Rights and Clearance Specialist (freelance)

Hearst Media Production Group is seeking a Rights and Clearance Specialist (freelance).

This role is scalable and expected to work 25 – 40 hours/week.

Responsibilities include maintaining and improving the rights management system for all contracts, reviewing program cuts, negotiating production releases and addressing clearance concerns for a high volume of projects, working with Vice President, Business Affairs and outside counsel on trademark and copyright matters, and occasional standards and practices review.

This position reports to the Vice President, Business Affairs and is based on-site in either our Glendale, CA or Charlotte, NC office.

Responsibilities         


* Spearhead rights management for all contracts, including but not limited to network, distribution, acquisitions, production partner, sponsorship, and talent agreements, maintaining an organized system that streamlines the process of identifying terms, rights, avails, participations, holdbacks, and territories.

Input rights information into our rights management software. 


* Consult with counsel, perform legal review and rights interpretation of contracts to provide contractual obligation summaries to various departments, including fielding questions as it relates to contractual terms, restrictions, and interpretations of deals


* Work with Vice President, Business Affairs and outside counsel on title clearance, trademark, and copyright questions


* Collaborate closely with all production teams to ensure appearance, location, footage, and materials releases are signed with the necessary rights and protections obtained.

Includes reviewing and redlining third-party releases, reviewing and responding to third-party redlines to HMPG releases, and answering questions from teams about usage rights from various sites and resources, all under tight deadlines while working with Vice President, Business Affairs and outside counsel as needed


* Work with Vice President, Business Affairs and outside counsel and production teams on FCC and FTC compliance and regulatory concerns for broadcast and digital projects


* Support other Business Affairs team members with occasional broadcast standards and practices review


* Complete rights and clearances review of program cuts 

Experience


* 5+ years’ experience in entertainment business affairs, production management, rights management, and/or clearance coordination


* Production company, entertainment law firm, or studio/network experience required

Qualifications


* Strong knowledge of rights management and contract management systems


* Experienced in contract review and analysis with a focus on contracts in the entertainment industry


* Experienced in assessing risk and providing recommendations to senior management team


* Familiarity with production clearance issues and ability to handle copyright and trademark matters


* Proven ability to manage a high volume of ...