Legal Director, Production

Job Description

The Director role will support the production activities of WBD Italy including two Warner Bros. Discovery departments: 1) Original Programming, Max Italy; and 2) Local Film Production, Warner Bros.

In relation to Original Programming, the work will focus on the original production activities of Max in Italy. The work will relate primarily to the development and production of audiovisual programs, including dramas, documentaries, and non-scripted programming. The Director role will work closely with the Group Vice President, Italy, and the original programming team, as well as local outside counsel, to ensure the provision of first-class legal and business affairs advice and support.

In relation to Local Film Production, the work will involve working closely with the Group Vice President, Italy and the local Film Production team working in production/finance/creative, as well as outside counsel, to provide legal support for the development, co-production, and distribution of theatrical Italian titles for Warner Bros. Entertainment Italia.

Your Role Accountabilities…

For Original Programming, Max Europe
• Drafting, negotiating and reviewing of a variety of agreements related to day-to-day production work, including development agreements, production and distribution agreements, format options and licences, book option and publishing agreements, scriptwriting agreements, production commissioning agreements, co-production agreements, and services agreements of directors, actors, crew, locations, and suppliers.
• Day-to-day monitoring of ongoing productions, including contact with production companies
• Providing advice on Italian television industry production practices, generally.
• Clearance work, including reviewing scripts, rough cuts and advising on the clearance of intellectual property and on compliance matters.
• Reviewing and negotiating with relevant unions relating to the services of actors, creators, writers, and crew in the region, including familiarization with the relevant collective agreements.
• Presentation of summaries and reports on diverse legal matters, including research of doctrine and court decisions (copyright, image rights, data protection, etc.) and reviewing underlying rights and chain-of-title agreements
• Advising on production subsidies, tax rebates and other incentives available in Italy and advising on co-production and co-finance arrangements.
• Advising on underlying rights, copyright and other IP issues, compliance, and regulatory matters, as required.
• Finalising production and finance agreements, including taking security, dealing with completion bonds, and reviewing insurances, duty-of-care and risk assessment documents, as required.
• Assistance in the preparation and updating of templates and processes.
• Working closely with the broader WBD Legal team on legal and business affairs matters impacting production in Italy and implementing WBD policies, as required.

For Local Theatrical Production
• Reviewing underlying rights agreements, as well as writer, actor, financing, distribution and licensing agreements and licenses relating to the clearance of third-party materials.
• Reviewing and managing transaction documents relating to film development, production, distribution, and finance, to ensure conditions for financing and for delivery are met, including agreements with international distributors and sales agents.
• Advising on production subsidies, tax rebates and other incentives available in Italy and advising on co-production and co-finance arrangements.
• Providing status updates to the local and London teams.
• Assisting with day-to-day queries relating to rights, restrictions and approvals relating to local production films and escalating matters as required
• Managing and auditing chain-of-title documentation relating to development and production projects.

Qualifications & Experience…
• University Degree and qualification to practice in law.
• Ability to work in English and Italian essential.
• Media lawyer experience gained in-house or in a media law firm.
• Experience negotiating and drafting scripted and non-scripted development, production and distribution agreements is essential.
• Track record of working successfully with senior production and creative staff.

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Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our society and the world around us. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other category protected by law.

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Jobcode: Reference SBJ-g3eev9-3-138-118-194-42 in your application.