{"id":2960,"date":"2021-10-01T12:57:41","date_gmt":"2021-10-01T10:57:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/?page_id=2960"},"modified":"2021-12-07T16:02:09","modified_gmt":"2021-12-07T15:02:09","slug":"film-law-photo-law","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/film-law-photo-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Film Law &#038; Photo Law"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"2960\" class=\"elementor elementor-2960\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-24034a4 mb-section-medium mb-margin-bottom-75 elementor-reverse-mobile elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"24034a4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7338073\" data-id=\"7338073\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2be2514 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2be2514\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bild-farbig_Film_Law_Photo_Law-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-4110\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bild-farbig_Film_Law_Photo_Law-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bild-farbig_Film_Law_Photo_Law-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bild-farbig_Film_Law_Photo_Law-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bild-farbig_Film_Law_Photo_Law-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bild-farbig_Film_Law_Photo_Law.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29cc9f3 mb-links-none elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"29cc9f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default elementor-inline-editing pen\" contenteditable=\"true\" data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\" data-pen-placeholder=\"Type Here...\">Attorneys for Film Law in Germany: Legal Enforcement of Film Rights\u200b<\/h2><p>ZELLER &amp; SEYFERT is a German law firm with experienced litigators who are specialized in the legal enforcement of film rights in Germany in and out of court. Head of the Film Law department of our law firm is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/litigators\/dr-christian-seyfert\/\">Attorney Dr. Christian Seyfert, LL.M.<\/a>\u00a0He is a Certified Copyright &amp; Media Law Specialist as well as a Certified IP Law Specialist. Christian has been representing international motion picture companies in Germany for many years. He is a respected expert in the enforcement of film rights in Germany in and out of court. He is closely familiar with the movie business and speaks the film industry language of his clients.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c979f2a mb-links-none elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c979f2a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Our film law clients\u00a0include:<\/h3><ul><li>Filmmakers<\/li><li>Film studios<\/li><li>Actors and Acting Agencies<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/performing-artists\/\">Performing Artists and Artist Agencies<\/a><\/li><li>Owners of film rights (copyrights)<\/li><li>Film music publishers<\/li><li>Film music composers<\/li><li>Casting agencies<\/li><li>Directors<\/li><li>Voice actors<\/li><li>Screenplay writers<\/li><\/ul><h3>Typical cases of application \/ areas of film law in Germany:<\/h3><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/\">Copyright Law and Copyright Litigation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/trademark-law\/\">Trademark Law<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/general-right-of-personality-protection-against-defamation\/\">Right of Publicity (defamation, libel, slander, etc.)<\/a><\/li><li>Biopics and films about real events (mockumentaries etc.)<\/li><li>Image Law &amp; Photo Law<\/li><li>Net Profits<\/li><li>Distribution of film profits<\/li><li>Synchronization Licenses<\/li><li>Master Use Licenses<\/li><li>Motion Picture Music Licensing<\/li><li>Soundtrack Recording Agreements<\/li><li>Depiction Releases<\/li><li>Film Clip Licenses<\/li><li>Option and Literary Purchase Agreements<\/li><li>Quitclaim Releases<\/li><li>Submission Releases<\/li><li>Loan-Out companies for artists, directors or writers<\/li><li>Actor Employment Agreements<\/li><li>Nudity Clauses<\/li><li>Youth Protection Law<\/li><li>Screenplay Writer Employment Agreements<\/li><li>Screenplay Writer Collaboration Agreements<\/li><li>Screen adaptations of novels<\/li><li>Director Employment Agreements<\/li><li>Novelization of Films<\/li><li>Pre-sale Agreements<\/li><li>Production Services Agreements<\/li><li>Co-Production Agreements<\/li><li>Casting Director Employment Agreements<\/li><li>Film Agency Contracts<\/li><li>Producer Employment Agreements<\/li><li>Special Effects Agreements<\/li><li>Film Distribution Agreements<\/li><li>Television Distribution Agreements<\/li><li>Home Video Licensing Agreements (DVD, Blu-Ray, etc.)<\/li><li>Multimedia Distribution Agreements<\/li><li>Merchandising Agreements (film)<\/li><li>Independent Films<\/li><li>Negative Pick-Up Agreements<\/li><li>Film financing<\/li><li>Completion Bonds<\/li><li>Video-on-demand (VOD)<\/li><li>Online marketing of movies<\/li><li>Completion Bonds<\/li><li>Disputes about the film title<\/li><\/ul><h2>Legal Representation of the Aggrieved Party<\/h2><p>In Germany, images and photographs may be used, distributed, or publicly displayed only with the consent of the person portrayed in the image or photograph. If an image or photo of you appears on the internet, somewhere in the\u00a0German press,\u00a0or in any other German media publication, you can generally prevent this public use of your image or photo, if you have not previously consented to it. Exceptions to this basic rule are contained within narrow limits in the German Law on the Protection of Copyrights in Works of Art and Photographs (KUG).<\/p><p>There is a separate protection for the\u00a0copyright owner\u00a0of an image or a photograph, which may or may not be the person which is portrayed in the image or photograph: It constitutes\u00a0copyright infringement, if an image or photo is copied, distributed,\u00a0or published without the prior consent of the\u00a0copyright owner.<\/p><p><strong>ZELLER &amp; SEYFERT<\/strong>\u00a0is a German litigation law firm with specialized attorneys in the areas of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/\">copyright law<\/a>, image law, and photo law. Our attorneys represent\u00a0copyright owners\u00a0of images and photos, as well as persons who are portrayed in the images and photos. In our litigation law firm,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/litigators\/dr-christian-seyfert\/\">Attorney Dr. Christian Seyfert, LL.M.<\/a>\u00a0will take care of handling your case concerning images, photos and\u00a0copyrights. Dr. Seyfert is a Certified Copyright &amp; Media Law Specialist and a Certified IP Law Specialist. He has been dealing with\u00a0copyright law, image law, and photo law cases in Germany for many years.<\/p><h3>Typical cases of application \/ areas of photo law in Germany:<\/h3><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/attorneys-for-action-against-misrepresentation-in-the-press-and-the-media\/\">Illustrated press reports \/ media reports<\/a><\/li><li>Unauthorized uses and exploitations of celebrity photos for advertising purposes<\/li><li>Unauthorized commercial exploitations of the right to one person\u2019s own image and likeness<\/li><li>Violations of the right to one person\u2019s own image and likeness (e.g. by unauthorized publication of personal photos on Facebook)<\/li><li>German Law on the Protection of Copyrights in Works of Art and Photographs (KUG)<\/li><li>Persons of contemporary history<\/li><li>Paparazzi photos \/ protection against paparazzi<\/li><li>Pictures and photographs of already deceased persons (post-mortem\u00a0personal rights\u00a0of the deceased\u2019s relatives)<\/li><li>Unauthorized use or reproduction of photos (<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/\">copyright infringement<\/a>), e.g. by posting such photos on the internet or by using such photos for promotional purposes<\/li><li>Photographs and photographic works<\/li><li>Packshots: Unauthorized use of photographs on products by third parties<\/li><li>Fee recommendations of the German SME community for photo marketing<\/li><li>Service catalogue of the German collecting society Bild-Kunst<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/data-protection-law-gdpr-conformity-of-your-company\/\">Privacy violations \/ data protection violations<\/a>: Unauthorized use of personal data<\/li><\/ul><h2>Legal Representation before the Copyright Courts and General Courts in Germany<\/h2><p><strong>ZELLER &amp; SEYFERT<\/strong>\u00a0is a German law firm with experienced litigators who specialize in representing clients in all aspects of film law cases before German courts. Specialized courts for copyright litigation within the general courts (Small Claims Courts, District Courts and Courts of Appeal) are responsible for court review of copyright disputes concerning motion pictures in Germany. These courts also have jurisdiction over disputes concerning performing rights (neighboring rights) of actors, and other\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/performing-artists\/\">performing artists<\/a>.<\/p><p>The civil departments in the general German courts have jurisdiction when issues of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/general-right-of-personality-protection-against-defamation\/\">privacy and publicity<\/a>, e.g. of the actors and artists, are in dispute. The general courts also decide cases concerning\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/protection-of-the-right-to-ones-own-image-picture\/\">image law and photo law<\/a>.<\/p><p>Litigation in film law matters is our forte. Please\u00a0<a class=\"popup-trigger\" href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/contact\/\" data-area-id=\"#divi-area-contact-24-7\">contact<\/a>\u00a0our internationally minded attorneys for more information.<\/p><h2>Legal Representation before German Civil Courts<\/h2><p>German civil courts have jurisdiction in both areas of image law &amp; photo law:<\/p><ul><li>The right to your own image or likeness has been violated, because your image or likeness has been published in a photograph without your prior consent.<\/li><li>Your\u00a0copyrights to a photograph have been violated, because the respective photograph has been copied, distributed, or published without your prior consent.<\/li><\/ul><p>In both areas you can rely on the experience of our attorneys, who have years of experience in enforcing the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/\">copyrights\u00a0<\/a>and rights to our clients\u2019 own image and likeness before German civil courts. In particular, the following claims are available against the infringer of your\u00a0copyrights\u00a0or your rights to your own image and likeness:<\/p><ul><li>Injunctive relief against the continued unauthorized use of your\u00a0copyright, image, or likeness<\/li><li>Requests for information from the infringer of your\u00a0copyrights or your rights to your own image or likeness on the nature and extent of the unauthorized use of the respective rights (right to information)<\/li><li>Claims for damages, in particular profits made by the infringer of your copyrights or your rights to your own image or likeness and compensation according to the license analogy principle (damages for infringement of your\u00a0copyrights or your rights to your own image or likeness)<\/li><li>Claims for additional monetary compensation in cases of severe impairments of your personality right and you right to your own image or likeness<\/li><li>Right of reply, revocation, rectification, and adjustment when a photo or an image is connected with false assertions of fact<\/li><li>Claims to destruct the illegally distributed and published images and photographs, as well as devices with which the images and photographs have been produced<\/li><li>Instead of the destruction: Claim to transfer the produced images and photographs as well as the devices for a reasonable fee to the claimant<\/li><\/ul><h2>Representation before the Federal German Constitutional Court<\/h2><p>Both the freedom of expression and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/general-right-of-personality-protection-against-defamation\/\">general right of personality<\/a>\u00a0are constitutional rights which are enshrined in the German Constitution (German Basic Law). If the infringement on image and photo rights also constitutes a violation of at least one of these two constitutional rights, the Federal German Constitutional Court may decide the individual case in the last instance in Germany. The attorneys of\u00a0<strong>ZELLER &amp; SEYFERT<\/strong>\u00a0are familiar with the case law of the Federal German Constitutional Court, particularly on image law and photo law disputes. Our attorneys will represent your personal interests competently and comprehensively before the Federal German Constitutional Court. They will review your image law and photo law case in detail and will advise you on whether an appeal to the Federal German Constitutional Court has a reasonable chance of success.<\/p><h2>Representation before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg<\/h2><p>Another chance to enforce your freedom of expression and your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/general-right-of-personality-protection-against-defamation\/\">general right of personality<\/a>\u00a0provides you an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. The \u201cCaroline\u201d decisions of the ECHR from 2004 (judgment of June 24, 2004, No. 59320\/00) and 2012 (judgments of February 07, 2012, No. 40660\/08 and No. 60641\/08), have profoundly stirred up the case law in Germany concerning the proper balance between the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/general-right-of-personality-protection-against-defamation\/\">general right of personality protection<\/a>\u00a0on the one hand and the protection of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/attorneys-for-action-against-misrepresentation-in-the-press-and-the-media\/\">freedom of the press<\/a>\u00a0on the other hand, particularly when it comes to the use of personal images and photos in\u00a0photojournalism. Our attorneys are familiar with the case law of the ECHR. They will guide you through the course of the proceedings before the ECHR and advise you on your chances of success there.<\/p><h2>Legal Representation in Summary Proceedings (Speedy Trials)<\/h2><p>In cases of particular urgency, our attorneys will swiftly enforce the motion picture\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/\">copyrights<\/a>\u00a0of your motion picture company in a summary proceeding (speedy trial) before the responsible German court. Summary proceedings can also be commenced to preliminarily enforce the\u00a0neighboring rights\u00a0of actors and other\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/performing-artists\/\">performing artists<\/a>\u00a0who participated in the production of the film. If needed, our attorneys also promptly seek an injunction on your behalf with respect to certain\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/general-right-of-personality-protection-against-defamation\/\">privacy and publicity<\/a>\u00a0issues of\u00a0 actors and other\u00a0performing artists\u00a0which may come up during the production of the movie or afterwards.<\/p><p>In image law and photo law cases of particular urgency,\u00a0<strong>ZELLER &amp; SEYFERT<\/strong>\u2019s attorneys will quickly enforce your\u00a0copyrights\u00a0and the rights to your own image and likeness in a summary proceeding before the competent German court. Our trial lawyers are familiar with the peculiarities of summary proceedings before German courts, particularly on image law and photo law issues. Our attorneys welcome your e-mails and phone calls to talk with you about your individual case.<\/p><p>Our attorneys are familiar with the peculiarities of injunction proceedings in film law, image law and photo law disputes before German courts. Simply contact us for further information.<\/p><h2>Cease and Desist Letters \u2013 Pre-Litigation Representation out of court<\/h2><p>According to German law, copyright owners of motion pictures as well as owners of all other forms of film, image, and photo-related rights (e.g.\u00a0neighboring rights of performing artists,\u00a0rights in photos and images,\u00a0privacy and publicity rights etc.) generally have the obligation to inform the infringing party with a cease and desist letter out of court about their legal violations. Rushing to court without having tried an out of court settlement beforehand may otherwise result in having to pay the entire court fees even if your film company or photo company later wins the lawsuit.<\/p><p>Our attorneys will demand from the infringing party on behalf of your film company that they cease and desist from infringing upon your film, image, and photo rights. We will also claim on your behalf in particular damages and the destruction of illegally produced copies of the film and photos. If the infringing party chooses not to cooperate with our attorneys, we will enforce the film rights, image rights, and photo rights of your company before the courts in Germany.<\/p><h2>Defending Clients in Film Law Conflicts<\/h2><p>Unlike in the USA, a plaintiff before a German court bears the full burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt for all his claims also in a civil lawsuit. If film law, image law or photo law related claims have been put forward against your company or your company has been sued before a German court, our attorneys will defend your company against the plaintiff. Litigation in film law, image law &amp; photo law cases in Germany is our attorneys\u2019 forte.\u00a0<a class=\"popup-trigger\" href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/contact\/\" data-area-id=\"#divi-area-contact-24-7\">Contact us<\/a>\u00a0for a quick evaluation of your case and if the plaintiff meets the high standard of proof against you.<\/p><h2>German and International Film Law Disputes<\/h2><p>Film art knows no boundaries. Movies are commonly exhibited in movie theaters worldwide. Actors and other\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/intellectual-property-law\/copyright-law\/performing-artists\/\">performing artists<\/a>\u00a0are known and celebrated internationally. Unfortunately, film rights as well as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/expertise\/personality-rights\/general-right-of-personality-protection-against-defamation\/\">privacy and publicity rights<\/a>\u00a0are exploited multi-nationally.<\/p><p>Out of years of experience with complex litigation, our attorneys are familiar with representing international film law issues in court. They will let you know to what extent German courts have jurisdiction in your film law case and whether German law applies. Our attorneys will effectively enforce your film rights in Germany.\u00a0<a class=\"popup-trigger\" href=\"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/contact\/\" data-area-id=\"#divi-area-contact-24-7\">Contact us<\/a>\u00a0to discuss your film law case in detail with you.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Attorneys for Film Law in Germany: Legal Enforcement of Film Rights\u200b ZELLER &amp; SEYFERT is a German law firm with experienced litigators who are specialized in the legal enforcement of film rights in Germany in and out of court. Head of the Film Law department of our law firm is\u00a0Attorney Dr. Christian Seyfert, LL.M.\u00a0He is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4104,"parent":2951,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[44],"class_list":["post-2960","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-expertise-template"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2960"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2960\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5838,"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2960\/revisions\/5838"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2951"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellerseyfert.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}