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Wonder Project · 1 month ago

Vice President of Motion Picture Business & Legal Affairs

Santa Monica, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

$210K/yr - $225K/yr

10+ years exp

Wonder Project is a transformative entertainment brand producing and curating premium movies and TV series for the global faith and values audience. They are seeking an experienced entertainment attorney to serve as Vice President of Motion Picture Business & Legal Affairs, responsible for guiding all business and legal affairs aspects of feature films from development through delivery and distribution.

Entertainment

Responsibilities

Negotiate and draft agreements for the development, finance, production, delivery, distribution, acquisition and licensing for the studio and Wonder’s streaming service, production agreements, talent deals, financing documents, and distribution arrangements

Structure and negotiate co-production agreements, pre-sales, gap financing, tax incentive transactions, and other financing mechanisms critical to independent film production and distribution

Negotiate and draft all aspects of motion picture agreements with talent agents, lawyers, and other parties (including profit participation, rights agreements, co-production, and overall/first look deals) in direct liaison with the relevant stakeholders within the studio

Interface with the following departments on a day-to-day basis: Creative, production, post-production and delivery, channel, product, marketing, finance, and contract administration

Review budgets and other financial data associated with the development and production of filmed programming

Work closely with internal business and creative executives to implement best practices, formulate new processes, maintain accurate project tracking, retain project documentation, and create and revise agreement templates

Oversee production legal and clearance issues during production and delivery

Review chain-of-title, underlying rights, and clearances

Work with production teams to ensure legal paperwork is in compliance with corporate requirements and assisting in any production related queries that arise

Work alongside and directly communicate with third party production companies

Managing relationships with sales agents, distributors, financiers, and production partners while advising on rights acquisitions, chain of title issues, and clearance matters

Provide strategic guidance on distribution strategy across theatrical, streaming, and ancillary markets, ensure compliance with guild agreements and industry standards, and supervise outside counsel when necessary

Qualification

Feature film business affairsNegotiating complex agreementsIndependent film finance structuresInternational co-productionsSAGWGADGA agreementsDrafting business contractsAnalytical capabilitiesCuriosityJDBar admissionInterpersonal skillsCommunication skillsProactive work ethic

Required

10+ years' experience in feature film business affairs at a film production company or motion picture studio

Experience with international co-productions and financing structures, relationships with sales agents, distributors, and financiers in the independent film space, and familiarity with streaming distribution models and evolving digital platforms are all valued assets

Strong and effective negotiating skills, excellent drafting skills, and solid relationships within the talent community

Ability to handle all aspects of feature business and legal affairs with minimal supervision, including day-to-day production operations

Working knowledge of the SAG, WGA and DGA basic agreements and the AFTRA Code

Significant experience drafting and negotiating general business contracts

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Strong analytical capabilities and judgment

Ability to work proactively, independently and reliably under tight timeframes in a fast-paced environment

Curiosity and willingness to tackle matters outside area of expertise

JD and bar admission in CA or NY