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Entertainment and Audiovisual Law

Using Music in an Audiovisual Production: An Analysis of the Rights Involved

September 17, 2026

Using Music in an Audiovisual Production: What Rights Are Involved

In the audiovisual industry, it is still common to refer to “the rights to a song” as if they were a single label. However, one need only analyze how music circulates today within audiovisual productions—TV series, advertising, digital formats, branded content, or content for streaming platforms—to see that this notion is inadequate. Music […]

How to Register a Song: A Guide to Protecting Your Music

A song can begin in a thousand different ways, from jottings in your notebook to an improvisation during a rehearsal with your band. But when it seems like it’s finally finished, the big question arises: How do you register a song to protect it? In Spain, a song is protected by copyright from the moment it is […]

Copyright in International Sports Competitions: Why Music Isn't a One-Size-Fits-All License

In international sports competitions, music is an essential part of the spectacle. In certain disciplines (such as figure skating and rhythmic gymnastics, among others), the choice of music not only influences the choreography and performance but also triggers a complex set of intellectual property rights. In public debate, this is often simplified […]

November 20, 2025

Trademark Protection Strategies in the Music Industry: The Case of Rosalía’s “LUX” Trademark

Registering a trademark associated with a musical project has become an essential tool in the industrial property and intellectual property strategies of contemporary artists. Rosalía’s recent application for the European trademark “LUX,” months before the release of her new album, illustrates how the law […]

November 14, 2025

50 Years Since the Spanish Premiere of the Musical “Jesus Christ Superstar”

Did you know that on November 6, 1975, after four years in the making and overcoming all kinds of obstacles, the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” premiered at the Alcalá Palace Theater in Madrid? The musical, produced and starring Camilo Sesto throughout, had a huge impact on the world of culture and […]

November 6, 2025

Tax Incentives for Culture: An Ever-Evolving Legal Framework

Recent legal reforms have significantly improved funding for the cultural sector. Today, theatrical, musical, and audiovisual productions can benefit from tax incentives that promote their development and dissemination and have a significant positive impact on society. The Role of Tax Incentives in the Cultural Sector These are measures that do not […]

August 21, 2025

Film Clearance: The Key to Ensuring Legal Certainty for Your Audiovisual Production

In the audiovisual industry, every frame counts… including from a legal standpoint. A film or television production may include elements that, if not properly managed, can lead to claims, distribution hold-ups, or even legal action. That is why legal clearance is an essential step in any production. What is […]

5 Keys to Effective Management of Intellectual and Industrial Property at Cultural Festivals

Cultural and folk festivals are gathering places that promote cultural diversity and blend historical traditions with contemporary artistic expressions. From live music to graphic design, including the performing arts, audiovisual media, and traditional expressions, intangible assets are a fundamental pillar of these festivals, which makes […]

Tax Incentives for the Film Industry in Spain: Tax Deductions and the Role of AIE

In recent years, tax incentives for the film industry have played a key role in Spain’s audiovisual sector. These incentives have not only fostered the creation of domestic productions but have also attracted major international co-productions, making Spain a prime destination for film shoots. In this article, we will discuss […]

January 2, 2025

Film and Generative Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities for the Audiovisual Industry

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been transforming our lives for decades through automation and mechanization. From personalized ads to algorithms on platforms like Netflix, this technology is already part of our daily lives. However, generative AI has brought about a paradigm shift by being able to create content on its own, generating […]

November 20, 2024

10 Movies in Which Industrial and Intellectual Property Takes Center Stage

Intellectual and industrial property, although it may seem like an abstract or technical concept, is a fundamental force that drives innovation and development in numerous sectors. This set of rights includes various forms of protection, such as patents, which ensure that inventors can obtain exclusive rights to their technical inventions; the rights to […]

The Supreme Court does not consider the teacher from “Cifras y Letras” to be a performing artist

On January 25, 2023, the Supreme Court put an end to the controversy surrounding the long-running television show “Cifras y Letras.” The controversy began in 2016 with a lawsuit filed by the “expert” professor on the “Cifras y Letras” program against ARTISTAS INTÉRPRETES, SOCIEDAD DE GESTIÓN (AISGE), the collecting society for […]

February 23, 2023

"Reality shows" are also eligible for tax deductions.

The tax benefits available for audiovisual production and the production of performing arts and musical performances are currently a central component of the funding process for these projects. However, until now, it was unclear whether “reality shows” could take advantage of these benefits. The General Directorate of Taxes has clarified this issue with Resolution […]

February 3, 2023

Tax Changes to Align with the Provisions of the Artists’ Statute – Reduction in Withholding Tax Rates.

We analyze the recently published Royal Decree 31/2023, dated January 24, which amends the Personal Income Tax Regulations to comply with the measures contained in the Artists’ Statute regarding withholding taxes. On September 6, 2018, the Plenary Session of the Congress of […]

Grants for Innovation Related to Technologies for the Metaverse and Web3 in the Audiovisual Sector

The State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure, as part of the Plan to Promote the Audiovisual Sector (Spain Audiovisual Hub), has published a call for grant applications for experimental development and process innovation projects using technologies related to the Metaverse and Web 3, for a total amount of 3.8 million […]

Labor Reform and the Artists' Statute.

The year 2021, which was particularly eventful in every respect, culminated in one of the most widely publicized reforms: the labor reform approved by the Council of Ministers through Royal Decree-Law 32/2021, dated December 28, on urgent measures for labor reform, the guarantee of job stability, and the transformation of the labor market […]

Labor Reform and the Unique Situation of Artists.

The unique nature of the services provided by artists has meant that—for as long as anyone can remember—their employment has been subject to special rules. Specifically, the classification of this activity as a special type of employment relationship is included in Article 2 of the Workers’ Statute, along with, among […]

February 27, 2022

Spain signs an agreement with the Dominican Republic on film and audiovisual coproduction.

On September 29, the Kingdom of Spain and the Dominican Republic signed an international administrative agreement to regulate and promote film and audiovisual co-productions between the two countries. Under the agreement, co-productions of audiovisual works between these two countries must be approved by the competent authorities of both; the Institute of […]

December 31, 2021

The door is now open for video games to be subject to legal deposit

On December 29, 2021, the Council of Ministers approved the preliminary draft bill amending Law 23/2011, of June 29, on legal deposit, to enable more effective preservation of national publications and optimize the management of preservation centers.

September 28, 2021

To what extent can the director of a play edit his or her work without infringing on the artists' related rights?

On August 25, 2021, the Court of Justice of the Andean Community ruled on the director of a film’s authority to edit, cut, or remove previously recorded scenes and analyzed how that authority interferes with the related rights of performers. Claudia Pérez Moneu analyzes this decision and its implications.

Preliminary Bill Amending Law 23/2011 on Legal Deposit

The Council of Ministers recently approved moving forward with the preliminary draft bill amending Law 23/2011 on Legal Deposit. What does this decision entail, and what is the rationale behind it?

October 7, 2020

What if we stopped paying artists from outside the EU?

On September 8, 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union issued a ruling in Case C-265/19, involving the Irish collecting societies RAAP and PPI, the former representing artists and the latter representing producers.

Beijing Treaty: A Step Forward in the Protection of Audiovisual Works

There are many factors that will shape this unexpected period of lockdown that has swept the world. The standstill—a common thread across all countries affected by COVID-19—reminds us of the importance of globalization. And despite the voices that seek to question it, the truth is that it has allowed […]

Globomedia's lawsuit against Álex Pina, creator and screenwriter of *Money Heist*, has been dismissed

Globomedia, the production company behind series such as “El Internado” and “Vis a Vis,” filed a complaint against Álex Pina and his company, La Raspa Producciones S.L.U., alleging that he had breached the contract for the provision of services and the assignment of intellectual property rights that both parties had signed when creating “La Casa de […]

February 11, 2020

We're making progress, but we need to be braver

(Back to the Reform of the Royal Decree Regulating the Film Act) To cap off a very cinematic month, with the Goya Awards still fresh in our minds, the government launched a public consultation today regarding the amendment of Royal Decree 1085/2015, dated December 4, which […]

January 16, 2020

Film awards and festivals: so much more than just receiving a trophy

The Golden Globe Awards were recently held in the United States, and on February 9, the Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will be held in Los Angeles. Also in February, the British film awards, the BAFTAs, and the French film awards, the Césars, will be presented. Spain is not […]

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