Licensing 101: Debunking Rights and Clearance Misconceptions

Licensing 101 will provide an overview of rights and clearances best practices in connection with television, film, and new media productions. Knowing how to navigate the layers of rights clearances will ensure your content is free and clear to be exploited in a legally compliant way. However, the hardest part of licensing is sometimes knowing what materials actually require clearance. Hence, this course will take a deep dive into outlining the many types of copyrighted materials typically used in creative content and attendees will walk away with a better eye for identifying what elements of their projects might require licensing.

Specific topics that will be covered include footage and image licensing, personality and likeness rights, rights of publicity, public domain, user generated content, artwork, logos, trademarked buildings, brands and products, quotes, book excerpts, speeches, union re-use fees, iconic characters and more. We’ll also briefly discuss commercial music clearances.

Instructor: Melissa Somosky

Senior Content Acquisition Manager @ Amazon Music

Melissa Somosky is currently Senior Content Acquisition Manager at Amazon Music. Prior to this, she was a Director of Global Rights at A+E Television Networks overseeing commercial music clearances and rights licensing. Melissa has also worked at the National Geographic Channel. She is also a 2016 graduate of the Women in Cable Television Rising Leaders Program. Melissa attended the College of William and Mary and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and American Studies in 2006.

Workshop Series

Although not required, we encourage participants to take all four workshops to get the most from this program (see below under "fees" for links to register for individual workshops). Those who sign up for all four workshops will receive a package bundle discount. Bundle is coming up soon. Sign up the waitlist to learn more.

For members, please contact [email protected] to receive your special discount code, which will allow you to access and purchase your discounted ticket.

$25 Full-Time Student (students must present proof of status after registering)
$25 Artists Over Sixty
$35 Arts Professional VLA Member
$55 Arts Professional Non-Member
$85 Legal Professional VLA Member
$110 Legal Professional Non-Member
$55 YAM’s Current Members and Associate Board

Please note you are not registered until full payment is received.

All registration fees are non-refundable. Instructors are subject to change and no refunds will be given in the event that there is a substitution of the instructor.

For more information on this program, please contact VLA at [email protected].

Host or Publisher Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts