Partnership Agreement between Maker Studios and Tribeca Enterprises

Within the entertainment industry, Tribeca Enterprises is synonymous with success. The company behind the annual Tribeca Film Festival was founded in part by Academy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro, and is world-renowned for its innovative ventures and willingness to think outside the box. In early 2012, seeking to expand its reach into the younger, more Internet-savvy audience, Tribeca began preliminary negotiations with Maker Studios, a quickly-growing internet production company out of Los Angeles specializing in monetizing and creating content for YouTube talent. In a role unique to Midwestern law firms, Dinsmore represented Maker throughout the negotiations of a strategic partnership agreement between Tribeca and Maker aimed at creating a new YouTube channel featuring original content. The channel, “Picture Show,” currently features a number of original videos, including the web series “Jurassic Park REMIX: Kitchen Confessions,” a comedic parody blending elements of the hit movie and popular web show, and “Remix the Movies,” a web series featuring classic scenes from blockbuster movies with alternate humorous dialogue. Such programming seeks to attract movie lovers who appreciate off-beat humor and new media entertainment platforms.

Since Picture Show’s launch in April of 2013, Dinsmore has continued to provide counsel to Maker on talent and other production agreements which implicate intellectual property issues that are at the forefront of the entertainment industry. We also have advised Maker on a number of other intellectual property issues, including providing clearance, fair use and trademark opinions.

This partnership, which blends Maker’s avant-garde style with Tribeca’s traditional cinematic focus, represents a landmark step in the digital media world for actors, content creators and viewers alike. Dinsmore is proud to have played a role in helping Maker take this monumental step.