messina, which will premiere in the Spotlight section of the 13th annual Tribeca Film Festival in April.

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Film & Television

Film & Television

Experience

Insights

Episode 22: Fair Dealing in Canada, Part one

Episode 18: Production financing

Episode 17: Trademarks and copyrights: What’s the big deal?

News and Events

Recent Press Releases

Dentons advises Liberty Global on approx US$800 million acquisition of Multimedia Polska

Ken Dhaliwal, Dentons Partner, wins Crystal Mentorship Award

Cross-border Dentons team negotiates financing for independent film “Alex of Venice”

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