Michael Donaldson on legal fees
From Fears Filmmakers Have Hiring An Entertainment Attorney by Michael C. Donaldson & Lisa A. Callif · · FilmCourage
“The major fear is cost — typically it's much less expensive if somebody comes to us early on in the project rather than later and asks us to fix things, because once they're in a position where they really need an attorney that's when it's going to cost a lot more money.”
On , Michael Donaldson, Executive VP & Chief Legal Officer at EOG Resources Inc, spoke about legal fees during Fears Filmmakers Have Hiring An Entertainment Attorney by Michael C. Donaldson & Lisa A. Callif on FilmCourage.
About Michael Donaldson
In a 2015 video, Michael C. Donaldson, an entertainment attorney and author, discussed common fears independent filmmakers have about hiring legal counsel. He stated that the primary concern is cost, but argued that consulting an attorney early in a project is typically less expensive than fixing problems later. Donaldson also noted that filmmakers often fail to obtain signed agreements from contributors, which he said can result in those individuals holding valid copyright claims over elements of the film. Donaldson promoted his book *Clearance & Copyright, 4th Edition*, describing it as a resource that provides contracts and agreements filmmakers need. He emphasized that even small projects, such as a short film made with friends or a camera operator hired from Craigslist, require signed releases to avoid complications during distribution. He added that obtaining proper releases at the time of production is easier than trying to secure them afterward.