At a glance
- A legal agent in film follows the project from development to distribution, not only when the contract is already on the table.
- In international co-productions, the legal agent works on structure, treaties, chain of title, public funds and tax credit before the negotiation starts, when choices cost less.
- Today this also means knowing the new Italian rules on artificial intelligence in contracts and the updated thresholds of the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production.
- The legal agent is at international markets – Berlinale EFM, Marché du Film in Cannes, MIA in Rome – alongside the producer or director.
Most filmmakers call their lawyer only when the contract is already on the table and the signature is imminent. It’s like calling the doctor when the symptoms are already severe: you can still act, but the chance to prevent the problem is gone.
In independent cinema, where margins are tight and mistakes are expensive, emergency-only legal advice costs opportunities. This is where the legal agent comes in: a lawyer who follows the project from idea to international distribution and works on strategy, not just on documents.
Beyond contract review
When I represent a filmmaker or a producer, the work starts long before an agreement is signed. It means taking part in early conversations with potential co-producers, helping to structure the budget with legal and tax aspects in mind from the start, and identifying the international markets that best suit the project.
A lawyer involved only at the contract stage works reactively: they can prevent mistakes, but they can’t seize opportunities. A lawyer involved from development can shape the project so that it meets tax credit requirements, appeals to international co-producers and is ready for markets and festivals.
A concrete example: an international co-production
A director is approached by a Romanian producer interested in a co-production. A traditional lawyer would wait for the contract to review. A legal agent helps first to understand whether the partnership makes sense: which incentives are available in Romania and in Italy, which treaty or convention the co-production would rely on, how the chain of title should be built, which festivals might be interested in an Italian-Romanian project, and which European funds could be targeted, from Eurimages to MEDIA and regional funds.
The answers decide whether it’s worth spending weeks negotiating that partnership, and on what terms. Reaching the contract without them means negotiating with less leverage. For a closer look at how a treaty co-production works, see our guide to Italy–Canada co-production.
Entertainment Law & Co-Production Strategies
This is how DANDI.media describes its work: entertainment law serving a co-production strategy. The driver’s seat always belongs to the filmmaker and the producer; our job is to know, beyond copyright and contracts, how international markets, festivals and financing actually work.
In practice, it means joining the project during development, assessing international partnerships before they turn into formal negotiations, building a legal and financial structure that is consistent and bankable – collection account, chain of title, co-production agreements – and being at the markets as a partner, not as a remote adviser.
A project set up properly from the start is easier to finance, easier to sell to distributors and easier to protect if problems arise.
The rules a legal agent needs to know today
Co-production thresholds. Under the revised Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production, the minimum share of a co-producer is 10% in bilateral co-productions and 5% in multilateral ones, as long as the artistic and technical contribution is real. For countries without a bilateral treaty with Italy, this opens the door to smaller partners.
The clock in the chain of title. Under Article 50 of the Italian Copyright Act, if a film is not completed within three years of the delivery of the literary or musical contribution, the authors may dispose of their work again, unless the contracts set a different term. On projects with a long development, funds and insurers will check it.
Artificial intelligence in contracts. Law no. 132/2025 amended Article 1 of the Italian Copyright Act: protection covers works of human intellect, even when created with the help of AI. The selective funds of the Italian Ministry of Culture exclude artistic materials made through AI, while the tax credit rules require specific clauses in contracts with authors and performers. We wrote about it (in Italian) on Altalex.
Being at international markets
When I represent a filmmaker or a producer at the European Film Market in Berlin, the Marché du Film in Cannes or MIA in Rome, I don’t go only to protect their legal interests. I go to open doors, facilitate meetings, turn creative needs into contractual structures that work internationally, and build relationships that can last for years.
Being at the markets is part of the job, not an extra. Contracts are signed later, but opportunities start in informal meetings, panel conversations and project presentations.
Choosing the right legal partner
The difference between a lawyer and a legal agent is continuity: the first deals with the single problem, the second follows the project over time. If you’re working on a film with international ambitions, the question is not whether you need a lawyer, but at which stage you need a legal partner, and with what experience. In independent cinema the answer is almost always: earlier than you think, and someone who knows the industry from the inside.
If you’re developing a project with international ambitions and looking for a legal partner from the financing plan to distribution, write to claudiaroggero@dandi.media or read more about Claudia Roggero.
FAQ
What is a legal agent in independent film?
A lawyer who follows the project from idea to international distribution: taking part in early conversations with co-producers, structuring the budget with legal and tax aspects in mind, identifying the right markets, targeting grants and funds, and building the chain of title so that the project is bankable and distributable.
When should a film production involve a lawyer?
Before the contract reaches the table. Involved only at review stage, a lawyer can prevent problems but can’t seize opportunities; involved from development, they can shape the project to meet tax credit requirements, appeal to co-producers and be ready for markets.
What is the minimum share of a co-producer in a European co-production?
Under the revised Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production, 10% in bilateral co-productions and 5% in multilateral ones, as long as the artistic and technical contribution is real. Where a bilateral treaty exists between the two countries, its thresholds apply.
Do AI rules change film contracts in Italy?
Yes. After Law no. 132/2025 the creative contribution must be human; the selective funds of the Italian Ministry of Culture exclude artistic materials made through AI, and the tax credit requires specific clauses in contracts with authors and performers.
What does a film lawyer do at an international market?
Opens doors, facilitates meetings, turns creative needs into contractual structures that work internationally and builds relationships. Being at markets such as the Berlinale EFM, the Marché du Film or MIA in Rome is part of a legal agent’s work.
Useful links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Italy–Canada co-production treaty | DANDI.media guide |
| Clip clearance in Italy | DANDI.media service |
| Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production (revised) | coe.int |
| Italian Copyright Act (Law no. 633/1941) | Normattiva |
| Law no. 132/2025 on artificial intelligence | Normattiva |
| Italian Ministry of Culture – Cinema and Audiovisual (DGCA) | cinema.cultura.gov.it |
| MIA – International Audiovisual Market | miamarket.it |
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