Job Responsibilities
Clip Clearance and Licensing includes coordinating with and
supporting other departments (ie show writers, producers, set
designers)in order to obtain needed elements such as footage,
music, logos, artwork, photos, slides, etc. for the shows in
production. This entails researching, negotiating terms and
rates, drafting legal agreements, licensing, and establishing
valuable relationships with other companies in order to get what
you need. Requests for elements usually come in at the last
minute, so there are tight deadlines. Each request requires at
least an hour to research and draft the agreement. It may take
weeks for a request to be completed since it usually involves
waiting on other people to provide the elements and sign off on
the agreements.
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Job Requirements
There are a considerable amount of people in this industry who
only have completed some college if they went at all. Some
studios offer tuition assistance if you'd like to further your
education. Some studios also offer computer and employee classes
on site.
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Uppers
Working at an entertainment studio definitely has its perks. Free movie
screenings, opportunities to view movies or television shows (and see the sets)
that are taping at the studios, and guaranteed star sightings are just a few of
the perks of being on the "lot". There is always an abundance of celebrity
gossip going around too. And for the holidays, studios that are generous usually
dole out dvd's and/or cd's as gifts for their employees. Most studios also have
a store on their lot that offers discounted merchandise (dvd's, cd's, sometimes
electronic hardware) to their employees.
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Downers
A lot of people want to be in the entertainment industry, which
means jobs can be difficult to score if you don't have contacts.
Most people start off in the biz by being assistants to upper
level execs. The hours can be long depending on the department.
Many upper level execs also feel entitled to the Hollywood ego,
which means that you shouldn't be surprised if they act like
prima donnas.
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Lifestyle
Work hours can be long depending on the department and/or production that you
are working on. However, some studios don't require employees to arrive until 9
or 10am. The dress code is pretty much the standard business casual unless you
are working on a production (at a stage)then it is just casual. Company social
events are pretty top notch since this is the enterainment industry!! People
know how to put on a show!
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Compensation
Most studios offer competitive salaries and a good 401K program.
Some include profit sharing.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Try to temp at a studio beforehand to see if this industry is for
you. Read the trade magazines such as Hollywood Reporter and
Daily Variety to see if this is the kind of work that would
interest you. There is a lot of job security in Clip Clearance &
Licensing since people are becoming much more litigious and
protective of their copyrights/trademarks/likenesses.
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